Girls Football 2018 – players to watch

Saint Kentigern College will be defending their Auckland, knockout and national titles this year.

It’s a busy season for the country’s leading female football players, with club and school commitments and the additional incentive to earn selection for the squads for the U20 World Cup (5-24 August) and the U17 World Cup (13 November – 1 December)   all looming large.

Below are some of the players who should feature prominently throughout the remainder of 2018.

Hannah Blake (St Kentigern College) – The St Kentigern College Striker helped her school to an outstanding 2017 season winning the College Sport Auckland Championship, Knockout Cup and the NZSS title. The prolific striker will be on hand for some of her final College season as she also has to juggle her commitments with the New Zealand U-20 side heading to the FIFA U-20 World Cup in France and the Future Ferns Domestic Programme.
 
Macey Fraser & Gabrielle Rennie (Rangiora High School) – The duo are current members of the New Zealand U-17 Women’s squad that competed in the 2017 U-16 OFC Championships and are now working towards the FIFA U-17 World Cup in Uruguay later this year. Both are also members of the Future Ferns Domestic Programme Squad that plays in the AFF/NFF 17 Boys Conference League. Fraser is a skillful central midfielder and Rennie a speedy attacker.

Hannah Blake and Maya Hahn doing battle at NZ U-17 Club Champs earlier this year. Photo: Phototek

Maya Hahn (Hutt Valley High School) – Receiving MVP at the 2017 U-16 OFC Championships speaks volumes of the talent Hahn possesses. The talented midfielder began her year with a bang as a guest player for Christchurch’s Waimakariri United who placed first in the U-17 National Club Championships. However, the midfielder is based in Wellington and a product of the Ole Football Academy and is almost certain to feature in Leon Birnies U-17 squad for the FIFA U-17 World Cup.
 
Tiana Hill (Otumoetai College)
She's not the biggest defender going around, but Hill's aggression and physicality makes up for her lack of size. Named MVP for Otumoetai at the NZSS Premier tournament in 2017 while helping her team to finish a respectiable 10th place, Hill will be keen to use her experience as a WaiBOP Football National Women's League player and Claudelands Rovers Women's Premier captain to help her school side in her final year of school.
 
Arabella Maynard & Talisha Green (Takapuna Grammar)
The attacking duo headlines the attack for both club and school. Both of the youngsters have pace to burn and a keen eye for goal. The Forrest Hill Milford Women's Premier players are sure to torment the defences they come up against in the Auckland Premier division.

---

MAGS goal keeper Alisha Perry.

​Alisha Perry (Mt Albert Grammar School) The youngster has had tough shoes to follow in between the sticks at Mt Albert Grammar but some superb performances, including in the 2017 NZSS National Premier Final where she saved Football Fern Hannah Blake’s penalty, has seen her come into contention for a spot in the National U-17 side for the upcoming World Cup.
 
Hannah Pilley (Baradene College) –Pilley is an athletic forward who knows how to find the back of the net. Making her debut for Eastern Suburbs’ Women’s Premier side at just 15-years old, Pilley took her goal scoring exploits to the national stage scoring twice in the 2017 New Zealand Football Knockout Cup final. With the talent of Pilley and fellow youngsters Petra Buyck, Ruby Rimmer and Kate Duncan, Baradene will no doubt be challenging St Kentigern College for the Auckland Premier title again this year.
 
Rene Wasi (Westlake Girls) – The 2017 Westlake Girls Junior Player of the Year is one for the future. Wasi has a good chance of making her International debut at this year’s FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup after strong performances in recent times for school, club (Forrest Hill Milford) and Northern Football earning her selection into the recent U-17 National team camp. The youngster claimed the Golden Boot award at last year’s NZSS National Premier Tournament.
 
Acknowledgments to: Steph Trowill 

---