Champions! WA Girls State U16s take national title at CommBank Emerging Matildas Championships
Western Australia is celebrating its first Girls national title after the WA State U16s won the final at the 2026 CommBank Emerging Matildas Championships today.
Goals from Piper Dowe and Milla Butler either side of half-time gave head coach Stephen Walmsley's side a deserved 2-0 win over Victoria Blue as the West Aussies capped an unbeaten tournament with an excellent display at the Home of the Matildas in Melbourne.
It was the hosts who began the brighter, but once WA settled they were the better team. They made the breakthrough on 22 minutes when Butler got to the byline and pulled the ball back to Dowe, who finished confidently from close range.
Butler was on fire and she almost made it two early in the second half, tying the Vics defence in knots before smashing a shot against the crossbar. However, she didn't have to wait too long before getting on the scoresheet. With her back to goal, she drew in her defender and flicked the ball past her before running in on goal and firing past the Vics keeper.
WA hit the frame of the goal again when a Victoria defender diverted a cross onto her own crossbar. And while it wasn't all one-way traffic, the WA defence and keeper Grace Sciascia-Walsh were resolute, while captain Ella Lange was tireless in midfield, linking the backline and forwards.
Assistant coach Andrew Ord said: "This is a massive achievement and I am pleased for everyone involved in making this happen.
"To win any tournament, you need a few things to go your way. But overall, I believe it was a well-deserved success.
"We have put value on withstanding pressure and when you look at the tournament as a whole, we have conceded just two goals. We have also created more chances than the opposition in every game, including the final, and I was really pleased with some of our interplay today. Throw in a few moments of magic from Milla Butler in the semi-final and final, and I would say the team are worthy champions."
Ord leads the Girls Program at the Hyundai Football West Academy, where 16 of the 17 players in the squad play. The other is with UWA Nedlands.
He added: "Today is three years in the making. [Head of Academy] Gareth Naven and myself have had a definite plan to improve the Girls Program each year and the hard work is paying off.
"I also want to recognise the importance of the Boys Program joining the Academy. That has made a big difference. It has allowed the girls to play against top-level boys in friendly matches, and some of the girls have also trained with the boys."
Asked if winning the main national identification tournament will boost the players' chance of national recognition, Ord said: "It can't have done any harm!"
The win comes four days after a former Football West Academy player, Leticia McKenna, became the first West Australian to debut for the Matildas since Sam Kerr in 2009.
Football West CEO Jamie Harnwell said: "To have a Western Australian team take out the grand final in the Under 16s is incredible.
"A lot of hard work has gone in from the players, the coaches, the parents who have supported these girls all the way through. It's testament to the work of the Football West Academy and all the staff involved.
"It's been a massive week for female football in Western Australia, with Leticia McKenna making her debut for the Matildas and scoring a goal.
"We're very proud of all those girls and how they have conducted themselves and played, and we look forward to them kicking on and hopefully seeing them in the Green and Gold one day."
