Will depth prove the key to Charlestown Azzurri success in 2023 NPLW NNSW?

Azzurri secured the Northern NSW Football Women's State Cup last year and finished third in NPLW before making a semi-final exit, but suffered at times due to a lack of depth.

One look at their bench in a 2-1 win over Maitland in round one of NPLW at Lisle Carr Oval on Sunday shows that has been addressed.

Seasoned campaigners Lori Depczynski and Sarah Halvorsen, who has returned to the sport after a stint in AFLW, were both deployed off the bench late in the game.

Depczynski produced the matchwinner with a wonder strike in the 80^th minute after the Magpies equalised and had Azzurri under plenty of pressure.

"Having Sarah Halvorsen and Lori coming off the bench isn't too bad in itself. We've got a deeper squad this year," Papaspiropoulos said.

They also appear to have a balanced mix of youth and experience.

Teenagers Cassie Corder, Evie Horgan, Georgia Brown and Mia Wallace in goals all had strong games.

"It was a good collective effort, more than outright stand-outs, and we're in a good space with the playing squad that we have," Papaspiropoulos said.

"It wasn't our best game in terms of control or quality of possession but very pleasing that if we're not at our best we're able to find ways to win, just scrap, work, dig in, and show a good reaction to conceding, for example."

** In case anyone was wondering about the changes to NPLW Northern NSW first-grade kick-off times this season, there is a good explanation.

All of the original 3.40pm start times in the 2023 fixtures were recently adjusted to 4pm.

Northern NSW Football general manger of football operations Liam Bentley said the reason behind the move was an equal approach to their premier youth boys' and girls' competitions.

All youth games in NPLW will now be 80 minutes, with 40-minute halves, in line with their male counterparts. Previously only 17s and reserve grade were 80 minutes while 13s and 15s were 70-minute games.

"It's a massive year for women's football and it's really important this year of all years to show that equality, that both boys and girls are getting the same opportunity to develop, right through to senior women as well," Bentley said at the NPLW media launch.

"We've taken the opportunity, right down to the game times that they play. For a long time younger girls played shorter halves than boys. This year it's the same."

** Tilligerry Football Club are also showing support for women by providing free childcare services to parents during their inaugural world cup six-a-side tournament at Mallabula Sports Complex on March 17-18.

The Tilligerry World Cup 2023 is open to female teams of all ages and is supported by the NSW Government under the Football Legacy Program, which has invested $3.1 million into over 100 grassroots projects to boost female player participation ahead of this year's FIFA Women's World Cup.

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