To see our exclusive photoshoot with the Hippos...

Local media have described the team as the region's most successful sporting team - and with the Hippos' record, it's easy to see why.

The side have won ten titles in the last two seasons and are current holders of the Illawarra premiership, pre-season, league and state cups.

Their unbeaten streak this year extended to over 65 games and the pink-shirted Hippos even won the Champion of Champions all-ages womens’ trophy in late October, defeating Lindfield 3-1 at Valentine Sports Park.

That trophy end a memorable month that included walking down the red carpet as winners in the Australian Football Awards and rubbing shoulders with Socceroo millionaires.

At the Australian Football Awards - a swanky bash at a five star Sydney hotel - they got to meet some of the game’s biggest names including Timmy Cahill, Harry Kewell and Mark Schwarzer. It was a night to remember.

“It was very exciting for the girls. They definitely got their photos worth that night,” Hippos player-manager Lyndsay Andrew told au.fourfourtwo.com.

The Hippos growing popularity has been something the team have reflected on now that University exams are out of the way.

“Things like today with FourFourTwo have been fun, we've had lots of photos and popularity on the Internet so it’s been a lot of fun for the girls and something they’ve never experienced before," said Andrew.  

“And today’s great doing this shoot because with the season over it gets us back together again.”

Beyond grassroots football, Andrew has added calls for a W-League team from the Gong.

The current W-League was reduced from seven teams to six in the pre-season after financial problems forced the withdrawal of Central Coast Mariners from the competition

But with the south coast booming for women’s football and the Hippos riding a wave of support after their remarkable exploits, the Hippos say it’s time to look at the Gong for girls football at elite level to replace the Mariners.  

“We have a very successful region for women’s football with the Illawarra Stingrays and the amateur scene with millions of juniors coming through," said Andrew.

"We’ve all had a very successful year down here but the W-League thing doesn’t seem to be happening. They don’t seem to be that keen on it.

“I think it’d be a great thing for Wollongong. The W-League game at WIN Stadium [Sydney FC versus Adelaide] had four Wollongong girls in it for Sydney.

"There’s certainly no shortage of players down here.”

The Hippos squad for the Champions of Champions trophy match was:

Rabiye Arslan, Lauren Wiedl, Leah Carlon, Belinda Griffith, Kaylie Harrison, Grace Fahey, Kathryn Collins, Courtney Collins, Maria Romeo, Lyndsay Andrew, Fran Dorczak, Karen Clarke, Fran Halloway, Renee Leddy, Jessica Guppy, Le-Tisha Kable, Jaime Dennison

To see our exclusive photoshoot with the Hippos...