22/6/23
Above: Local young stars Georgia Cassidy (third right) and Grace Johnston (far right), pictured here with Hyundai NTC in the NPLW WA this season, have been unveiled by Perth Glory as new A-League Women singing this week. Photo: Football West.
Perth Glory have unveiled three new signings this week with two of Western Australia’s brightest young talent announced along with the return of an experienced A-League Women midfielder.
The first local star announced was exciting young prospect Grace Johnston. Comfortable operating anywhere across midfield, the 18-year-old is currently enjoying a stellar NPLW WA campaign for the Hyundai NTC where she is a member of the leadership group.
She spent much of last season training with Glory’s Liberty A-League squad and is now relishing the opportunity to take the next step in her fledgling career.
“Growing up in WA, it’s a huge honour to sign for my local club,” she said. “It’s a big achievement for myself to sign a contract with a club that I have grown up supporting.
“It’s been my dream for many years to sign a professional contract and I am extremely grateful to [Head Coach] Alex [Epakis] for giving me this opportunity.
“I can’t wait to get started and believe that by entering such a professional and hardworking environment, I will improve both on and off the field through this experience.”
Epakis, meanwhile, has high hopes for the talented teenager. “I am excited to have Grace be part of the team next season,” he said.
“She has been a player I have been monitoring for a number of months and is someone who has the capacity to continue to develop further across the upcoming ALW season.
“She is versatile enough to play in a number of positions and has a great understanding of the game.
“I am really focused on working closely with her to further evolve and develop her as a football player and I have no doubt she has the ability to be part of our Perth Glory team for a number of seasons.”
Joining Johnston at the Glory next season will be her Hyundai NTC team-mate Georgia Cassidy, who has also represented the Junior Matildas.
The 18-year-old Perth local is no stranger to the Glory set-up having received a Football West-funded scholarship to train with the club last year while continuing to put in impressive displays for the NTC in the NPLW WA competition.
Cassidy, who was a member of the Junior Matildas squad which claimed the AFF U18 Women’s Championship last year, is now looking forward to launching her A-League career in the famous purple.
“I’m super-excited to sign for my local club, especially having grown up watching Glory as a young girl,” she said.
“It’s a huge achievement for me to finally get the opportunity to explore a professional environment and learn new things on and off the pitch.
Epakis, meanwhile, is confident that Cassidy is primed to make the step up to A-League level.
“Georgia is another signing I am very excited about,” he said. “She has been involved in short training blocks with our squad for the past few seasons and has shown that she has a fantastic technical and tactical aspect to her overall game.
“Georgia is very comfortable in possession and has a great passing range and these are key aspects to the way we want to play. Her potential growth as a football player is very clear and excites me a lot. Her recent national team activities with the Junior Matildas indicate that she is making great strides so far.
“My job will be to help her further develop and progress so that she can be a longstanding Perth Glory player and also continue her progress in the junior national team set-up.”
Also announced this week was the arrival of experienced midfielder Isobel Dalton for the next two seasons.
Now 25, Dalton is a former Australia Under-17 representative who has spent the last three years in Europe playing for Italian side Napoli and most recently, English FA Women’s Championship outfit, Lewes.
Born in the UK but raised in Queensland, she is also no stranger to the Liberty A-League having made 25 appearances for Brisbane Roar and claimed the club’s Player of the Season Award in 2021.
The midfielder spoke of the anticipation within her for the move to Western Australia: “I’m excited to be returning to Australia and the A-League for the next two years. I felt I was at a point in my career where an opportunity to be back in the country and closer to family was something I was looking for.
“I knew immediately after speaking with [Head Coach] Alex [Epakis] that Perth was the club I wanted to pursue that at and I’m grateful for the trust that has already been shown in bringing me to the club.
“Glory has shown they’re capable of competing at the top, so I’m hoping to play my part in helping the club achieve their goals, as well as continuing my personal development.”
Epakis, meanwhile, believes that the University of Colorado graduate will significantly bolster his midfield options in the upcoming campaign.
“Having Izzy join us for the next two seasons is fantastic,” he said. “She has a strong track record of experience across the ALW, youth national teams, and most recently in Italy and the UK.
“Her professionalism and approach is first class, her best football is in front of her and she is going to make a huge impact on the team.
“Each conversation I have had with her across recent months has left me with a very clear picture; she is coming to Perth to represent the club as best as she can, improve our team, and help us progress as a team.”
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