The 2023 Hollywoodbets Super League season has come and gone… and once again Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies have been unstoppable, winning their fourth league title in a row.
Two teams have been relegated – Ma-Indies Ladies and Coal City Wizards – while the pair of Fort Hare University and Lindelani Ladies will be joining the elite league next season from the Sasol League after they finished first and second in the National Championship play-offs.
The league recently held their annual awards and individuals were rewarded for their performances over the 2023 season as follows:
2023 Hollywoodbets Super League Individual Awards Winners:
- Player Of The Season: Boitumelo Rabale (Sundowns Ladies)
- Young Player of the Season: Mmabatho Mogale (Tuks Ladies)
- Goalkeeper Of The Year: Kaylin Swart (JVW)
- Top Goal Scorer: S’phumelele Shamase (UJ Ladies)
- Fan’s Player Of The Season: Chuene Morifi (Sundowns Ladies)
- Administrator Of The Season: Boitumelo Lekalakala (Tuks Ladies)
- Referee Of The Season: Hloniphile Msezane
- Assistant Referee Of The Season: Amogelang Msiza
2022 Hollywoodbets Super League Individual Award Winners:
- Player of the Season: Boitumelo Rabale (Sundowns Ladies)
- Coach of the Season: Jerry Tshabalala (Sundowns Ladies)
- Top Goal scorer: Nompumelelo Nyandeni (JVW)
- Goalkeeper of the Season: Katlego Moletsane (Royal AM)
- Young Player of the Season: Nthabiseng Majiya (Richmond United)
- Referee of the Season: Hloniphile Msezane
- Assistant Referee of the Season: Amogelang Msiza
CentreCircle.online takes a look at the 2023 Hollywoodbets Super League season that was…
(1) Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies:
Our journey starts with the Champions Sundowns Ladies, who were in a class of their own in 2023.
Despite being involved in three competitions, COSAFA CAF Women’s Champions League qualifiers, CAF Women’s Champions League and the Hollywoodbets Super League – which they all won to hand them the treble – they were still able to deliver the goods when it mattered, showing their quality.
They sailed through the league campaign with ease, notching up 26 wins and three draws – the only blemish on their slate was the 1-0 loss to Royal AM in the first half of the season.
Led by mastermind coach, Jerry Tshabalala and assisted by Agnes Nkosi, they ended the year on 81 points – six of them handed by the league following the failure of their matches against the University of Johannesburg and the University of Pretoria to go ahead as the two institutions of learning had fixtures in the annual USSA Championships in Cape Town.
The Brazilians also managed to produce the Player of the Season in the league, in the form of Boitumelo Rabale, who scooped the award for the second year running, while Tshabalala was nominated on two fronts for Coach of the Year – at CAF and in the Hollywoodbets Super League – unfortunately he won neither.
On the continental stage he was beaten to the title by Banyana Banyana Head Coach Desiree Ellis, while Thinasonke Mbuli (UWC and assistant coach at Banyana Banyana) walked away with the trophy on the domestic front.
Sundowns Ladies:
| 2023 season | 2022 | 2021 | 2019/2020 |
| 1st | 1st | 1st | 1st |
| Games: 30 | |||
| Points: 81 | |||
| Win: 26 | |||
| Draws: 3 | |||
| Loss: 1 | |||
| GF: 97 | |||
| GA: 15 |
- (2) University of the Western Cape (UWC):
This was by far their best showing since the inception of the elite women’s football league in South Africa.
Under the tutelage of Thinasonke Mbuli – who throughout the season doubled up as the Assistant Coach at the Sasol-sponsored Banyana Banyana – the students were a different beast this season. They are the only team that completed their 30 games without a draw, suffering five losses and 25 victories.
They made their intentions very clear at the start of the campaign, managing seven wins before falling to TS Galaxy Queens (2-1) in their eighth game.
The Blues are the only side to run side by side with the league champions, and could so easily have won it but they not faltered in the last five matches of the season – when both teams were level on 66 points.
The Capetonians will perhaps bemoan the loss of key midfielder Kholosa Biyana (who switched provinces and joined the star-studded Sundowns Ladies) in August as perhaps one of the reasons they stumbled at the end, and also the unavailability of influential midfielder Sibulele Holweni due to injury – the latter did not finish the season.
UWC concluded their campaign with 75 points, six behind the champions. They also claimed the 2023 Women’s Varsity Cup title, and Mbuli was named the Hollywoodbets Super League Coach of the Year.
UWC:
| 2023 season | 2022 | 2021 | 2019/2020 |
| 2nd | 2nd | 3rd | 6th |
| Games: 30 | |||
| Points: 75 | |||
| Win: 22 | |||
| Draws: 0 | |||
| Loss: 5 | |||
| GF: 66 | |||
| GA: 17 |
- (3) JVW FC:
It was a remarkable season for JVW who only got promoted three seasons ago into the Hollywoodbets Super League, and have now managed their best finish – third place.
