ROBINA SELECTION IS BORDERING ON IMPOSSIBLE
ROBINA City’s Round 2 Brisbane Women’s Premier League line-up is set to pose an entirely different beast with border lockdowns impacting coach Ian Shaw’s starting side.
The BWPL season was postponed after Round 1 in March, forcing a handful of players back to their home states to see out lockdown.
While the core of Robina’s line-up remains, including star Japanese recruit Wako Suzuki who is living with a host family, Shaw isn’t sure if he will be able to pick from a complete squad as players contemplate remaining interstate.
“There’s going to be some changes I’d imagine and I think we’ll be a different looking side,” he said.
“Luckily we have a very strong reserves grade team who have the talent to push for those spots and cover those vacant positions.
“Everyone is just looking forward to restarting the season, whatever that looks like.”
Shaw said “no directive” had been made on Robina participating in a restarted or revised competition and a final decision would be made once the new format was announced.
Irrespective, Shaw and his side are keen to return to play as soon as possible and seek redemption for their 5-2 loss to Ipswich City in Round 1.
“We wanted to play the following week and put our best foot forward but we’ve had to wait a while,” Shaw said. “The girls have been doing a lot of their own fitness work and posting a few challenges online but they’re all missing that camaraderie and friendship.
“It was strange (having the season suddenly stopped) … now everyone realises it was a positive move from the association but now people are questioning whether we go back at all.
“My biggest worry is for the clubs and there may be some that don’t survive this.”