4/8/23
Above: Grace Maher in action for Canberra United. Photo: Canberra United.
Western United have today announced the major signing of Grace Maher from Canberra United – one of the competition’s most stylish players and best passers.
The 24-year-old will add to Western United’s list of talented young centre-backs, adding supreme ball-playing ability into their backline.
Maher has become a pass master in the Liberty A-League and one of the best long-range strikers of the ball in the competition. Last season, she ranked in the top 10 in key stats including key passes and progressive passes.
Ahead of a new challenge in the Liberty A-League, Maher said the chance to join a Grand Finalist and a team heading into its second season was one she jumped at.
“I’m extremely pleased to be joining Western United for the upcoming season. The players have spoken so highly of the Club and staff, so after speaking to Mark (Torcaso), I really felt this team will push me out of my comfort zone, making me a better player and person,” she said.
“It has been too long in my eyes since I won a Championship or Premiership, and I want nothing more than to play a part in bringing home the first piece of silverware for the women’s side.”
Western United Head Coach Mark Torcaso is enthused by Maher’s range of talents in multiple positions and expects her to have a major impact on the group.
“Grace’s signing is a huge one for us because we’re bringing in someone with proven quality and big experience in this competition while still having so much growth left to make,” he said.
“As far as distributors go in the Liberty A-League, Grace is up there in the top bracket. Her ability to play out of defence will be a huge asset for us and very exciting for our fans to watch.
“I can’t wait to see what she brings to our group and look forward to having her help us continue to grow our women’s program in season two.”
Maher made history in the then-named W-League in 2014, becoming the youngest player to sign for a team and play in the competition. To this day, her age of 15 years and 184 days on debut remains a Canberra United record.
She then went on to start in the Grand Final that year, featuring alongside established professionals and legends of the Australian game as Canberra claimed the Championship.
Maher continued to shine on the pitch, earning appearances for Australia at Under-17 and Under-20 level before lifting the Premier’s Plate with Melbourne Victory in 2019.
Having returned to Canberra after two seasons at Victory, Maher will now come back to Victoria and hope to reach new heights on the pitch in Green and Black.
Central Coast Mariners have added a further two players to their squad ahead of their A-League Women return in October.
First announced today was goalkeeper Sarah Langman. The 28-year-old joins the club after one season at Perth Glory, becoming the fourth player signed in Emily Husband’s team for the 2023/24 A-League Women’s season.
Starting her A-League career with hometown team Adelaide United back in the 2014/15 season, Langman made her professional debut for the club in 2016. She went on to play 38 games for Adelaide, being named in the PFA Team of the Season following the 2019/20 campaign.
The goalkeeper moved to Western Sydney where she spent two seasons, before signing with Perth Glory last year. Langman went on to play 11 games in her sole campaign in Western Australia, making 52 saves with a save percentage rate of 77.6%. She has spent the off-season with Mariners Assistant Coach Jake Stephenson at NSW NPL Women’s team Northern Tigers.
Central Coast Mariners Head Coach Emily Husband is thrilled to have been able to sign Langman, seeing her as an important member of the squad this season.
“It is great to have an experienced goalkeeper behind the back line when you are entering the league for the first time. Sarah brings so much experience with her having been around the league for a long time,” Husband said.
“I have seen how she commands the backline and is proactive as a goalkeeper, so she is a really good signing for us. I am excited to be able to work with her this season and help to push her on further in her career.”
Langman is thrilled to have put pen to paper with the club, eager to get the season underway with the Yellow and Navy. “I am very excited to be joining up with the Mariners for the upcoming season. Being a new team to the competition, I can’t wait to see what we can do as a group,” Langman said.
“I’ve played in the league for a number of seasons now, I bring experience at the back in goal. The Central Coast have an incredible fan base and an incredible stadium which I cannot wait to play at for the club. I am just really looking forward to getting started.”
Also announced by Central Coast Mariners today, was the arrival of young midfielder Isabel Gomez.
The 21-year-old midfielder joins the club from Wellington Phoenix, where she has spent the past two A-League seasons. Gomez began her career with Western Sydney Wanderers at the age of 18, having featured for the NSW Institute during her junior career.
She played five matches in her first campaign in the top flight of Australian football, before opting to join the newly established Wellington women’s team. She featured 14 times during the 2021/22 season with the Phoenix, starting on 13 occasions.
Gomez opted to re-sign for the New Zealand-based outfit for the 2022/23 season, playing five times. A serious knee injury unfortunately cut her season short, with the midfielder recently returning to action with Northern Tigers FC in the NPL NSW Women’s First Grade competition under the guidance of Mariners assistant coach Jake Stephenson.
Central Coast Mariners Head Coach Emily Husband is pleased to have secured the signing of Gomez for the upcoming season. “Isabel is a really creative player; it was one of the first things that I noticed about her when I saw her play in the A-League for the first time. Her technical ability is absolutely fantastic, she reads the play well and is a player who can do a job for us in multiple positions in the midfield,” Husband said.
“I’m super excited to get to work with her and help her develop because she is still only young. She has a long time to go yet in her career with a lot of potential, so it is great to have her on the Coast.”
Entering into her fourth season in the A-League Women’s competition, Gomez is thrilled to be joining the Mariners for the upcoming campaign. “I am very excited to be coming to a new club with new girls. I have had a few years of experience in the A-League competition, so I am ready for a big season with the Mariners,” Gomez said.
“I am a smart and technical player who loves to read the game from the midfield, so I am eager to bring that to the team. I have seen how the Central Coast support the men’s team, so I am really excited for them to get behind the girls as well.”
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