She’s under a new name for Season 2026 and beyond, but it’s the same scoring form and leadership quality we’ve seen from Women’s First Grade’s number eleven and skipper.

APIA Leichhardt Women’s captain Ashlie Letta (née Crofts) is thoroughly enjoying our flagship side’s start to the new campaign, which sees the granatazzuri girls sitting top of the NPL Women’s NSW table after a streak of five consecutive victories in the opening five rounds of competition.

Having hosted Sydney University SFC, Hills United, Macarthur Rams and Manly United consecutively to kickstart the campaign, coming away from those opening four with just 3 goals conceded and 10 scored, Brad Attard’s women took their hot form on the road for the first time with the defeat of NWS Spirit at Christie Park 4-0 last time out on Easter Saturday.

Of APIA’s 14 goals so far this year competitively, the 27-year-old newlywed is the converter of eight, seeing her lead the Golden Boot standings with double the amount of the next chasers behind. In the aforementioned Spirit Round 5 clash Letta managed her first hat-trick of the new season, and now ahead of a Round 6 trip to face the also recently-renamed Mount Druitt based ‘Western City Rangers’, Ash shared with Club Media her thoughts on the boxes ticked to start the season so strong.

“I’m just really proud of the girls.” Letta said on Thursday night ahead of Sunday’s trip to Western City.

“We had a tough preseason and I think it’s showed on the pitch in the last few weeks. We luckily started with 4 home games and were able to take our momentum on the road last week and we’ll be looking to do that again this weekend..

…but the message in the changeroom stays the same, just one game at a time.”

Head Coach Brad Attard has emphasised, too, in his media appearances over the March-April period the importance of staying grounded, level-headed, and not letting victory become expectation without effort. In Season 2025, Attard and the girls similarly were hot off the blocks to start the NPL Women’s season. That was until a trip to the very same ground, Popondetta Park, to face the then-Mount Druitt Town Rangers resulted in the first defeat of the campaign and commenced a tough autumn period for the group.

 

 

 

 

 

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“It’s so early in the season and we will keep working hard to stay in a good position. Every week has been tough and this weekend will be no different. We will need to bring the energy from the start and the girls have had a great week at training so we are definitely up for it!” – Letta.

Western City’s start to the season has lacked similar fortunes, with 2 wins and 3 losses from their opening 5, however that’s not to say last year’s Sapphire Cup final opponents aren’t ready to host the maroon and blue on a favourable Sunday afternoon timeslot at their home synthetic.

Both Ash and the Rangers, under their new names respectively, are looking for a big 2026 full of silverware and matches like this are where the grit of contenders is required.