At the beginning of the 2023 campaign, they lost more than 10 key players – the likes of captain Nompulelelo Nyandeni, midfielder dynamo Mamello Makhabane, goalkeeper Yolula Tsawe and defender Erin Hertz.
They had to rebuild the team with new faces like CAF Women’s Champions League winner (with Sundowns Ladies) Bongiwe Thusi, former UJ Ladies players Amanda Mthandi, Kelebogile Putu and Boitumelo Rasehlo, as well as Mary Ntsweng from TUT, among others. Towards the end of the season they welcomed back their founder Janine van Wyk who was playing in Greece. Her re-signing was closely followed by the arrival of Sweden’s Julia Molin, the first European player to play in the Hollywoodbets Super League.
Van Wyk’s stay, however, was short-lived as she has retired from playing and will be seen on the bench shouting instructions in the new season.
In the last two campaigns the Blue Diamonds finished fourth on each occasion. To add to their success, 2023 saw one of their own, Kaylin Swart, crowned Goalkeeper of the Season in the league with 14 clean sheets – two better than Regirl Ngobeni (UWC) and Katlego Moletsane (Royal AM).
JVW:
| 2023 season | 2022 | 2021 |
| 3rd | 4th | 4th |
| Games: 30 | ||
| Points: 63 | ||
| Win: 19 | ||
| Draws: 6 | ||
| Loss: 5 | ||
| GF: 53 | ||
| GA: 28 |
- (4) TS Galaxy Queens:
Hastily put together at the beginning of the season, the Mpumalanga outfit did well to finish in fourth place. And it could so easily have been different had they won some of the matches they should not have lost.
After failing for the second time in the Sasol League National Champs to gain promotion, lawyer Tim Sukazi decided to buy the status of Cape Town’s Vasco da Gama – who were only in their first year in the Hollywoodbets Super League.
Once the deal was sealed, they had to scramble around looking for players, and eventually assembled a star-studded team that was the envy of many – boasting Nothando Vilakazi, Busisiwe Ndimeni, Nyandeni, Tsawe, Makhabane, Nicole Michael and Nomvula Kgoale, among others.
Coach Jabulile Baloyi was at the helm of a newly-formed technical team, but she was let go after six games, with former TUT head coach Sizwe Sibiya taking over. The latter previously presided over his ex-employers’ second place finish in 2021 and third in 2022.
For newcomers, they should be proud of their showing, as they ended fourth after 18 wins, seven draws and five losses.
TS Galaxy Queens:
| 2023 season | ||
| 4th | ||
| Games: 30 | ||
| Points: 61 | ||
| Win: 18 | ||
| Draws: 7 | ||
| Loss: 5 | ||
| GF: 62 | ||
| GA: 22 |
- (5) Royal AM:
Formerly known as Bloemfontein Celtic Ladies, Royal AM will not be too pleased with how far they have dropped down the pecking order.
Bought by PSL side Royal AM, the team is now based in KwaZulu Natal but has not set the scene alight as they did the previous years.
At the start of the elite Women’s Football League in South Africa, then coached by Edwin Senne, they managed a third place finish. But over the last two seasons, they could only reach sixth place. In 2023 they went one spot up to end fifth.
Royal AM:
| 2023 season | 2022 | 2021 | 2019/2020 |
| 5th | 6th | 6th | 3rd |
| Games: 30 | |||
| Points: 55 | |||
| Win: 16 | |||
| Draws: 7 | |||
| Loss: 7 | |||
| GF: 53 | |||
| GA: 29 |
- (6) University of Pretoria:
By far the most remarkable achievement in their debut year – Tuks Ladies finished in sixth place, and could have even ended higher but they did not play one match against Sundowns Ladies in the second round.
Led by Maud Khumalo, former Banyana Banyana player, the students held their own, going five matches unbeaten before being brought down to earth by the defending champions.
Tuks Ladies won 16, drew 4 and lost 10 and just recently were crowned the 2023 USSA Games champions. Khumalo was a finalist in the 2023 Hollywoodbets Super League Coach of the Year award.
University of Pretoria:
| 2023 season | |||
| 6th | |||
| Games: 30 | |||
| Points: 52 | |||
| Win: 16 | |||
| Draws: 4 | |||
| Loss: 10 | |||
| GF: 54 | |||
| GA: 34 |
- (7) Richmond United:
The only side in the Northern Cape that campaigns in the Hollywoodbets Super League, Richmond United has had a topsy turvy season. Despite making long travels to most games, they have been fairly consistent, finishing in seventh place two seasons in succession.
