COVID-19 is exposing the shortcomings of the A-League Women's three-month season and the Canberra United head coach says squad size is impacting teams as they face three games in eight days.
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The three-month ALW season affects squad numbers and pre-season length, and in turn means match postponements, COVID-19 and injuries can make or break a side.
From January 1 United kicks off three games in eight days, due to border closures postponing their Perth Glory fixture, and injuries in the side are adding to the strain.
"This is in the A-League Women and this is playing in COVID times, with our minimal rosters," Canberra's head coach Vicki Linton said.
In addition to border restrictions affecting Glory's season and other teams, an outbreak in Melbourne City's squad postponed their weekend fixture against the Newcastle Jets.
Extending the season's length beyond a three-month competition would allow clubs to expand their rosters and gift players a longer pre-season - as they would not be playing in their local NPL also - to alleviate some of the issues coming to light during the pandemic.
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United has suffered the consequences of this and has had a changing lineup since round one due to injuries and illness, which has stunted their on-field chemistry.
Injured players Allira Toby and Margot Robinne were expected to be available for selection on Saturday, but Ash Sykes was still battling a hip flexor injury heading into the Western Sydney Wanderers match.
"The foul [Toby] received brought her out of the game, so she's had to recover from that. Not only was a foul not given, or a yellow card or a penalty, but she was kicked from behind and that was dangerous. So that impacted her this week. Luckily it wasn't anything more severe," Linton said.
"[Formation changes] take a little bit of time for all players to get familiar with ... but once we can, and we are just able to change ... that's the ideal and that's why we want a longer season so we're able to do these things better."
The A-League Men are facing similar challenges with COVID, as it wreaks havoc on their five-month competition with only one of six round seven fixtures set to be played this weekend.
The ALW competition, however, has extra pressures from a 14 game season as it results in smaller rosters to draw from during an outbreak.
ALW squad this season have signed up to 23 players, with Perth Glory, Adelaide United and Melbourne Victory signing the largest squads.
In United's case they have 18 players - with Karly Roestbakken only on loan until mid-January - and two scholarship players who can be called upon if needed.
Whereas ALM teams for their five-month season have up to 40 players per squad, with Glory signing the most.
Isobel Cootes
Sports reporter at The Canberra Times. A Novocastrian with a passion for football (or soccer as they call it in the capital) via The Examiner and The Port Lincoln Times.
Sports reporter at The Canberra Times. A Novocastrian with a passion for football (or soccer as they call it in the capital) via The Examiner and The Port Lincoln Times.
