September 26, 2025 • 9 mins
Wellington United dominated football's women's Central League for another season, winning by 11 points.
Now they take on the best from the rest of the country, with the beginning of the National League.
Adam caught up with team member Hannah Cooper ahead of Sunday's match against Western Springs.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
The National Football League is underway this weekend. Round one
men's and women's competitions the best of the best from
the leagues around the country. Wellington United won the women's
Central League by a margin of eleven competition points, so
that women's team, continuing their dominance over the last few
years in the competition and an overwhelming win they had locally,
(00:23):
so they now get the chance to take on the
rest of the country's top teams from the other leagues,
and Wellington United starts their campaign in the National League
tomorrow afternoon up in Auckland. They take on Western Springs
from three o'clock. Joining us from the Wellington United women's
team as center back and central midfielder. Hannah Cooper is
with us now. Morning to you, Hannah, and is everyone
(00:44):
excited to get back into things after the great Central
League campaign wrapped up?
Speaker 2 (00:50):
Yeah, I think that, and we're really excited to see
how we stack us against the rest of the teams
in the country. As you said, we had a pretty
incredible season eighteen wins from eighteen games, so you can't
really do much better than that, and it was a
great thing to pull off with a new coach, Andre
taking over from Giche this year and he continued on
(01:13):
the strong sort of legacy Giche had built and we
were really pleased to get that clean sweep. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (01:20):
What elements of the team's performances do you feel contributed
to those eighteen wins in Central Like, as you say,
adapting to a new coach. I'm sure it's tough for
any team, but things sort have stayed going pretty strongly,
didn't they.
Speaker 2 (01:32):
Yeah, I guess we have a really it's a great squad.
There's a lot of depths. While we've had quite a
lot of continuity from last year, a lot of a
lot of players continued with the team. We also had
a healthy injection of some great new players and with
the older the new combined, I think we had a
just a really good squad That meant whoever was available
(01:53):
on the day was sort of up to the task
at hand, and that's quite important in the long season
with injuries and sort of things going on people, so
that really helped that everyone was able to do the job.
And I think there's a really great team culture. Family
is one of the sort of core team values at
Wellington United, and I think everyone that sort of shone
(02:13):
through the desire to do it for each other and
to do it for the clubs, And then officially, as
the end of the season got near and we were
close to sort of getting that perfect record, and even
after we won the league, we were really keen to
sort of get that cherry on top and get all
the wins.
Speaker 1 (02:30):
Yeah. Great, now that's such a good season. How does
the team keep testing itself and making sure you are
challenging yourself when you are leading the pack. I know
there were a few challenges through the season, you know,
sort of staying within touching distance at that top of
the table, But when you are constantly winning, how do
you make sure you're challenging yourself week and week out.
Speaker 2 (02:48):
It's a good question, and it's a healthy competitiveness within
the squad. I think we're all trying to, you know,
the player the best we can to troops that we're
the ones that should be out there playing. Had personal goals.
We had an incredible feeling season from Natalie Olsen, who
was the leading goal scorer for the league and was
sort of pursuing records for the club. I think everyone
(03:12):
sets pretty high standards for themselves with just their sort
of footballing goals with players that were also involved in
the yasy On footsal team, So sort of a lot
of other driving motivations to do the best that we
can we can week.
Speaker 1 (03:27):
Out, and we talked. You talked about depth at the
start of the interview, and I guess when you know
that there are players in the other grades that that
could take your spot, that ultimately would make you and
your whole team in the first team really strive to
be competitive and show you worth every game.
Speaker 2 (03:45):
Yeah, and willing to united the great women's club. There's
I think five senior women's teams, and the Sapphires are
the team below us in the Division one and they
sorrow the premiere grade and they came close to taking
that one out, So I think, yeah, there's a lot
of a lot of great players, great a great training environment,
and I think also a really fantastic coaching team. Beyond Andre,
(04:07):
he felt a great group of assistant coaches and support staff,
and I think having that sort of professionalism and the
high quality training environment really means that we're all able
to turn up and do our best.
Speaker 1 (04:21):
Given your success in your record in centrally, were we
a little bit disappointed with where take Shapard Cup ended
up this year.
