W-League’s Top 25 players for season 2018/19
THE quality of the W-League has never been better and is set to kick off its biggest season so make sure you catch the skill of these 25 stars of the competition.
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IT promises to be the biggest season for the W-League – and these are the 25 key players hoping to set the competition alight.
With Fox Sports showing every game this season live, including 13 as standalone Thursday night fixtures, the W-League has never had so big a profile.
Part of the appeal is the quality of players, both Australian and imports, with a significant number of our 25 setting their sights on next year’s World Cup.
It’s no surprise that Matildas star Sam Kerr headlines the list, as the W-League’s first ever marquee player, or that nine of the top 10 are her international teammates.
The one exception in the top 10 is Japanese star Yuki Nagasato at No 4, whose attacking prowess has helped her win the World Cup and the Champions League, and win an Olympic silver medal.
Sitting behind Kerr is the evergreen Elise Kellond-Knight, presented with her 100th international cap earlier this month but attacking a new frontier with Melbourne City this season after seven seasons at Brisbane.
Rounding out the first five are Matildas stars Emily van Egmond and Caitlin Foord, whose form and fitness will be vital weapons for Australia at the World Cup next year.
25. Celeste Boureille, Brisbane Roar, Age: 24
Offering utility in defence and midfield, Boureille is most comfortable in the No 6 role and is likely to be in the spine of the Roar team. She returns to Brisbane along with her teammate from Portland, Matilda Hayley Raso, having played almost continually since her final season at the University of California in 2015. Has still to be recognised by the US women’s team, though she played two games for the U23s last year.
24. Sofia Huerta, Sydney FC, Age: 25
Huerta is one of three US stars brought in by Sydney coach Ante Jukic, along with Danielle Colaprico and Aubrey Bledsoe, as the Sky Blues coach remodels his squad for this season. As befits someone who set college records in the 100m, Huerta’s pace makes her a threat up front or in midfield. Huerta made her debut for the US last year, having already played for Mexico before switching her international allegiance.
23. Katie Stengel, Newcastle Jets, Age: 26
Ten goals in 13 games last season underlined Stengel’s value to the Jets, who were delighted to re-sign the American for this campaign after she helped them make the semi-finals last year. Last year she was runner up for the W-League Golden Boot, and aims to go one better in this campaign. In excellent form in the American league, Stengel previously had one season with the Wanderers.
22. Laura Alleway, Melbourne Victory, Age: 28
At 28 Alleway has veteran status and will be part of the spine of the Melbourne Victory side aiming to win a first title in four years. After years as a fixture in the Matildas, Alleway has written openly about losing her enthusiasm for the game, but rediscovering it thanks to her religious faith. With two W-League titles and a pair of Premierships to her name, Alleway knows what it takes to win the league.
21. Michelle Heyman, Adelaide United, Age: 30
W-League fans have become accustomed to watching Heyman wear the green of Canberra United, where she scored an astonishing 56 goals in 93 games over the last eight seasons. But a change of clubs leaves her with greater responsibility and a new lease on life, with much of the Adelaide United attacking responsibility resting on her shoulders. Heyman, 30, is a two-time W-League golden boot winner and Julie Dolan medallist and one to watch.
20. Princess Ibini, Sydney FC, Age: 18
She is only 18 but Princess Ibini is already preparing for her fourth W-League season. Just like her role with the Young Matildas, the exciting attacker appears ready to step up and be one of the Sky Blues’ key players this season. Capped three times by the Matildas, Ibini is in with a strong shout of making the Matildas’ 2019 World Cup squad.
19. Natasha Dowie, Melbourne Victory, Age: 30
The English sharpshooter returns yet again for improved Victory and she cut short her stint with Swedes Linkopings to be here in good time for the 2018-19 W-League season. Dowie is a natural striker and while her 15 goals in the last two seasons have kept Victory competitive, the upbeat players think they can carry the team further this season. Having had several weeks to acclimatise, Dowie should hit the ground running.
