A-League Women: The 33 rookies set to shine in 2023/24 season
Fresh off the back of the Matildas’ World Cup success, a host of new names are ready to announce themselves to the country. ERIN SMITH names the next wave of players to watch.
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Each of the 23 women in the Matildas’ World Cup team got their start in the A-Leagues’ Womens’ competition - now a new crop of rising stars are ready to show off their skills with the hopes of playing on the biggest stage in the near future.
The women’s top flight competition will feature 12 teams this year - opening the door for plenty more talented footballers.
Ready to make their mark on the Australian competition are dozens of youngsters, some as young as 15.
With the competition just weeks away from kicking off we take a look at the 33 most promising rookies this A-Leagues’ Women’s season.
ADELAIDE UNITED
Alana Jancevski
A versatile attacker, Jancevski has joined Adelaide United after two seasons with Perth Glory. The 20-year-old has represented Australia at a youth level and is considered one of the
brightest youngsters in the women’s competition – her spectacular finishes from range making her hard to miss. This off-season she has played for the Bulleen Lions in the NPLW Victoria competition, her six goals in 12 games, helping her side to second place on the table.
Emilia Murray
Coming into her third season with Adelaide United and a captain of the Young Matildas it is easy to forget Murray is just 19-year-old. The dazzling attacking midfielder was part of the Young Matildas squad that qualified for the 2024 AFC U20 Asian Cup. Dhudhuroa and Yorta Yorta woman – Murray is very proud of her Indigenous heritage. “I always wear a band around my wrist with the flag on it. And sometimes I write little sayings or Aboriginal symbols to help me get through the game when maybe I make a mistake,” Murray said.
BRISBANE ROAR
Chelsea Blissett
Another Young Matilda, Blissett will be a fresh addition to the Roar’s backline this season. The 23-year-old has spent the past five seasons at Melbourne City – making 44 appearances, including seven during the club’s 2019/2020 Invincibles season.
Ruby Cuthbert
Junior Matildas captain Ruby Cuthbert signed with Brisbane Roar for her inaugural season in the Women’s league. The 16-year-old central defender hails from Fremantle in Western Australia where she has spent her junior years honing her skills. “I can’t wait to meet new players and push myself to be the best I can be, I think it’s going to be a really exciting year to be part of a big club with big history and the community that they’ve created is awesome,” Cuthbert said.
Hollie Palmer
Hollie Palmer, 22, has played in the top flight Women’s competition for six seasons, all but one have been in Roar’s colours. The Queenslander is a talented midfielder who has played for the Young Matildas. She played 18 matches last season scoring one goal and two assists. She is known for her ball playing skills and ability to create chances.
SYDNEY FC
Indiana Dos Santos
Indiana Dos Santos announced herself as a player to watch last season – becoming the youngest player to debut for the Sky Blues’, aged 15 years and 117 days, the youngest ever A-Leagues’ goalscorer and the youngest A-Leagues grand final player. Dos Santos played for the Young Matildas in their AFC U20s Women Asian Cup qualifiers. While the midfielder had limited minutes last season there is no doubt the 15-year-old will be given more time on the pitch this year.
Shay Hollman
Sydney FC’s central midfielder, Shay Hollman played a crucial role in the Sky Blues’ premiership squad last season with 15 appearances. She made her debut for the club as a 16-year-old in 2021 and is sure to shine again this year. Hollman has also donned the green and gold, captaining the Under-18 Matildas to the AFF Women’s Championship in Indonesia last year where she was also named the tournament’s Best Player.
Kirsty Fenton
A quick-thinking, powerful full back Kirsty Fenton, just 19, really found her feet last year. She starred for Australia in the U-20 Women’s World Cup in Costa Rica – scoring in front of 22,000 people against the host nation in a 3-1 win for the Young Matildas. Fenton had 17 appearances for Sydney FC last season and she will play a key role as they look to defend the premiership.
PERTH GLORY
Grace Jale
Grace Jale made two appearances for the New Zealand national team at the FIFA Women’s World Cup. The 24-year-old now has 19 caps with the Football Ferns and will line up this season with Glory. It will be her third in the A-Leagues Women’s competition having previously played for Wellington Phoenix and Canberra United. Jale is a major aerial threat who has the ability to create chances and score goals – in her 27 ALW starts since 2021 she has nine goals and seven assists.
Isobel Dalton
After spending three seasons in Europe playing for Napoli and English side Lewes in the Championship competition, Isobel Dalton is returning back to Australia to play for Glory. The 25-year-old midfielder was born in the UK but raised in Queensland. She first played in the AWL in 2021 – having 25 appearances for Brisbane Roar and claiming the club’s Player of the Season Award in 2021. She is a former Australian Under-17 representative player.
