The combative midfielder is confident, however, that some new faces will make their mark over a shortened campaign with little room for error.
Morton remains in her spot, buzzing around the centre of the park, but she no longer has Chelsea Whittaker, Kelsey Kennard or Emily Morison for company after they all departed.
"They were all a huge, huge part of the team and have been in Southern United for God knows how long," Morton said.
"They brought such experience on the field, but were also amazing people off the field. They really helped the team culture.
"But we’ve gained some cool girls as well, and we’ve just got to rebuild a little bit."
Morton likes what she has seen from Kendrah Smith, one of three new recruits from Auckland Club West Coast Rangers, and is eager to see Freya Partridge-Moore continue her form from winter football.
She is also excited to see the development of fellow midfielder Abby Rankin.
"Abby is really coming into her own this season, which is really cool, because she’s so technically good."
Southern started the new season with a promising performance — albeit a 1-0 loss — against defending champions Eastern Suburbs last weekend.
Morton thought that was a fine effort, considering Southern — a regional team who always have limited time to prepare, and were playing against a club team that had been together all year — were still getting their feet on the ground.
"Coming up against a side that won it last year, and who have played together all year and have a heap of quality players ... I was really proud of the girls."
The national league was shorter this year and that was a mixed blessing, Morton said.
"The beauty of last year was that if you had a poor first round, or you lost to a team you shouldn’t have, you had the second round to kind of redeem yourself.
"This year is about putting on a performance every single week. There are no second chances.
"It puts a bit more pressure on but I think we will like it. You can just go hard every game."
A new challenge awaits in Lower Hutt tomorrow as Southern play the Phoenix Reserves, who are new to the league.
Morton expects the A-League club’s second-stringers to be well-drilled, but hopes Southern can use their experience and physicality to their advantage, and be more creative in the final third.
Women’s football has never been more prominent in New Zealand thanks to the Fifa World Cup.
Morton said the sport was still buzzing after the wildly successful tournament.
"I think it’s built that awareness and kind of credibility around women’s football.
"That’s never really been there before, and it’s kind of great to see young boys who have female football role models, and all the young girls out on the turf, even in the cold of winter.
"I think it was amazing. We were so lucky to have those games in Dunedin, because we can get a bit lost down here in terms of football.
"It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. We grabbed it with both hands, and I’m sure it will have a huge effect."
Morton is nearing the end of her university studies but plans to stay in Dunedin to work towards becoming a barrister, and play for Southern as long as her passion for the game is intact.
