FIFTY-FOURTH EDITION SEASON 2015/16 ROUND 21 VS PERTH GLORY PROUDLY BROUGHT TO YOU BY CONTENTS THIS MATCH WE'VE PACKED THIS ISSUE OF THE WANDERER WITH EVERYTHING YOU NEED FOR TONIGHT'S MATCH FEATURES FIFTY-FOURTH EDITION SEASON 2015/16 ROUND 21 VS PERTH GLORY PROUDLY BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE HOME STRETCH 8 WANDERERS COOK UP A STORM 18 THE WANDERER The final countdown is on Lending a helping hand to Ronald McDonald The views in this publication Story by Jacob Windon House Westmead are not necessarily the views of Story by Domenic Trimboli the NRMA Insurance Western Sydney Wanderers FC. Material in this publication is copyrighted and may only be reproduced with the written REGULAR COLUMNS permission from the Club. ADVERTISING OPEN LETTER: TODAY'S MATCH 16 GUARDIAN FUNERALS For all advertising enquiries RONALD McDONALD WANDERCREW MEMBERS OF in The Wanderer or questions HOUSE AMBASSADOR THE WEEK: BALL-PERSON about partnership with FOX FOOTBALL FIX 20 the club please contact the BRENDON SANTALAB 5 CHLOE OSBORNE 26 Corporate Partnerships team [email protected]. WARM UP 6 ANTH'S SPOT THE FIVE THINGS 11 DIFFERENCE 22 IN THE COMMUNITY: PHOTOGRAPHY VOLUNTEERS ARE THE All photography courtesy PLAYERS TO WATCH: DRIVING FORCE BEHIND of Ali Erhan, Beans & TOPOR-STANLEY CORPORATE NEWS: Mash Photography, Ben FOOTBALL 27 VS GRANT 13 WORKING TOGETHER 23 Coonan, Daniel Boud, Football NSW, Getty Images FOX FOOTBALL FOCUS and Steve Christo. WITH ADAM PEACOCK 15 TAKE FIVE WITH JACOB PEPPER 25 OUR PARTNERS 30 STAY CONNECTED VISIT WANDERLAND.COM.AU 3 OpEN LETTER FROM THE RONALD McDONALD HOUSE AMBASSADOR WHY RONALD McDONALD HOUSE IS CLOSE TO MY HEART ’M VERY PROUD to work together with Ronald McDonald House. Belinda, the staff and the volunteers there do Ian amazing job and whenever I’m called upon, I’m happy to contribute whichever way they need me. I’m always delighted to go into the house and see the kids, it’s never easy but if we can change someone’s life – even just by a few percent – and help in some way it’s a very positive thing. Giving back is something that I love to do. Currently the house is running a “Meals From The Heart” program which is a brilliant cause. The program provides a much-needed service to families who are supporting their sick children and whom often don’t have the time, funds or energy to prepare a healthy, home-cooked meal. I know the Wanderers’ staff did this on Monday night and it is something I’ll take GIVING BACK part in soon. As a club, our contribution to Brendon Santalab the house is something we value very much. is a proud Corporate, community and social groups ambassador of can take part on Monday, Wednesday and Ronald McDonald Friday evenings. If you’re interested call House Kate Dempsey on 02 9845 0600 or email [email protected] It will be an amazing complex how many sick kids there are in Australia Ronald McDonald House is a not- and will help so many struggling and Ronald McDonald House do for-profit so they need your contribution, families throughout the country. It’s everything they can to help these families. whether it be financial or volunteering, very important that people assist to run their programs and fund their wherever they can. BRENDON SANTALAB needs – including their new complex Jump on board and support such a RONALD McDONALD HOUSE which is currently being built. fantastic cause. People don’t realise just AMBASSADOR STAY CONNECTED FOLLOW US @WSWANDERERSFC 5 WARM UP WHAT DOES THE FOXE SAY WITH HAYDEN FOXE OU DON’T SEE many games in a great display on and represented Ythe world of football where the Western Sydney with great pride and opposition travel to an away Derby can be proud of their performance. and gets a louder and much more vocal We take on Perth Glory tonight support than the home team. back at Wanderland. Perth had a slow This was the case for us last start to the season with a lot of injury ON THIS DAY Saturday night in the 12th Sydney problems but they have managed to COURTESY OF ANDREW HOWE Derby where it felt like a home game leap over this hurdle and as of late have @ANDYHOWE_STATTO for us, as the Wanderers fans were been playing very well, winning their excellent from the very beginning of last five games. HE YOUNGEST EVER Socceroo the match to the end. Perth’s squad has some very good Tteam to play an official A During the week, preparation individual players and are a