Hana Lowry
Hana Lowry, just 20, already has 50 A-League Women’s appearances for her hometown club and she started every game last season. Regarded as one of the best up and coming midfielders in the nation. Last season she scored four goals and recorded five assists for Glory. Lowry was part of the Australian squad at the 2022 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup.
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WESTERN UNITED
Alana Cerne
Cerne started playing football at Fawkner Soccer Club before working her way up to Calder United in the NPLW Victoria. She was Western United’s first signing ahead of their inaugural season, making her professional debut at 20 years old. Cerne played 19 out of 20 matches for United, starting in 18 of them. She was named the team’s Young Player of the Season. Cerne was named alongside Australia’s most talented footballers in the Future Matildas program, called into her first national team squad just months later.
Kahli Johnson
Johnson moved from Sydney FC to sign with Western United’s inaugural team last season. The 19-year-old started 11 matches and scored her first two professional goals. Johnson also starred for the Young Matildas, playing at the FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup – her performance earning her a place in the Future Matildas’ program. Johnson was named the club’s Young Player of the Season alongside Cerne.
Grace Maher
Maher has signed with Western United after stints at Canberra United and Melbourne Victory. The 24-year-old made history in 2014, becoming the youngest player to sign and play for a A-Leagues’ women’s team, aged just 15. Maher has plenty of big game experience, playing in the grand final win in her inaugural season, in which Canberra defeated Perth 3-1. The talented centre back has played for the Young Matildas and even captained the team. She is a rising star ready to find a new level at Western United.
MELBOURNE CITY
Daniela Galic
Teen sensation Daniela Galic is one of the most exciting young footballers in Australia. She signed her first professional contract with Melbourne City last year and was quick to show off her skills – scoring two goals and registering three assists in her 17 appearances. Galic is also part of the Young Matildas’ squad.
Holly McNamara
Former Young Footballer of the Year, Holly McNamara, is one the A-League’s most electrifying attackers. McNamara made her debut with City during the 2021/22 season. The 20-year-old’s form during her maiden season at City saw her earn a call up to the Matildas squad, making three appearances at the 2022 AFC Women’s Asian Cup. She tore her ACL during a match in February 2022 and missed the remainder of the season. But after almost a year on the sidelines was back playing for City – ending the season as one of the competitions most dynamic attackers.
Naomi Chinnama
Naomi Chinnama improves every time she runs onto the pitch – with her 2022/23 season with City her strongest year. After debuting with the club in the 2020/21 season Chinnama has now cemented herself as a regular starter for the side – notching up 16 appearances last season. A very composed central defender, Chinnama has also played for the Australian under-23 side.
CANBERRA UNITED
Emma Ilijoski
Emma Ilijoski, 20, honed her football skills playing for Gungahlin United NPL under-16 boys team before making her professional debut with Canberra United in the 2020/21 season. The talented defender played 16 matches for Canberra last season – now a regular starter for the squad. She has also been selected for Junior Matildas’ training camps.
Sasha Grove
Defender Sasha Grove has had a fast rise to the nation’s top women’s competition – making her NPL Women’s debut at just 13. Now 18, Grove has established herself as a mainstay in Canberra’s backline. She earned her first call up to the Young Matildas in 2022 and played in the Pacific Tournament in Canberra.
Tegan Bertolissio
Canberra United snapped up Tegan Bertolissio for the season after she impressed in the NSW Women’s Premier League. The 17-year-old defender has represented the Junior Matildas at two AFF tournaments and is also part of the Young Matildas’ program.
NEWCASTLE JETS
Melina Ayres
A true rising star Melina Ayres has already amassed an impressive number of accolades in the A-League Womens’ and Victorian National Premier League competitions. The 24-year-old striker made her A-Leagues debut at 15 for Melbourne City before claiming back to back NPL golden boot awards in Victoria – scoring 24 goals in 2016 and 40 goals in 2017. Ayres made her A-League Women’s debut for Victory in their 2017 grand final win – before helping the side win the title in 2018/19, 2020 and 2021. This season will be Ayres’ first with the Jets.
Claudia Cicco
Claudia Cicco will be one to watch this season. The 19-year-old can play in the backline or on the wing. She got her start in the A-League with Wellington Phoenix having 13 appearances in her debut season last year. She also celebrated her Young Matildas debut earlier this year scoring a hat-trick against Guam.
