'Pretty threatening': Brisbane Roar forward joins forces with in-form Babic

Coach Nima Nikfarjam is rubbing his hands together pondering what damage the attacking pair can cause in NPLW Northern NSW.

Brodigan is back in Newcastle after a frustrating A-League Women's campaign at Brisbane Roar hampered by injury and illness.

The 24-year-old Central Coast product has reunited with Magic, where a stellar 2021 season earned her a recall with the Newcastle Jets.

The former Australian under-17 and under-20 representative was seeking a change when she linked with Roar, but Brodigan was limited to 11 appearances across 22 rounds.

"I'd been at Newcastle my whole career and I think I was getting complacent," Brodigan, who debuted for the Jets at age 16, said.

"I wanted to step outside my comfort zone. Unfortunately, I didn't have a great run with injuries. It was very stop-start. I'd get back in the starting squad and something else would happen, so it was frustrating. I wanted it to be a breakout season.

"My body obviously wasn't coping with it all. I think it needed a break, which is what I'm looking to do here, come back and play in this league, get my body under control, get my mind under control and solely work back into playing consecutively."

Magic registered Brodigan this week in the NPLW transfer window and Nikfarjam is likely to use the goalscoring machine when they face Maitland in the NNSW League Cup final at Cooks Square Park on Sunday.

"Her experience is handy and during training she showed she hasn't lost the touch or the fitness," Nikfarjam said.

"I'm pretty happy to have her on board. Her finishing ability and also creating ability is an asset for us."

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The loss of strike weapons Lucy Jerram and Adriana Konjarski, who combined for 59 goals between them last year, left a gaping hole in the defending champions' attack.

United States-bound attacker Mercedes McNabb was a key signing, as will be Brodigan, but the surprise packet has been Babic.

A shift from her traditional wide position to a central role at Magic has the lightning quick 22-year-old firing.

Babic, the daughter of former Socceroo Sean, was not planning to play this year before Broadmeadow came calling. Now, she has scored 10 goals in nine outings and is proving a nightmare for opposition defences.

"For a while there I didn't know if I was going to play any longer and I probably didn't feel like I was doing my best, not improving, being stagnant," Babic said.

"It's a good team environment here and a big thing has been my football has changed completely.

"I was always more crossing the ball from that corner position then they put me in the middle and it's a different game. I'm loving it.

"Merce [McNabb] and the girls are all so talented. I've got no footwork, I just run.

"I think it will a good combo [with Ash Brodigan] up top and pretty threatening to other teams, which is exciting."

Nikfarjam believes Babic will continue to improve.

"She's not only running in behind, she's also dropping off and receiving and playing as a platform as well," Nikfarjam said.

"She has been impressive and can continue to improve from being a winger who was running on the sideline and crossing to someone who now can be in the right spot to score.

"She is putting herself in goalscoring opportunities and has the potential to be a threat to every team."

Maitland also boosted their already strong roster during the week with the addition of Central Coast Mariners defensive midfielder Sophie Nenadovic.

Meanwhile, former Jets fullback Tessa Tamplin came off the bench for New Lambton as they succumbed 4-0 to Newcastle Olympic in a rescheduled match at Darling Street Oval on Wednesday night.

In men's Australia Cup on Wednesday night, Edgeworth beat Valentine Eleebana 4-3, Magic downed Lake Macquarie 6-1, Newcastle Croatia defeated Kotara South 3-1 and Cooks Hill lost 1-0 to Olympic.