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Adelaide United Women 2025/26 season preview: Can the Reds cement themselves as contenders?

  • Writer: Antonis Pagonis
    Antonis Pagonis
  • Oct 28
  • 4 min read

Following a historic season in which Adelaide United claimed its first A-League Women's Finals Series win in club history, the Reds are aiming to prove they are here to stay in 2025/26.

Front Page Football Adelaide United Women season preview

Adelaide United before their pre-season match against the WNPL SA All-Stars. (Image: Pagonis Photography)


Context


Season 2024/25 was a dream for Adelaide United. Entering the campaign, Adrian Stenta's side had a chip on its shoulder after a disappointing previous year, which culminated in leading the competition in all the wrong metrics and a wooden spoon.


There was some positivity after a mixed start to the campaign, the Reds occupying a mid-table spot after three wins in seven, but what happened next caught the national women's landscape by storm. Stenta's side just clicked and went on a club-record 11-game unbeaten run that was only ended by eventual invincible premiers Melbourne City in a thrilling 4-3 showdown.


The Reds reached the Finals Series for only the second time ever. Stenta's side managed to claim their first win over Western United before eventually bowing out to Melbourne Victory over the two legs of the Semi-Final, concluding one of the most famous rebounding seasons in the competition's history and a club-best campaign.

The coach


The instability in Adelaide's men's program affected the women's program. When Airton Andrioli was appointed to the A-League Men's job, he took Adrian Stenta with him as part of his backroom staff, leaving the women's program without a coach, despite a historic season.


A self-inflicted wound like that would have been handled a lot better if the ideal internal replacement, Michele Lastella, had accepted the role. Unfortunately, due to his workload outside the club — including coaching the state's NTC side, serving as an assistant coach for the Junior Matildas, and being a university lecturer — Lastella turned down the role, prompting the club to look externally for a replacement.


The Reds eventually landed on West Adelaide's NPL coach, Theo Tsiounis, who, interestingly, like Stenta, has a background in education. Tsiounis has coached in the men's game for years, having been involved with Adelaide Comets before taking the reins at Para Hills Knights and West Adelaide, where he orchestrated promotions back to the NPL.

What Tsiounis lacks in experience in the women's game, he makes up for in his track record of developing young players and coaching, given his involvement with Football South Australia as a coaching educator.


Another significant addition that will support Tsiounis in this transition is the return of former player Maruschka Waldus to the club as a full-time assistant coach. Her presence and knowledge of the women's game are sure to be invaluable to Tsiounis as he embarks on his professional football journey.

Transfers


Adelaide United's transfer window really tells the story of a club behaving as if it has finally turned the corner into a serious, regular contender.


When it comes to outgoing players, the only player the Reds lost that they would have been desperate to keep is Lucia Leon. Even then, Leon was lost to Wellington Phoenix. This club is also ambitious and is investing strongly in its women's program.


Adelaide were proactive in their squad-building, bringing in reinforcements across the pitch. Paige Zois joins from Melbourne Victory, while Western United's hibernation saw Melissa and Adriana Taranto move across the border to bolster the Reds' midfield further.


A sign of a strong club is being able to poach a competitor's best and brightest, and that is what the addition of Lara Gooch from Newcastle signifies.

Meanwhile, Emilia Makris' return from Melbourne City on a long-term deal is almost symbolic. So often, players like Makris herself have left Adelaide for a more competitive organisation. Her return for the 2025/26 season mirrors that of Matilda McNamara, Chelsie Dawber, and Fiona Worts in previous years, a clear sign of the positive mood around the program.


Holly Murray was also signed to add depth to Adelaide's settled backline.

The challenge


It's not a sentiment at all familiar with Adelaide United's A-League Women's existence thus far. But the program is settled and holding itself to higher standards than some of its counterparts.


A settled squad full of high-quality players, including many locals with Matildas ceilings, a coaching staff with two full-time employees, and a pre-season including an interstate trip that culminated with a win and a draw against the two Victorian sides that are more often than not the competition's flagships, show all the signs are pointing in the right direction.

The question for Adelaide has shifted from how this side can make finals to how they can win silverware.

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Looking at last season's ladder, the Reds finished third, ten points behind premiers Melbourne City and eight points behind Melbourne Victory. While the Reds managed to score 44 goals, two more than Melbourne Victory and only behind Melbourne City (56) and Brisbane Roar (46), it is the defensive side of the game where Tsiounis needs to ensure his side raises its level to match the best.


While conceding 30 goals in 23 games is not abysmal (the Reds only need to look to their male counterparts' performance in the same season for an example of that), it is clear that it is what separated them from the top two, with City and Victory only conceding 22 and 21 goals, respectively.


Should Adelaide tighten up that part of the game, something their collective ability suggests is possible, Tsiounis may be in for an exciting debut year on the A-League Women's coaching bench.


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