New-look SWPL promises season of intrigue & drama

Hibs are the defending SWPL champions

It never fails to deliver, and already the return of the SWPL is upon us.

As a new season looms, which teams will grab the headlines and which players will impress?

One thing is for sure, the SWPL always brings excitement, and you'd be foolish to bet against it doing so again this season. Final-day drama? There's every chance.

But there's a long way to go before all that, and it's worth reminding ourselves that this season sees a new structure to the SWPL. The top flight is reverting from 12 to 10 teams. After 18 fixtures the league will split into a top six and a bottom four, with the clubs playing each other twice again in their "mini-league".

Anyway, let's delve in...

Can Hibernian repeat title heroics?

Hibernian's resilience last season as they claimed their first league title in 18 years was impressive. As their injury list grew, so too their determination. They won the title on the final day at Ibrox, beating Rangers 1-0 and sealing the league by three points in the end.

Striker Eilidh Adams played her part in helping her side to the title, scoring 24 goals in a season she describes as her "best yet at the club", and sees no reason why the Edinburgh side can't repeat the feat. Adams says everyone believes they're "good enough to compete".

Hibs have held on to the core of their league-winning squad, although the Champions League is likely to test their strength, should they progress from qualifying.

Competition will be stiff too from a variety of quarters.

Glasgow City still a force

You write Glasgow City off at your peril. The club call themselves the "original trailblazers" and they continue to build upon their early success.

It's fair to say that departures from the club have grabbed the headlines. They lost assistant head coach Leanne Crichton to Rangers, as she replaces Jo Potter as head coach, while player of the year nominee and stand-out defender Samantha van Diemen left for Serie A side Roma.

City stalwart Hayley Lauder has replaced Crichton, while among the new faces at Petershill is someone who knows Scottish football inside out. Emma Brownlie has joined from Hearts and is relishing "a great opportunity" and " new challenge".

Finishing second in the league means they too will have European football to contend with but they're seasoned in dealing with such rigours and their squad looks in good shape.

Celtic and Glasgow City have both won the SWPL in recent years

Points to prove

Both Rangers and Celtic endured disappointment in the league last season. Rangers won the two domestic cups but being pipped on the final day for the title and a European spot hurt. While Celtic as defending champions fell well short of expectations - finishing 15 points behind Hibs and in fourth spot. Both clubs admit they'll need to do better in this campaign.

Celtic's Chloe Craig says they will be looking to "right the wrongs" of last season, and believes not having "the pressure on" them this season will be beneficial.

Meanwhile across the city, Rangers seem equally determined to move on from their league failings of last season. Captain Nicola Docherty says new boss Crichton brings with her "a winning mentality".

Like their Old Firm rivals there's no European football to accommodate - a disappointment on one hand but it could prove to be a domestic advantage. Docherty believes "consistency wins you league titles". Rangers also plan to play as many games as they can at Ibrox, which could prove a real incentive for the players.

Leanne Crichton is the new face in the Rangers dugout

Ever improving clubs

Almost eight years ago Hearts announced they'd be investing significantly in their women's team. There was an expansion to their academy and over time that's allowed the move into full-time football.

Evidence of their progression has been clear to see and although they were off the pace at the end, finishing 18 points behind Edinburgh rivals Hibs, they did have a say in the title race. They took points from Hibs, Celtic, Glasgow City and Rangers, thus proving on their day they're a match for any of the big hitters.

The aim will surely be to beat those sides more often than not over the course of a season and defender Carly Girasoli believes they can maintain their threat, saying they "want to be up there competing".

They could lay down an early marker too, with Celtic at the Oriam on the opening day of the new SWPL season, a match shown live on the BBC Sport website and iPlayer. Hearts beat Celtic twice in the league last term so will be aiming to build upon such results.

Hearts picked up some notable results last season

Top-six challengers & expected strugglers

All things being equal there's likely to be one place in the top six up for grabs when it comes to the the split. But it's by no means a foregone conclusion as to who'll make it.

Motherwell got there last season, the season before it was Partick Thistle and both teams are likely to be there or thereabouts again. Aberdeen could very well be in amongst it too. They finished last season strongly and have strengthened well.

The relegation battle might not be as brutal as it was last season to allow for the new structure. One team will go down automatically while the team finishing ninth will take on the SWPL 2 side who wins their promotion play-offs in a winner takes all one-off tie.

Newly promoted Hamilton will do well to stay away from relegation danger, and while Montrose will take massive confidence from their terrific escape act last season, they're unlikely to be too far away from the wrong end of the table.

BBC coverage

BBC Scotland will continue to stream live SWPL matches. Our first comes from the Oriam on Sunday as Hearts face Celtic (13:00 BST). You'll find it on the BBC Sport Scotland website and iPlayer. BBC Alba and iPlayer will show champions Hibernian's opener against Aberdeen, which kicks of at 16:10 BST.

The weekend's action is all rounded up in our Sportscene highlights show on BBC Scotland and iPlayer on Monday from 19:30.

And don't forget we have a page on our website dedicated to the women's game.

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