difficult international match played on before the Sydney Derby was team to breakdown so it’s going to this day in 1980 when Australia business as usual. The Derby is be a tough game like all games in the defeated Papua New Guinea 11-2 always a special event for everyone Hyundai A-League. at the Oceania Nations Cup in involved (players, staff, Members and We have prepared for this match New Caledonia. As PNG was a the fans), so there is always a special the same as every other match to full FIFA member, this match was feeling about it. date and our process won’t change. treated as an official game even Despite this, we trained and We will be doing everything in our though most Australian players prepared ourselves like we do for every power to win tonight’s match and to were aged under 20, including other match we play in the Hyundai stay at the top of the table. Hope you Eddie Krncevic from Marconi and A-League. I thought that the boys put enjoy the game. Blacktown’s Ian Hunter. A hat- trick by Hunter made him by far MATCH DAY PARTNER FIxtURes & ResULts the youngest player to score three goals in a match for the Socceroos. Scan the QR code below for all score Australia won the tournament updates across our Hyundai A-League, after taking out the final 4-2 Westfield W-League and Foxtel against Tahiti, a game incidentally National Youth League matches. not considered an official A international match as Tahiti was not recognised by FIFA at the time - as were all of Australia’s other opponents bar PNG. The Oceania Nations Cup wasn’t contested again until 1996 when Australia again defeated a now affiliated Tahiti in the final. 6 THE WANDERER ROUND 21 WARM UP #HASHTAG You can earn 20 points in the WSW Rewards app by using the official hashtag +20 +100 FIELD REPORTER #wsw - PLUS you could POINTS POINTS WITH CATHERINE CANNULI @CANNULI_13 appear in The Wanderer. E ARE NOW coming to the close This season we are in a completely W of the regular season. As a different place to where we were last +500 player it was always good to have year and it’s a great feeling to be on POINTS + the fans in the grandstand especially the top half of the table. Players train 5000 towards the end of the season as they all year to get into the finals series so POINTS give you that extra motivation to get it’s fitting now that every club will be + over your final hurdles. pushing hard to get themselves higher 7000 POINTS The season is a long journey so on the ladder setting the precedent when it comes to an end it definitely for today’s match. @MRS_LITTLECAIN has mixed emotions. I was speaking Perth Glory, this week’s to one of the girls about how we’re opponents, have had their fair share used to always having something on of up and downs this season and I and training to go to so when we don’t foresee them being very difficult have anything football related on it’s a to beat so it will make for a very very weird feeling. interesting match today. During the lead up to the finals series I encourage every fan and every you always feel that extra pressure to member to make sure they attend perform especially if you are pushing for the final two matches of the premiership or a place in the semi- the regular season as they are crucial @BRITTCORDA finals. But no matter how much pressure for us as they are not only cracker is on you, you have to go out smiling and games but some of our last ones aiming for the win. at Wanderland! WSWREWARDS DOWNLOAD THE APP TODAY! Turn to page 28 now to see how you can earn @SAHH_93 7,000 points by being a Member Scout. PLUS YOU CAN EARN 100 BONUS POINTS* for entering the code 'WSWRND21' into the app! + + THERE ARE POINT BURSTS IN THE WANDERER 20 100 TO SHOW YOU HOW MANY POINTS YOU CAN POINTS POINTS EARN BY COMPLETING SIMPLE ACTIVITIES *The code is available for 24 hours between 6:25pm Friday +500 26 February 2016 until 6:25pm Saturday 27 February 2016 @T1MLWR1GHT POINTS + 5000 POINTS + 7000 POINTS STAY CONNECTED WATCH WESTERN SYDNEY WANDERERS TV 7 FEATURE STORY BY JACOB WINDON @JACOBWINDON THE HOME STRETCH WITH JUST SEVEN ROUNDS TO GO AND ONE OF THE TIGHTEST LADDERS WE'VE SEEN IN YEARS, THE STAGE IS SET FOR A BUMPER FINISH TO THE SEASON. UMMER HAS ALMOST run its course in there is a strong feeling that for the first time in Australia but the race to be Hyundai several seasons, nobody can seriously determine A-League top dog is only heating up. a clear favourite.