Adamstown coach Ryan Campbell believes Josie Morley could be one of the most influential players in NPLW Northern NSW by season's end.
And anyone who has been watching the talented teenager's performances in Rosebud's past few outings is likely to agree.
The Gillieston Heights 19-year-old joined Adamstown this season fresh from making her A-League Women's (ALW) debut with the Newcastle Jets and is having increasing impact with each appearance.
That includes getting on the scoresheet twice in a confidence-building, come-from-behind 4-4 draw with big guns Warners Bay in round seven then producing a blistering box-to-box run to set up Adamstown's goal in what could prove a season-defining 1-0 win over defending premiers Broadmeadow last Saturday night.
"Already in five weeks, she's gone from strength to strength and she's on another level to everyone," Campbell said.
"I think by the end of the season she'll be the best player in the competition. She's quick. She's composed. Even at the end of the game, she's got the ball in the corner and three people on her and she's just holding it up."
Morley, who came through the Emerging Jets program and has played for Australia at junior level, earned a scholarship with Newcastle's national league team for the 2021-22 season.
A string of injuries and illness towards the end of the Jets' campaign gave the midfielder three ALW appearances, including starting their final game, and she did not look out of place.
"Being a scholarship, it was a lot about learning and just getting that experience from the older and experienced players there," Morley said.
"But I was ready for any opportunity of any game time, which obviously did happen in the end from unfortunately having so many players out. It was definitely a jump in intensity from what I was used to but it was really good. As a player I just want to focus on improving constantly."
Morley previously played for the Emerging Jets in NPLW NSW but was keen to join a club closer to home after starting university studies. Already she is relishing her role with Adamstown.
"I'm feeling really good in my performances and I'm playing more of an attacking role than I have in the past couple of years," she said. "Ryan gives me a lot of freedom to run forward and I'm really enjoying it.
"As a team we just want to keep developing the things we did against Warners Bay and Magic, where we showed a lot of resilience. For myself, I just want to keep improving and keep challenging myself in those type of games and just keep maintaining a performance as a team and individually where we do get results and we do play well."
Adamstown are fifth with 10 points, two adrift of the top four as the league approaches round nine, and the win over Magic could prove pivotal as they chase a finals finish.
"It was a good win," Campbell said after the Magic game. "It was something that we needed for a bit of confidence. It's the first time since I've been at the club that we've beaten anyone above us so it will be good to now build off that and keep on progressing.
"Two weeks ago, we were on six points from six games and we were in trouble really. But now we're on 10 points from eight games and we're in a much better position."