Speaker 2 (04:28):
Yeah, we lost that one to the Phoenix Reserve, so
it's going to be great to get a chance to
pay them back and get our revenge in the National League.
And yeah, I guess it was disappointing to not get
further in that coming up a taught opponent fairly early on,
and that the Senix Deserve of course made it through
(04:48):
to the Grand Final, and yeah, I guess it just
gives us the sort of reason to try harder in
this next national level comfort.
Speaker 1 (05:00):
Yeah, and so you look across the different teams from
right around the country. You've obviously got Western Springs and
around one this weekend. How much tougher does it get
now you are taking on the best from the other
football siones.
Speaker 2 (05:13):
Yeah, it absolutely gets tougher. We were I was involved
in the team playing last year and in the quality
of the Auckland teams, but also best clubs from the
around the country, all federations, from the South Island teams
and you know, the qualities is huge. It's a real
step up. We've been doing a few things to get
(05:33):
ourselves ready. We've been playing games against some clients quality
youth boys teams just to adapt to the sort of
higher pace of the game that we'll be expecting. We've
also brought in some pretty fantastic additions to the squad
who's been playing at quite high levels overseas recently or
in other clubs in Wellington. So I think we've we
(05:53):
are going to be more than up for the task.
Speaker 1 (05:55):
Yeah, great and Western Springs to start things off. How
much research have you been able to do on them,
how much prep have you been able to do finding
many videos of them online? And how much do you
do in terms of focusing on your opposition as opposed
to yourselves.
Speaker 2 (06:09):
That's a good question. We do have a they said,
a great coaching team, and when they do prepare for
us some video clips and tactical advice from their knowledge
of the other teams, and that's certainly always a focus,
so that we are kind of aware of what we're
coming up against and can make sure we use our
strengths to combat their strengths. But at the end of
(06:31):
the day, absolutely we've got the talent I think to
play our game and to take it to these other teams,
So it's y much a focus of the team to
put our best forward not to be reacting to what
the other team's throwing it.
Speaker 1 (06:47):
Us indeed, and Hannah, this is I mean football is
considered a winter sport, but you look at the calendar
of top level football, especially for teams like Wellington United
that have made it to the National League, it's sort
of very close to a year round commit Is it
hard to you know, as much as you love playing football,
sometimes think geez, I'm going to be playing right up
till Christmas now, is it hard to sort of make
sure you really have the energy and the commitment to
(07:10):
be able to give to the team at this point
of the year.
Speaker 2 (07:13):
Yeah, it's a great point. I think we started our
pre season training in February, so it's a very long
season and I think everyone feels it in their own ways.
I've got two kids and so it's a bit of
a family commitment to my football last thing all year round.
And I think that's probably where the depth of the
(07:34):
squad has been a real effort for our team, and
that there's been a chance for people to step on
it out when they needed either got injured or have
other things in their lives going on. So it's not
a every single week commitment. Throughout the whole year, but
we also had a week off between winning our Central
(07:54):
League and then resettings for the National League preseason. That
certainly is a long season, and I think we'll all
have deserved a summer break when we get to it.
Speaker 1 (08:03):
Yeah. Nice, And I had some intell that you scored
a couple of great goals in the same game off
corners against PA Tony not to not too long ago.
Is that becoming a bit of a trademark scoring in
those kind of scenarios, I hope.
Speaker 2 (08:13):
So. I think I scored a break for the first
time in my last and my leisure stages of my
footballing career, so that was exciting. But yeah, we've got
fantastic corner deliveries and Zoe and net Elson, so I
certainly hope we're scoring a lot of corners this National League,
(08:33):
and I hope that I'm one of those people.
Speaker 1 (08:35):
Yeah, brilliant stuff. Well had all the very best. Is
you prepare for Round one of National League on Sunday.
Thanks so much for chatting to us so here on
news talks it'd be And I hope that the successful
season that you've had continues as you take on the
rest of the teams around the country, So thanks for
your time and go well.
Speaker 2 (08:51):
Thanks so much, Adam.
