AS the only member of last year's Newcastle Jets W-League side still playing locally, Cassidy Davis was expected to shine this Herald Women's Premier League season for Valentine.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
The 20-year-old has not disappointed.
With 26 goals in 21 games, Davis has led all scorers despite coming into the WPL after playing as a makeshift central defender with the Jets last W-League campaign.
In her second W-League campaign, Davis came into the Jets starting side for north Queenslander Ashley Spina mid-season after Spina injured her knee.
All the Jets but Davis took their skills elsewhere after Newcastle narrowly missed the finals.
The Emerging Jets teams moved to play in the NSW National Premier League Women's competition in Sydney. Many senior W-League squad members went to other sides in the league.
Davis remained in the WPL and has been a key player for Valentine in their rise up the ladder in 2016.
Four losses in the opening eight rounds left Valentine off the pace, but they stormed home to finish third before thumping second-placed Adamstown 8-0 in the semi-finals last weekend.
Davis scored twice in the win and is looking to cap her season with another strong performance when Valentine play minor premiers Merewether in the grand final on Sunday at Magic Park.
She is also hoping it will help her secure a third season with the Jets.
"I'm definitely playing again," Davis said.
"I'm hoping I do get a spot but once you get in, it depends on how you train and how you perform as to whether you get a starting spot or not."
Davis has led the way in a Valentine side which features former Matilda Hannah Brewer and ex-Jets Gemma Pearce and Maddy Searl.
Despite their strength on paper, Phoenix have struggled for consistency. Davis, though, believed they were good enough to upset United, who have won their meetings 3-2, 4-0 and 2-0 this year.
"We don't really have that many players in the first-grade squad and there are a lot of girls who have work commitments and other things going on like uni," Davis said.
"We haven't had our full squad most weeks, so we've had a lot of under 18s fill in for them.
"Not many girls can train as well, which has been an issue, but now we've hit the semi-finals, all the girls are starting to pull together and show some more commitment, and I think that showed on Saturday.
"I know with the players we have, we can pull through and really do anything. I think it's just going to come down to us girls wanting it.
"We've gone through the motions a bit through the season when we've played them but from the semi, you could tell everyone wanted to win.
"If we go out with the same attitude and turn up like we did on the weekend against Adamstown, it's going to come down to that.
"I just hope we all want it."
She said the likes of Tyler Radovanovic, Sian Keating, Georgia Cook and Heidi Weimer had stepped up from the club's under 18s and boosted the senior side regularly this season and the grand final was a chance for them to push their claims for Emerging Jets selection.