18. Emily Gielnik, Melbourne Victory, Age: 26
Gielnik has flown under the radar in a star-studded Matildas side but she has absolutely earnt her 18 caps and four goals, featuring in three of the 2018 Asian Cup matches. Her Victory move came as a shock, having spent nine years at Brisbane Roar (30 goals in 83 games), but it’s a shrewd move with Victory expected to feature prominently this season and Gielnik destined for a key role. Gielnik has matured with age and at 26, this could be her best season yet.
17. Chloe Logarzo, Sydney FC, Age: 23
Logarzo’s importance to the national team has been obvious this year with five goals for the Matildas, but they also demonstrate the work she has put in to reach the peak of her game. Dropped for the 2015 World Cup, Logarzo’s dedication has been seen this year in her decision to stay in Australia for specialist coaching rather than seek a stint overseas. Sydney FC will benefit as much as the Matildas.
16. Yukari Kinga, Melbourne City, Age: 34
Kinga is all class and experience, having made 100 appearances for Japan between 2005 and 2006. Formerly of Canberra United, the veteran defender joined Melbourne City last season with great success. Kinga is bound to again be crucial if City are to win a fourth-straight championship.
15. Ellie Carpenter, Canberra United, Age: 18
At only 18, Carpenter has the football world at her feet. The Canberra United defender this year became the youngest player and youngest scorer in American National Women’s Soccer League history while playing for the Portland Thorns. There’s no doubt she will be a Matilda for many years to come.
14. Lisa De Vanna, Sydney FC, Age: 33
At 33 De Vanna is a veteran but she proved she’s still got plenty of gas in the legs with a blistering run and assist against the USA at July’s Tournament of Nations. Scored five regular-season goals in 2017-18 along with a sixth to seal an extra-time semi-final win over Newcastle. Her impact in big moments cannot be underestimated.
13. Lydia Williams, Melbourne City, Age: 30
The star shot-stopper is back for her third season with Melbourne City and her role in their two come-from-behind title wins can’t be understated. The Matildas keeper (capped 70 times) is razor-sharp after another successful US stint with Seattle Reign, and focused with the 2019 World Cup nigh. Williams is a players’ union executive member and heavily engaged in soccer’s political space (she fronted the 2015 strike), with exciting changes looming for the game.
12. Hayley Raso, Brisbane Roar, Age: 24
The 24-year-old attacking weapon is fighting her way back from a serious back injury she suffered while playing for American club Portland Thorns. When she returns to full fitness, Raso will again torment W-League defenders as the Roar bid to end Melbourne City’s dominance. Raso’s international career is also blossoming, and she’ll be a key part of the Matildas’ attacking arsenal at next year’s World Cup.
11. Tameka Butt, Melbourne City, Age: 27
It was with a heavy heart that Butt left Brisbane Roar to join Melbourne City, but work commitments in the Victorian capital forced her to make the move. City have snared a great player in the Matildas attacking midfielder, who will be vital to the cashed-up club’s hopes of a fourth-straight W-League crown. Butt knows how to find the back of the net, and expect her to do so regularly this season.
10. Clare Polkinghorne, Brisbane Roar, Age: 29
The heart and soul of Brisbane Roar, Polkinghorne seems to get better with age. The no-nonsense defender is as competitive as they come and will be desperate to lead the Roar to the championship after Brisbane failed to make last season’s grand final despite finishing on top of the ladder. Polkinghorne will also play a key role for the Matildas at next year’s World Cup. She arguably remains Australia’s best defender.
9. Steph Catley, Melbourne City, Age: 24
A key cog in City’s defensive line featuring a string of her Seattle Reign teammates. City have stability at the back and captain Catley has been there since their maiden title-winning campaign of 2015. With nearly 70 Matildas appearances under her belt, the 24-year-old is a steadying presence at left back with a an attacking flare to frighten any rival.
8. Kyah Simon, Melbourne City, Age: 27
The Matildas forward and more recently midfielder has battled her fair share of injuries including two shoulder reconstructions last year. Now she’s slightly hampered by ongoing Achilles tendinitis problems. Simon’s long-term focus is staying fit for June’s World Cup but the former Sydney FC star is also intent on helping City to a fourth-straight championship in her second year with the club.