Tessa Tamplin
A dynamic defender, Tessa Tamplin is back at the Jets, where her journey first began. The 22-year-old honed her skills playing in the Jets’ academy. She rejoined the club last season after a successful stint playing with Swiss outfit Servette FC – making 15 appearances.
WELLINGTON PHOENIX
Macey Fraser
Macey Fraser, an exciting attacking midfielder, has signed with Phoenix for the next three seasons. The 21-year-old is an Academy star who played in New Zealand’s 2018 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup and 2022 FIFA U-20 FIFA Women’s World Cup teams.
Our four 🆕 ALW signings so far 👊
— Wellington Phoenix 🔥 (@WgtnPhoenixFC) August 16, 2023
â–ªï¸ Rebecca Lake
â–ªï¸ Hope Breslin
â–ªï¸ Hailey Davidson
â–ªï¸ Macey Fraser
Become a Nix Member: https://t.co/YpVNn9NEmH#COYN! 🔥
💛🖤 pic.twitter.com/UQzt0kQWpg
Manaia Elliott
This teenage defender will bring a wealth of experience from her time with the Young Football Ferns to the Phoenix this season. The 18-year-old is one of four Phoenix scholarship players set to play in the top flight this season. Elliott captained the Young Football Ferns at the 2922 FIFA under-17 Women’s World Cup in India and steered New Zealand to a OFC U-19 Women’s Championship title in July – securing the team a place at next year’s FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup.
Kate Taylor
Kate Taylor made her debut for the Wellington based side in 2021-22. Now 19-years old the defender will play a key role for the Phoenix this season. Taylor made her senior international debut off the bench against Norway last year and narrowly missed out on a spot in the Football Ferns final 23-woman squad for the World Cup – being named as one of the squad’s three training partners. She has six Caps to her name.
WESTERN SYDNEY WANDERERS
Alexia Apostolakis
This season will be Alexia Apostolakis’ this in the red and black after making her debut in 2021. She was quick to make her mark on the game becoming the youngest goalscorer in the Wanderers’ A-League Women’s history – scoring aged just 15. The defender, now 17 played 14 matches for the Wanderers last season and is sure to be a key player again this season.
Gemma Ferris
After a year as a train-on player Gemma Ferris has penned her first professional contract with the Wanderers. The 18-year-old defender will no doubt be looking to build on her six appearances in the 2022/23 season this year.
Milly Clegg
Milly Clegg is a new face at the Wanderers this season. The talented striker is just 17 years old and already has four international Caps to her name with the New Zealand national team. She was part of the squad named for the FIFA Womens’ World Cup. Last season she played for Wellington Phoenix claiming the Golden Boot, with four goals. She is also in the running for the A-Leagues’ Dolan Warren Award.
CENTRAL COAST MARINERS
Annalise Rasmussen
A homegrown talent, Annalise Rasmussen, was the first signing for the revamped Central Coast Mariners side as they re-enter the competition this year. Rasmussen has played for the club’s academy since she was 11-years old working her way up the first-grade team. She stepped away to hone her skills in the Football NSW Institute program, returning to the Mariners and signing her first contract for the 23/24 season. The 18-year-old is a quick and athletic forward with a good eye for goal.
What a strike from Annalise Rasmussen! 🤯💥
— Central Coast Mariners (@CCMariners) July 17, 2023
Our first A-League Women's signing fired home this incredible long range effort to help keep us at the top of the NSW League One Women's first grade ladder! ðŸ”🪜#CCMFC#MarinersAcademy#BeOurMatepic.twitter.com/oYQS7LB6TS
Isabel Gomez
Isobel Gomez, 21, joins the Mariners for what will be her fourth season in the A-Leagues’ Womens’ competition. The midfielder made her debut for Western Sydney as an 18-year-old before spending two seasons with the Phoenix. A serious knee injury cut her season short last year, but Gomez has worked hard, playing in the NPL NSW Women’s competition to regain her playing fitness for the 23/24 season. Gomez is a creative midfielder who loves to control the game.
MELBOURNE VICTORY
Alana Murphy
Alana Murphy is a familiar name to Victory fans having spent the past two seasons at the club. The 18-year-old midfielder was the first signing in 2021 and the club’s first graduate from Victory’s Elite Girls Program. Murphy has taken to the field 31 times across her two seasons, playing an active role in their 2023/22 championship winning season. She was also named in the Young Matildas squad for their AFC U-20 Womens’ Asian Cup qualifiers.
Jamilla Rankin
A brilliant defender, Jamilla Rankin has plenty of experience in the A-Leagues’ Women’s competition having made 45 appearances for Brisbane Roar. The 20-year-old fullback made her Matildas debut against Spain in 2022 and is a regular in the youth international setup.
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