In a record-breaking W-League Grand Final, there were plenty of milestones achieved by the players, teams and the league on Saturday afternoon.

Sydney FC and Perth Glory set the record for the highest-scoring Grand Final, with the Sky Blues prevailing 4-2 in a six-goal encounter – in front of a record crowd for a W-League decider with 6,127 turning out at Jubilee Stadium.

The player of the match, Sydney’s US import Savannah McCaskill, capped off an incredible display from the home side, netting a double and setting up the opener for fellow American Sofia Huerta. It was the 22-year-old’s first Grand Final triumph and individual award, adding the W-League championship to the She Believes Cup, won last year with the US Women’s National Team.

Savannah McCaskill wheels away after heading Sydney FC into the lead in the first half (Image: @LocalFC)

“Medals at this level are few and far between so every single one is as special as anything you could ever do so I’m definitely enjoying the moment right now,” McCaskill said post-match.

“It’s amazing, it’s just such a great feeling for this team to be able to win the final after a roller-coaster season. It’s been an honour to be able to train and play with some of the best players in the world and every single person showed up today, it’s what we needed to be able to beat a great side like Perth.”

For Sydney FC’s Teresa Polias, it was an emotional triumph, leading the Sky Blues to her first Grand Final win as captain. Polias had previously won the Championship trophy with Sydney FC in 2013, but has now reached the game’s pinnacle as the leader of her team.

Sydney FC captain Teresa Polias holds the W-League Championship trophy aloft. (Image: @LocalFC)

Sam Kerr, meanwhile, was unable to out score her opponents in the Final, as the 25-year-old did in the Semi-Final with an impressive hat-trick against Premiers Melbourne Victory.

Kerr did, however, score for the Glory from the penalty spot to lock up the scores at 1-1 in the first half, taking her tally for the regular and finals series to 17 goals combined – a new record for goals in one season in the W-League.

Sam Kerr scored for Perth Glory in the Grand Final and finished the W-League season with the highest number of goals in a regular season and final series combined (Image: @LocalFC)

In the A-League, a second-half cameo from Joey Champness headlined Newcastle Jets’ impressive win over Melbourne City at McDonald Jones Stadium.

In just his second appearance of the campaign since he broke his foot during pre-season training, Champness emerged off the bench with 20 minutes to go, inspiring the Jets to a 3-1 win.

The 21-year-old netted his first goal since his return to action and set up Roy O’Donovan for the sealer.


“It’s definitely good to be back on the park with the boys, I definitely missed it,” Champness said after the match.

“We felt like we needed a result and felt like we needed to be a bit more offensive and make the most of the spaces when we did press up,” he added when asked about what his role was coming off the bench. The game ebbed and flowed but we hung in there and got our goals.”

Elsewhere around the grounds, James Donachie made his first appearance for Melbourne Victory since re-signing from Jeonnam Dragons in the K-League 1 during the January transfer window. Donachie moved overseas to Korea from the Victory last season, but returned after 15 appearances for the Dragons. He now has played 101 matches in the A-League.

At Brisbane Roar, Daniel Bowles made his 100th appearance in the competition at the club where he commenced his career. Bowles debuted with the Roar in 2010, before playing a season with Gold Coast United and two years with Adelaide United (2012-13 and 2013-14) before returning to Queensland.

Additional milestones:

  • Two weeks ago, Eugene Galekovic (280 apperances) is now the all-time leading goalkeeper for appearances, taking him to fourth on the overall appearance list, above fellow goalkeeper Danny Vukovic (278)
  • Matt Millar‘s assist for Aiden O’Neill – his sixth of the season – takes him to within one of James Troisi (7 assists), who currently leads the A-League for assists
  • Adam Le Fondre‘s equaliser for Sydney against the Mariners takes his tally at the top of the A-League’s goal-scoring charts to 13, ahead of Roy Krishna and Adam Taggart, who are both on 12 goals each
  • Central Coast Mariners’ Republic of Ireland midfielder Stephen Mallonand Sam Graham – on loan from English club Sheffield United – were both involved in the past two weekends of action for the Gosford-based club, while Melbourne City’s Shayon Harrison – on loan from Tottenham – has started the past two matches for City.