Box Hill United Rebuilds With Young Talent for NPLW Return

Box Hill United enters the 2023 National Premier Leagues Women season after a disappointing prior campaign, with the club appointing Bobby Zdravkovski as senior women’s head coach to address significant player turnover.

The change comes as the club seeks to stabilise its squad and improve results in a competition where early momentum matters for ladder position. Zdravkovski, who previously served as the club’s technical director of female football, brings experience from other Victorian clubs and has emphasised steady weekly improvement over fixed targets.

Pre-season Adjustments and New Arrivals

Pre-season training began in November, yet injuries to several key players have limited full availability for round one. The club has responded by blooding younger players from its under-19s group, including some aged 15 and 16, during trial matches to build match fitness and depth in a senior list currently standing at around 17 players.

Two Japanese signings, striker Asuka Doi and central midfielder Kanna Moriya, have joined to add experience, arriving early for extra training sessions that Zdravkovski says set a professional tone for the younger local players around them. Defender Cicily Paraskevas arrived from Alamein but will miss early matches due to a quad injury, while Sienna Techera and Holly Tancin have come across from FV Emerging and featured prominently in pre-season before an ankle issue for Tancin.

Fixtures and Immediate Focus

Box Hill opens against Calder United, followed by Southern United and Boroondara. Zdravkovski has stated the side will approach each fixture week by week, aiming to remain competitive without setting a specific finals or ladder goal that could affect morale if results fluctuate.

The opening match against Calder United serves as the immediate benchmark after pre-season preparations, with the club monitoring how the blend of youth opportunities and added experience translates once the season proper begins.