Speaker 1 (08:52):
For more from News Talks EDB, listen live on air
or online, and keep our shows with you wherever you
go with our podcast on iHeartRadio.
The National Football League is underway this weekend. Round one
men's and women's competitions the best of the best from
the leagues around the country. Wellington United won the women's
Central League by a margin of eleven competition points, so
that women's team, continuing their dominance over the last few
years in the competition and an overwhelming win they had locally,
(00:23):
so they now get the chance to take on the
rest of the country's top teams from the other leagues,
and Wellington United starts their campaign in the National League
tomorrow afternoon up in Auckland. They take on Western Springs
from three o'clock. Joining us from the Wellington United women's
team as center back and central midfielder. Hannah Cooper is
with us now. Morning to you, Hannah, and is everyone
(00:44):
excited to get back into things after the great Central
League campaign wrapped up?
Speaker 2 (00:50):
Yeah, I think that, and we're really excited to see
how we stack us against the rest of the teams
in the country. As you said, we had a pretty
incredible season eighteen wins from eighteen games, so you can't
really do much better than that, and it was a
great thing to pull off with a new coach, Andre
taking over from Giche this year and he continued on
(01:13):
the strong sort of legacy Giche had built and we
were really pleased to get that clean sweep. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (01:20):
What elements of the team's performances do you feel contributed
to those eighteen wins in Central Like, as you say,
adapting to a new coach. I'm sure it's tough for
any team, but things sort have stayed going pretty strongly,
didn't they.
Speaker 2 (01:32):
Yeah, I guess we have a really it's a great squad.
There's a lot of depths. While we've had quite a
lot of continuity from last year, a lot of a
lot of players continued with the team. We also had
a healthy injection of some great new players and with
the older the new combined, I think we had a
just a really good squad That meant whoever was available
(01:53):
on the day was sort of up to the task
at hand, and that's quite important in the long season
with injuries and sort of things going on people, so
that really helped that everyone was able to do the job.
And I think there's a really great team culture. Family
is one of the sort of core team values at
Wellington United, and I think everyone that sort of shone
(02:13):
through the desire to do it for each other and
to do it for the clubs, And then officially, as
the end of the season got near and we were
close to sort of getting that perfect record, and even
after we won the league, we were really keen to
sort of get that cherry on top and get all
the wins.
Speaker 1 (02:30):
Yeah. Great, now that's such a good season. How does
the team keep testing itself and making sure you are
challenging yourself when you are leading the pack. I know
there were a few challenges through the season, you know,
sort of staying within touching distance at that top of
the table, But when you are constantly winning, how do
you make sure you're challenging yourself week and week out.
Speaker 2 (02:48):
It's a good question, and it's a healthy competitiveness within
the squad. I think we're all trying to, you know,
the player the best we can to troops that we're
the ones that should be out there playing. Had personal goals.
We had an incredible feeling season from Natalie Olsen, who
was the leading goal scorer for the league and was
sort of pursuing records for the club. I think everyone
(03:12):
sets pretty high standards for themselves with just their sort
of footballing goals with players that were also involved in
the yasy On footsal team, So sort of a lot
of other driving motivations to do the best that we
can we can week.
Speaker 1 (03:27):
Out, and we talked. You talked about depth at the
start of the interview, and I guess when you know
that there are players in the other grades that that
could take your spot, that ultimately would make you and
your whole team in the first team really strive to
be competitive and show you worth every game.
Speaker 2 (03:45):
Yeah, and willing to united the great women's club. There's
I think five senior women's teams, and the Sapphires are
the team below us in the Division one and they
sorrow the premiere grade and they came close to taking
that one out, So I think, yeah, there's a lot
of a lot of great players, great a great training environment,
and I think also a really fantastic coaching team. Beyond Andre,
(04:07):
he felt a great group of assistant coaches and support staff,
and I think having that sort of professionalism and the
high quality training environment really means that we're all able
to turn up and do our best.
Speaker 1 (04:21):
Given your success in your record in centrally, were we
a little bit disappointed with where take Shapard Cup ended
up this year.
