Impetus brings you up to date with all the player movements over the past 24 hours with Brisbane Roar, Melbourne Victory, and Sydney FC each announcing new players (25/8/23).
Above: Elise Kellond-Knight in action for Melbourne Victory at Perth Glory last season. Photo: Tom McCarthy.
Melbourne Victory have announced the key re-signing of midfielder Elise Kellond-Knight for the 2023/24 A-League Women season.
The 33-year-old heads into her second season with the club, making 12 appearances in her debut season before being sidelined by injury.
Kellond-Knight’s experience speaks for itself, making over 100 appearances for the Matildas and is heading towards 100 appearances in the A-League Women’s competition.
Melbourne Victory Director of Football, John Didulica said he was pleased to have someone of Kellond-Knight’s calibre back at the Club. “KK is an incredible professional and role model in the squad and we can’t wait to see more of her at Victory.
“Her contribution last season was more than just on the field. She provided leadership and experience to the squad and our coaching staff and has become an important member of the team. We can’t wait to see KK back fit and firing after her recovery from injury and know she will contribute significantly this season.”
Kellond-Knight was looking forward to the upcoming season. “Although it ended early with injury, I had a great first experience with this group at Melbourne Victory,” Kellond-Knight said.
“Jeff and the squad have developed a culture and mentality that demands the best from everyone in the squad and that is something I want to be a part of. The next goal for the team and myself is to bring the Championship home for the team and I’m hungry to achieve more with this group.”
Brisbane Roar
Brisbane Roar have announced the arrival of a further two key players as they step up their bid for a return to Finals football in 2023/24.
First to be unveiled today was former Melbourne City defender Chelsea Blissett. Blissett joined Melbourne City in 2018/19 and has been there ever since, making 44 appearances in her time with two goal assists.
She got her opportunity with City when Matildas star Steph Catley had an injury setback in pre-season. Only a couple of months later, Blissett donned the green and gold and helped the Young Matildas qualify for the AFC Under-19 Women’s Championship. She scored two goals in three victories, resulting in her landing a new contract at City.
The 23-year-old was also part of the Championship-winning side in the 2019/20 season but is now looking forward to calling Brisbane home and opening a new chapter in her football career. She is determined to play her part in pursuit of a top-four spot this season.
“I’m super excited to be coming to Brisbane, I’ve been living up here on-and-off the past three years. It’s nice to finally be able to call this place home and to be playing for Roar as well, I’m excited for this new chapter in my football career,” Blissett said.
“I’ve been at City for five years and I loved it there but sometimes as a footballer, you need to step outside of your comfort zone and challenge yourself. Coming to Roar and hopefully being able to build this team in the right direction and be a top-four team is something we’re aiming for this season,” she added.
Head Coach Garrath McPherson spoke about Blissett’s winning mindset and competitiveness which he believes will be a great asset to the team.
“Chelsea has the mindset of a winner and that has been a key factor in our recruitment strategy to build on the past two seasons. She is an extremely motivated person who is driven to be the best she can be, she’ll be a perfect fit for our locker room,” McPherson said.
“I really admire her competitiveness. She has always been a player who is fearless in any situation, and she will get the chance to inspire the Brisbane fans with this mentality,” he added.
The Roar followed up this announcement with the news that former Newcastle Jets striker Ash Brodigan has also signed for the Queensland club.
The 23-year-old joined the Newcastle Jets for the 2015/16 season and went on to play three seasons, before taking a break for three years for personal reasons. She returned in 2021 in fine form, scoring her first A-League Women goal in that season and then four in the last campaign.
She has made 46 A-League Women appearances in her time at Newcastle Jets, scoring five goals, and making three assists.
Brodigan is excited to begin a new chapter in her football career at the Roar and continue to push herself as she develops as a player.
“I’ve had a few years with the Newcastle Jets, I think this is a new chapter in my life to step outside my comfort zone and see what it brings. I’m looking to see some improvement within myself. I’m looking to do football full-time. I’m excited to see how I can improve on and off the pitch mentally and physically and improve my game when I’m just focusing on football.”
“We want to make finals. I don’t know many of the girls so I’m looking forward to seeing how we all click and hopefully, we can make top four, then top two, and then win it.
Head Coach Garrath McPherson believes a bright future lies ahead for Brodigan, as she goes into her fifth A-League campaign after scoring four goals last season.
“She has the unique combination of being both physically dominant and technically gifted and when isolated against defenders, she can create chaos,” he said. “Outside of her technical and physical characteristics, her drive to continue to grow as a footballer and desire to be better have stood out in our conversations.”