7. Katrina Gorry, Brisbane Roar, Age: 26
A Brisbane Roar stalwart, the Matildas playmaker is back in orange and vital to the club’s chances of turning last season’s premiership into a title. She’s lost long-term partner Tameka Butt to Melbourne City but the 26-year-old has the class to lift her teammates. Affectionately nicknamed ‘Mini’, all 154cm of Gorry is pure pocket rocket.
6. Alanna Kennedy, Sydney FC, Age: 23
A world-class centre-back, Kennedy’s return to the Sky Blues is a coup. The 23-year-old was integral to Melbourne City’s third-straight title last season, and the Matildas mainstay is the finishing touch on a roster truly capable of going one better than their 2017-18 grand-final loss. Kennedy will be out injured the first few weeks but will lead from the back thereafter.
5. Caitlin Foord, Sydney FC, Age: 23
Nominated as the best young player at the 2011 FIFA World Cup, Foord’s braveheart attitude on the pitch saw her rupture her ankle ligament during last season’s extra time semi-final win over the Jets. The injury kept Foord out of the game for about six months but now she is making all the right noises to suggest she will be a W-League force after she played eight games for US club Portland Thorns since July 21. Matildas boss Alen Stajcic had no hesitation in welcoming Foord back for the Tournament of Nations in July once she was declared fit – hence her importance to the national team.
MASSIVE NEWS! We have locked in @JFA World Cup Champion @Yuki_Ogimi for @WLeague Season 11! #RoarAsOne
— Brisbane Roar (@brisbaneroar) October 6, 2018
Full story: https://t.co/Z3aIXmiUGi pic.twitter.com/FDa8Dzmh6O
4. Yuki Nagasato, Brisbane Roar, Age: 31
Makes a return to Roar after helping the club claim the premiership last season. The Japanese midfielder/striker has unbelievable pedigree. She is a FIFA women’s World Cup winner and runner up, an Olympic Games silver medallist, a UEFA Champions League winner and a golden boot winner in Germany’s Bundesliga and Japan’s L-League. She arrives off the back of a great season in the US partnering Sam Kerr in the NWSL, scoring four goals in 22 matches.
3. Emily van Egmond, Newcastle Jets, Age: 25
Van Egmond has come off a tough US season with Orlando Pride and now needs plenty of support from her Jets teammates to make an impact she is very capable of providing. Van Egmond is at her brilliant best when she can drift between the lines in midfield as a No. 10, where she can spot openings to rip teams apart. She was the Jets main weapon last season in helping the side reach its first finals series. A heartbreaking extra-time goal from star Matilda Lisa De Vanna ended the club’s dream of making this year’s grand final.
2. Elise Kellond-Knight, Melbourne City, Age: 28
Arguably the most underrated player on the planet let alone the Matildas. Kellond-Knight for the first time in her W-League career has opted to join City rather than stay in her home state to represent Brisbane Roar. She is a hard worker, possesses a great left boot, perfect for open play and set pieces, plus she is tactically very smart. She can read a situation many moves ahead and is capable of providing inch-perfect passes to break open defences. The two-time FIFA World Cup All Star is expected to give City more edge in attempting to claim a fourth consecutive W-League championship and a second premiership.
1. Sam Kerr, Perth Glory, Age: 25
Kerr is Australia’s first marquee player. It is a deserved reward for the humble striker. For the last two National Women’s Soccer League seasons in the United States she has won the golden boot and was the 2017 MVP. She also claimed consecutive W-League Julie Dolan Medals, an ESPY, is the reigning AFC Asian Women’s Footballer of the Year and Young Australian of the Year. She is an absolute joy to watch. She plays the game with a smile and it appears she’s hardly breaking a sweat to do the things she loves. She rejected offers from the world’s wealthier clubs, Barcelona and Chelsea, to ensure her Matildas teammates can get the best preparation possible domestically before next year’s FIFA World Cup in France.
- Words: Val Migliaccio, Emma Kemp, Tom Smithies, Marco Monteverde and David Davutovic
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