This is quite an improvement from the first and second years, when they ended 11th back to back. They also managed 48 points – same as last season – with 13 wins, nine draws and eight losses.
Richmond United:
| 2023 season | 2022 | 2021 | 2019/2020 |
| 7th | 7th | 11th | 11th |
| Games: 30 | |||
| Points: 48 | |||
| Win: 13 | |||
| Draws: 9 | |||
| Loss: 8 | |||
| GF: 48 | |||
| GA: 42 |
- (8) Durban Ladies:
Durban Ladies have failed to replicate the exploits of their first season in the league where they managed a decent seventh place finish. In the last two seasons, they ended 10th in 2021 and 2022.
It was only this year that they had a better showing with a finish in the top eight after managing two draws, and registering the same number of wins and losses – 14. They were good in front of goal with 53 strikes, but their defence was just as porous, conceding the equal number of goals (53).
Durban Ladies:
| 2023 season | 2022 | 2021 | 2019/2020 |
| 8th | 10th | 10th | 7th |
| Games: 30 | |||
| Points: 44 | |||
| Win: 14 | |||
| Draws: 2 | |||
| Loss: 14 | |||
| GF: 53 | |||
| GA: 53 |
(9) University of Johannesburg
By their standards, the University of Johannesburg will not be too pleased with the outcome of the 2023 season.
Finishing eighth in the first year, dropping to ninth in 2021, and having their best campaign last season where they finished in fifth place – the Orange Army knows all too well that the current year is one they would like to quickly forget after ninth-position finish. The registered 13 wins, 13 losses and four draws.
On the brighter side, the students will walk proudly that they have in their midst the 2023 Hollywoodbets Super League Top Goal Scorer in Thubelihle Shamase with 22 goals – beating seasoned campaigners like Rabale, Andisiwe Mgcoyi and Nyandeni.
They also produced some national team players for the U20 squad as well as for Banyana Banyana – the likes of Thubelihle and Sphumelele Shamase and Ayesha Moosa.
University of Johannesburg:
| 2023 season | 2022 | 2021 | 2019/2020 |
| 9th | 5th | 9th | 8th |
| Games: 30 | |||
| Points: 43 | |||
| Win: 13 | |||
| Draws: 4 | |||
| Loss: 13 | |||
| GF: 53 | |||
| GA: 40 |
(10) Tshwane University of Technology:
Another side that has slipped down the pecking order quicker than anyone could realise.
TUT was among the most feared teams at the start of the elite women’s football league, finishing second both in the launch year (2019/2020) and (2021), as well as the third position last season.
But they have seen flames in 2023, especially after the departure of several top players from their nest (Busisiwe Ndimeni, Nothando Vilakazi, Thato Letsoso, Tiisetso Makhubela, among others) as well as former coach Sizwe Sibiya, who is now guiding the fortunes of newcomers TS Galaxy Queens.
TUT will be hoping for a better showing in 2024 after managing to avoid relegation – this season they lost 16 matches, winning 11 and drawing three.
TUT:
| 2023 season | 2022 | 2021 | 2019/2020 |
| 10th | 3rd | 2nd | 2nd |
| Games: 30 | |||
| Points: 36 | |||
| Win: 11 | |||
| Draws: 3 | |||
| Loss: 16 | |||
| GF: 34 | |||
| GA: 34 |
(11) First Touch Academy:
Limpopo’s First Touch Academy has been on a downward trajectory from the inception of the league.
In the first season they finished a respectable fourth, and that is the highest they have ever been. The following campaign (2021) they dropped one notch down and couldn’t stop the rot as they found themselves in position nine last year. In 2023 they finished 11th – the highest of the three sides from Limpopo.
First Touch stats do not excite – with eight wins, 15 losses and seven draws, leaving them with 31 points.
They are now one of the two that remain in the league from Limpopo following the relegation of Ma-Indies Ladies.
First Touch:
| 2023 season | 2022 | 2021 | 2019/2020 |
| 11th | 9th | 5th | 4th |
| Games: 30 | |||
| Points: 31 | |||
| Win: 8 | |||
| Draws: 7 | |||
| Loss: 15 | |||
| GF: 30 | |||
| GA: 51 |
(12) Copperbelt FC:
Newcomers Copperbelt FC got off to a good start with a win in the first game, but lost the subsequent three before getting back on track. For their debut season the Limpopo outfit has done very well despite hovering around the relegation zone for long periods.
To finish in 12th position in your first season is a good return and they will be proud of themselves for safely sailing through stormy seas in 2023, and they are well aware that the second season could be even tougher, but perhaps they have learnt a lot of lessons and know what to do, and will be hoping for a lot of improvement after registering only seven wins. They suffered 18 defeats with five draws.