Melbourne Victory
Jeff Hopkins’ side have today announced a further two players for their 2023/24 squad in the shape of teenage prospects Ella O’Grady and Rosie Curtis.
Junior Matilda attacker O’Grady, 17, joins the Club from the FQ Academy QAS side having spent her junior career at Cardinia United and Berwick Churches in Melbourne, before moving to Queensland where she played for Wynnum Wolves FC and then Eastern Suburbs in Brisbane.
Her form in the QAS saw her selected for the CommBank Junior Matildas at the ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) U18 Women’s Championship in 2022 where she scored four goals, including an extra-time winner against Thailand in the semi-final.
Melbourne Victory Head Coach Jeff Hopkins said he was looking forward to seeing what O’Grady can produce at A-League Women’s level. “We’re incredibly pleased to have secured one of Australia’s most exciting prospects for the upcoming season.”
“Ella is young but has good foot skills, is technically strong, and has a football brain. She is also a focused and committed individual who is not scared of hard work and this is the kind of player we want to have as part of the Melbourne Victory squad.”
O’Grady said she was excited to be joining the Club and to play for Hopkins and the team. “I’m excited to be joining Melbourne Victory, meeting the team and getting the opportunity to work under Jeff and the coaching staff.
“It has been a dream to play in the A-League and to take my football career to the next level. I am looking forward to the challenge, the opportunity and to be part of Melbourne Victory.”
Meanwhile, 19-year-old midfielder Rosie Curtis has also signed on for another year at the club.
She returns for her second season with the senior A-League Women’s side, after making her debut in the 2022/23 season and graduating from the Club’s Elite Girls Program.
Curtis made her debut against Canberra United in March this year and came off the bench in the Club’s two crucial Finals matches against Melbourne City and Sydney FC last season.
Melbourne Victory Director of Football, John Didulica said: “We’re glad to have Rosie back with the squad for the upcoming campaign. Rosie was rewarded with her senior debut last season and we feel she will continue to develop at the Club under the guidance of Jeff and the senior players.
“All of our Elite Girls Program players in the senior squad are players we believe have a big future in the game and we are looking forward to how they continue to develop at the Club.”
Curtis was also looking forward to another season at Victory. “My first season with the senior squad was a great experience for me and I’m thrilled to be back for more.
“Working with Jeff and the team has been an incredible experience for me and the taste of senior football I had, especially in the Finals Series, was something I want to be a part of more and more.”
Sydney FC
A-League Women Champions and Premiers Sydney FC have added two Young Matildas to their squad for the next two seasons.
22-year-old defender and former Junior Matildas’ captain Tori Tumeth will link up with Ante Juric’s squad alongside 16-year-old midfielder Sienna Saveska, who was again called into the Young Matildas squad this week following the Asian Cup 2024 qualifying campaign.
The pair join with Sydney FC close to smashing their Women’s Membership target of 1,000 Memberships following the success of the FIFA Women’s World Cup; having already surpassed their previous best two months ahead of the season start.
Head Coach Ante Juric is delighted to have secured both players. “Tori and Sienna are excellent young players who have been on the club’s radar for a few years now. I’m glad they have accepted this opportunity to join us as I believe they both have big futures,” he said.
“Tori is someone I have coached before in my time as the Young Matildas coach. She impressed me immensely and she has continued to flourish as a cultured ball-playing defender.
“Sienna is someone that will excite and create chances for us going forward and in my opinion is a star in the making. Both have the potential to become Matildas in the years to come and we at Sydney FC will do all we can to help them reach those levels. It is something we pride ourselves on and have been successful with in recent times.”
Tumeth was a virtual ever-present for Melbourne City over her first two seasons and has fought back from an ACL knee injury over the past 12 months. She is anticipating a big season for the Sky Blues.
“Sydney FC’s recent success as well as the Matildas has really helped ignite Women’s football and it’s truly exciting to be a part of. I am excited for a new challenge joining Sydney FC. I’m extremely determined to help this group retain the Championship and Premiership.”
Saveska impressed in her Liberty A-League appearances for Western Sydney Wanderers last season and is expecting more time in the spotlight this campaign.
“It has been my childhood dream to play for this club and to be mentored by fantastic coaches like Ante and his coaching staff. I’m delighted to now call this amazing club my home.
“I’m excited to be joining a winning group of girls and for the challenge of defending the club’s silverware, as well as continuing the growth of women’s football in this country.”
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