Speaker 2 (04:28):
Yeah, we lost that one to the Phoenix Reserve, so
it's going to be great to get a chance to
pay them back and get our revenge in the National League.
And yeah, I guess it was disappointing to not get
further in that coming up a taught opponent fairly early on,
and that the Senix Deserve of course made it through
(04:48):
to the Grand Final, and yeah, I guess it just
gives us the sort of reason to try harder in
this next national level comfort.
Speaker 1 (05:00):
Yeah, and so you look across the different teams from
right around the country. You've obviously got Western Springs and
around one this weekend. How much tougher does it get
now you are taking on the best from the other
football siones.
Speaker 2 (05:13):
Yeah, it absolutely gets tougher. We were I was involved
in the team playing last year and in the quality
of the Auckland teams, but also best clubs from the
around the country, all federations, from the South Island teams
and you know, the qualities is huge. It's a real
step up. We've been doing a few things to get
(05:33):
ourselves ready. We've been playing games against some clients quality
youth boys teams just to adapt to the sort of
higher pace of the game that we'll be expecting. We've
also brought in some pretty fantastic additions to the squad
who's been playing at quite high levels overseas recently or
in other clubs in Wellington. So I think we've we
(05:53):
are going to be more than up for the task.
Speaker 1 (05:55):
Yeah, great and Western Springs to start things off. How
much research have you been able to do on them,
how much prep have you been able to do finding
many videos of them online? And how much do you
do in terms of focusing on your opposition as opposed
to yourselves.
Speaker 2 (06:09):
That's a good question. We do have a they said,
a great coaching team, and when they do prepare for
us some video clips and tactical advice from their knowledge
of the other teams, and that's certainly always a focus,
so that we are kind of aware of what we're
coming up against and can make sure we use our
strengths to combat their strengths. But at the end of
(06:31):
the day, absolutely we've got the talent I think to
play our game and to take it to these other teams,
So it's y much a focus of the team to
put our best forward not to be reacting to what
the other team's throwing it.
Speaker 1 (06:47):
Us indeed, and Hannah, this is I mean football is
considered a winter sport, but you look at the calendar
of top level football, especially for teams like Wellington United
that have made it to the National League, it's sort
of very close to a year round commit Is it
hard to you know, as much as you love playing football,
sometimes think geez, I'm going to be playing right up
till Christmas now, is it hard to sort of make
sure you really have the energy and the commitment to
(07:10):
be able to give to the team at this point
of the year.
Speaker 2 (07:13):
Yeah, it's a great point. I think we started our
pre season training in February, so it's a very long
season and I think everyone feels it in their own ways.
I've got two kids and so it's a bit of
a family commitment to my football last thing all year round.
And I think that's probably where the depth of the
(07:34):
squad has been a real effort for our team, and
that there's been a chance for people to step on
it out when they needed either got injured or have
other things in their lives going on. So it's not
a every single week commitment. Throughout the whole year, but
we also had a week off between winning our Central
(07:54):
League and then resettings for the National League preseason. That
certainly is a long season, and I think we'll all
have deserved a summer break when we get to it.
Speaker 1 (08:03):
Yeah. Nice, And I had some intell that you scored
a couple of great goals in the same game off
corners against PA Tony not to not too long ago.
Is that becoming a bit of a trademark scoring in
those kind of scenarios, I hope.
Speaker 2 (08:13):
So. I think I scored a break for the first
time in my last and my leisure stages of my
footballing career, so that was exciting. But yeah, we've got
fantastic corner deliveries and Zoe and net Elson, so I
certainly hope we're scoring a lot of corners this National League,
(08:33):
and I hope that I'm one of those people.
Speaker 1 (08:35):
Yeah, brilliant stuff. Well had all the very best. Is
you prepare for Round one of National League on Sunday.
Thanks so much for chatting to us so here on
news talks it'd be And I hope that the successful
season that you've had continues as you take on the
rest of the teams around the country, So thanks for
your time and go well.
Speaker 2 (08:51):
Thanks so much, Adam.
Speaker 1 (08:52):
For more from News Talks EDB, listen live on air
or online, and keep our shows with you wherever you
go with our podcast on iHeartRadio.
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