Copperbelt FC:
| 2023 season | |||
| 12th | |||
| Games: 30 | |||
| Points: 26 | |||
| Win: 7 | |||
| Draws: 5 | |||
| Loss: 18 | |||
| GF: 26 | |||
| GA: 58 |
(13) City Lads Ladies:
In only their second season in elite women’s football, Eastern Cape’s City Lads Ladies will be relieved after surviving relegation. For the entire 2023 campaign, they could not move away from the danger zone, but they dug deep and managed to get the required number of points to escape the axe.
Finishing in 12th place in 2022, they have dropped a spot down to 13th in the 2023 season. With 19 losses, City Lads know they will have to up their game in the next campaign and better the seven victories they managed this year.
City Lads Ladies:
| 2023 season | 2022 | ||
| 13th | 12th | ||
| Games: 30 | |||
| Points: 25 | |||
| Win: 7 | |||
| Draw: 4 | |||
| Loss: 19 | |||
| GF: 29 | |||
| GA: 66 |
(14) Thunderbirds Ladies:
This is another side where the struggle was real this year. At some point the East London outfit was dragged into the relegation quagmire but they fought hard to retain their Hollywoodbets Super League status.
Thunderbirds won five matches, drawing the same number while losing 20 games. They survived the drop by only three points.
Thunderbirds Ladies:
| 2023 season | 2022 | 2021 | 2019/2020 |
| 14th | 11th | 7th | 10th |
| Games: 30 | |||
| Points: 20 | |||
| Win: 20 | |||
| Draw: 5 | |||
| Loss: 5 | |||
| GF: 22 | |||
| GA: 59 |
(15) Coal City Wizards: RELEGATED
Shortly before the start of the season they lost their founder, who was also their coach and they were never the same.
Coal City Wizards struggled from the first match – losing 9-1 to UWC – and only got their first of five wins in the fifth game.
The Mpumalanga side lost 23 matches and didn’t stand a chance from the get go, ending on 17 points. They are the only side that conceded more than one hundred goals (104) this campaign.
The founding members of the elite women’s football league in South Africa started with a top five finish in their first season, but dropped drastically the next two seasons as managed 12th and 13th positions.
Their departure leaves Mpumalanga with only one team, newcomers TS Galaxy Queens.
Coal City Wizards:
| 2023 season | 2022 | 2021 | 2019/2020 |
| 15th | 13th | 12th | 5th |
| Games: 30 | |||
| Points: 17 | |||
| Win: 5 | |||
| Draws: 2 | |||
| Loss: 23 | |||
| GF: 32 | |||
| GA: 104 |
(16) Ma-Indies Ladies: RELEGATED
Ma-Indies Ladies’ season was doomed from the start with seven losses in their opening games of the year.
From there on they were always playing catch-up but eventually ran out of matches to save their season.
Their only two victories came against Thunderbirds and City Lads, teams who were also hovering around the relegation zone.
Ma-Indies is the only team to not get to double digits in the points column as they ended on eight, following two wins, two draws and 26 defeats. They end their three year stay after finishing eighth in 2021 and 2022. Ma-Indies were promoted alongside JVW.
The 2024 season will see Limpopo with only two teams in the elite women’s league – newcomers Copperbelt FC and First Touch.
Ma-Indies Ladies:
| 2023 season | 2022 | 2021 | |
| 16th | 8th | 8th | |
| Games: 30 | |||
| Points: 8 | |||
| Win: 2 | |||
| Draws: 2 | |||
| Loss: 26 | |||
| GF: 18 | |||
| GA: 78 |
THE 2023 HOLLYWOODBETS SUPER LEAGUE BY THE NUMBERS:
697 – Total number of goals
594 – Total number of cards (Yellow and Red)
572 – Yellow cards
240 – Total number of matches
228 – Total number of substitutions
104 – Most goals conceded (Ma-Indies Ladies)
97 – Most goals scored (Sundowns Ladies)
81 – Most points accumulated (Sundowns Ladies)
39 – Total number of penalties
26 – Most wins (Sundowns Ladies)
26 – Most losses (Ma-Indies Ladies)
22 – Top goal scorer (Thubelihle Shamase – UJ Ladies)
18 – Least goals scored (Ma-Indies)
17 – Total number of Red cards
15 – Least goals conceded (Sundowns Ladies)
14 – Most clean sheets (Kaylin Swart – JVW)
14 – Total number of owns goals
9 – Most draws (Richmond United)
8 – Least points (Ma-Indies Ladies)
5 – Double Yellow Cards
2 – Least wins (Ma-Indies Ladies)
1 – Least losses (Sundowns Ladies)
0 – Least draws (UWC)
By Matlhomola Morake
