NNSW WPL: Eagles part ways with head coach ahead of Olympic clash

In a statement posted to social media on Tuesday, the club said:

"In what has been a disrupted season, and with the numerous challenges that presented, it became clear that it was in the best interest of the players and the club to recalibrate our WPL program, to finish 2020 on a positive note and reset now for the 2021 season.

"With our reserve-grade side still in the hunt for finals and with our youth teams continuing to show real signs of development, we still have much to do with a young senior squad. We wish Brad all the very best in his future football career and we thank him for the time he has spent at NLFC."

The statement said Eagles technical director Cas Wright and assistant technical director Greg Lowe will take over the senior teams in an interim capacity with the club "actively pursuing a full-time appointment for 2021".

The defending champions have registered just four points this season to be second-last after nine outings. They host third-placed Newcastle Olympic (19 points) in one of two rescheduled fixtures tonight. They play at Alder Park while Merewether, second on 20 points, travel to take on last-placed Thornton.

Under Keelan Hamilton the Eagles secured the minor premiership-championship double last year. In the off-season they lost Hamilton as well as key players Tara Andrews, Lauren Allan, Sophie Jones and Imogene Tomasone. Senior players Stacey Day and Georgia Amess left to join Olympic during the COVID-19 break, between rounds two and three, then co-captain Toria Campbell sustained a season-ending knee injury.

Lisa Cochrane, Sophie Stapleford and Taylah Bryde were all forced from the field with injuries during New Lambton's 4-1 loss to Broadmeadow at Arthur Edden Oval on Saturday.

Maitland announced on Saturday Hamilton will head up their women's program when they rejoin WPL from next season. The Magpies played in the inaugural WPL season in 2009 and will take over Thornton's licence from 2021.

Hamilton was spotted at the WPL match between Olympic and Warners Bay on Sunday and told the Newcastle Herald he was looking forward to the new challenge.

Olympic coach Harmonie Attwill will take an unchanged side from the one which beat Warners Bay 7-2 on Sunday into the game on Wednesday night.

Jacinta Johnston was given a baptism of fire in her first-grade starting debut with the task of marking former National Women's Soccer League striker Jen Hoy.

"She did well, did her job," Attwill said of the 18-year-old's performance on Sunday. "I couldn't have asked for much more."

Reserve-grade right-back Zoe Burnley made her top-level debut from the bench and also did not look out of place.

"She came through Emerging Jets," Attwill said. "She's 18 and she's a quality player. We're just trying to blood a couple of young ones and it's good for them to see that pathway is there."

They were not the only teenagers to impress over the weekend. Mid Coast coach Michael Grass rated the performance of 16-year-old midfielder Emma Shipperlee as "her best game of the season" as they kept alive their finals hopes with a 3-0 win over Thornton on Saturday.

The Emerging Jets lost 2-0 to Illawarra in National Premier League NSW Women's on Sunday. This weekend they play Bankstown City away.

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