'For me, this is the best team ever, as in a squad and continuous,' he said. Juric said whether Sydney were the greatest ALW club ever was 'for other people to judge' but relished their consistency. Sydney have drawn level with Melbourne City on four championships but edge them on premierships by five to two, and are the first team since City in 2015-16 to complete the double. 'It probably helped a bit that I didn't have the history.'ĭefensive duo Tobin and Charlotte Mclean dominated and Hawkesby and Rachel Lowe were busy in midfield while Vine pushed through an ankle injury. 'So that's kind of what I was focused on. 'When you've got one hand on the trophy, essentially you gotta go and win it,' Haley said. 'This team was too special and in my opinion, too good to not win a grand final.'Īmerican striker Haley, a first-year player unscarred by Sydney's previous grand final heartbreaks, was the star - earning praise for her influence on the play from Cortnee Vine and Ibini, who after the match dubbed her a 'cheat code'. 'Obviously being in six consecutive, and only winning one (before), we needed to win the grand final with this team. 'Winning three premierships is huge but at the end of the day, to Australian football, winning a grand final's the ultimate prize in a way,' Hawkesby told reporters. Tobin described her main feeling as 'relief' while star midfielder Mackenzie Hawkesby relished her first championship after three grand final defeats. Princess Ibini won and scored a penalty in the 63rd as Sydney completed the premiership-championship double at CommBank Stadium. Striker Madison Haley scored in the fourth and 91st minutes and assisted captain and 100-gamer Natalie Tobin for another in the 18th to be named player of the match.

'But again you've got to look forward and today we looked forward and the girls were ready from the warm-up and in the change room, and I knew we'd win today.' I'm just so proud of the girls, I know every coach says that but I just love seeing the smiles after a couple of tough let-downs,' Juric told reporters.

A Problem Princess by Anna Harrington