By Kieran Yap (kieran84@live.com.au) 12/9/23
Above: Kurea Okino at training with Melbourne Victory. Photo: Melbourne Victory
It took less than an hour for Kurea Okino to announce herself in the Victorian NPLW. Boroondara-Carey were two goals down to Bulleen until the Japanese striker took centre stage.
Okino attacked a low cross from the right flank to give her new team a lifeline, then in the 89th minute, she controlled a high pass and finished between two defenders.
That was week one.
20 games later, she had scored 31 goals, was the runaway golden boot winner and had literally won too many awards to carry at the NPLW Gold Medal night.
Okino finished the season as top scorer by more than doubling the tally of second placed Danielle Wise. To go along with that, she won the Gold Medal voting, the media award and the players award.
It was unanimous. In her first season, in a new country, Kurea Okino was the best player in the competition.
The newly promoted Boroondara-Carey Eagles were a joy to watch in 2023. They finished second place on the table, and scored 61 goals and winning 12 games. The team was blessed with attacking talent, Emily Sutcliffe, Rebecca Lim, and Margot Robbine all scored goal of the season contenders, and they played a confident, high tempo, risky yet rewarding attacking style of football.
Boroondara’s recruitment was as bold as their game plan, and Okino is the prime example.
The Eagles signed the forward based on video footage alone. According to Okino, they were they only club in Australia to make an offer, and with the same fearlessness that she attacks a cross, she headed to a new country to pursue her dreams.
“I love Australia,” she told Impetus Football in an interview in which this writer was heavily assisted by Google Translate. “It’s not busy, and the coffee is very good.
“I don’t know (if any other clubs were interested), Boroondara saw my video and hired me.”
Okino was welcomed into the club and developed a quick bond with her teammates and board member in charge of the Women’s game Graham Smith.
She was able to adjust to life in a new country and a new style of football instantly, through the help of the club, and Smith’s household pup Zoe.
Her dominant form hid the fact that she had to learn a new league and football culture.
“It’s almost like saying it’s completely different,” she says of the Australian NPLW compared to Japanese football. However, she was suited to the new league and Boroondara knew exactly how to get the best out of their star striker.
“I made the most of my style of play without changing anything.
“This has been my best season.
“I was able to fit in well thanks to my teammates…It’s the beauty of teamwork.”
Midway through the season, Boroondara signed attacking reinforcements. With the league’s best defenders still struggling to find a way to contain this new striker, they added Margot Robbine. The former Canberra United and Melbourne City attacker rejoined the club in Round Nine for a 5-4 win against Heidelberg United.
The duo struck up an instant partnership, and Robbine won the only individual award that Okino missed out on.
“It’s a good relationship,” she says of her combination with Robbine.
“Margot’s wide field of vision (was the key to their success).
“She’s a very good partner who was watching me closely.”
Robbine’s long-range rocket was a worthy winner, although Okino scored many contenders herself.
“I wanted it too,” she says of the Goal of the Year award.
“But I’m happy that Margot scored the best goal of the year.”
Okino is a fast, powerful but quick footed forward, equally dangerous off either boot and capable of shooting from almost any distance. She admired Alex Morgan growing up, and some of her best highlights resemble that of the World Cup winning American.
She scored headers, tap ins and volleys throughout the season, but says her favourite way to score is through a long range strike.
She finds pockets of space in crowded defences, and can turn defenders with her back to goal, or race in to finish moves. Many of her 31 goals have come from impossible looking scenarios. She made a mockery of the XG stats this season, outperforming her expected goals to a scarcely believable level.
Simply put, Okino was spectacular, entertaining and unstoppable.
“I came to Australia to go to the A-League,” she says of her ambitions when leaving home, and her performances with Boroondara made her impossible for A-League Women clubs to ignore.
Following the departures of club heroes Melina Ayres and Catherine Zimmerman, Melbourne Victory needed a reliable, versatile forward to lead the attack.
The announcement that Victory had signed Okino was met with celebration by a fan base who regularly attend NPLW games. Although scoring 30 goals in the A-League will be more difficult than at the state level, Okino is capable of lighting up the competition and contributing to a team that regularly finishes in the top four.
After dominating the NPLW, Kurea Okino is ready for the A-League Women and is just as excited as the fans are. She has a cheerful, outgoing and energetic personality. Along with her performances that has helped her the language barrier.
“I don’t speak much English, I can’t,” she says about herself.
“But I’m always smiling.
“I would be happy if you could feel free to talk to me.”
“As a Melbourne Victory striker I will do my best for the team to score goals.”
Read more of our coverage of Kurea Okino’s season as it happened here .
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