Four clubs announced new arrivals on Wednesday ahead of the new A-League Women season. Impetus has all the details (13/9/23).
Above: New Brisbane Roar goalkeeper Jordan Silkowitz. Photo: Iowa State University Athletics.
Brisbane Roar
Brisbane Roar today welcomed shot-stopper Jordan Silkowitz from the United States ahead of the 2023/24 Liberty A-League season.
Silkowitz made history earlier this year, when she was the first ever player, and goalkeeper, to be drafted into the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) out of Iowa State University by Kansas City Current.
For the Iowa State Cyclones, she started in all 43 games she was available for over three years and finished with 324 saves which is the fifth all-time for the school. Now ready for a new challenge, Silkowitz has made the trip to Brisbane for an exciting season with the Roar.
“I’m super excited for the opportunity. The World Cup created so much buzz around soccer in Australia. It’s so cool to see the investment in women’s sport after that and just the support from everyone in the country and around the world too,” Silkowitz said.
“I’m excited to get to Australia and see a different culture and play the game I love,” she added. “Just with talking to Garrath and the club, I’m super excited to be in a new environment and I’m excited to be a part of the goals that the club has. I can’t wait to get out there and meet the team and crush those goals.”
Head Coach Garrath McPherson looks forward to seeing Silkowitz in action for Brisbane Roar after upholding an outstanding reputation at Kansas City.
“Jordan is a young goalkeeper with unlimited potential. The current coaching staff at Kansas City speak incredibly highly of her qualities as a professional athlete,” McPherson said.
She is coming from another world-class competition and is hungry for games. In the conversations we’ve had, her enthusiasm, positivity, and desire to improve shone through,” he added.
Melbourne Victory
Melbourne Victory announced on Wednesday the signing of American defender Tori Hansen for the 2023/24 A-League Women season.
The 22-year-old joins the Club on loan from American NWSL side Orlando Pride, after joining the Pride as the 25th pick in the 2023 NWSL Draft.
Hansen has represented her country at youth international level and played four seasons at the University of North Carolina where she made 65 appearances over four seasons in college.
Melbourne Victory Head Coach, Jeff Hopkins said Hansen will look to add more defensive competition to the squad’s roster for the upcoming season.
“We’re thrilled to welcome Tori to the team,” Hopkins said. “She is a young, up-and-coming defender who has been impressive at college level and we believe she will be a great fit to our strong defensive group.
“We’ve built an exciting, dynamic squad for the upcoming campaign that we believe will challenge for the title once again this season and we’re excited to see what Tori and the team can produce this season.”
Hansen was also looking forward to her first experience of the A-League Women’s competition. “I’m delighted to be joining Melbourne Victory and can’t wait for the challenge ahead,” Hansen said.
“The A-League is a competition that has continued to grow in its stature globally and the opportunity to test myself at this level is exciting. The goal now is to give everything I can for Jeff and the team this season and achieve the ultimate success with this group.”
Wellington Phoenix
The New Zealanders have secured champion midfielder Annalie Longo as their final outfield signing for the 2023-24 A-League Women season.
The 131-cap Football Fern has penned a one-year deal with the Nix, 12 months on from suffering a serious knee injury which forced her to miss the entirety of the 2022-23 season.
Longo, 32, fought back to make the final 23-strong New Zealand squad for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup and featured in two of the Ferns’ group matches. She can’t wait to realise a childhood dream with the Phoenix.
“As a little girl growing up I always wanted to play professional football in New Zealand,” Longo said.
“To have signed last year and then unfortunately the circumstances with the knee meant I couldn’t be part of the squad, there was that little piece of unfinished business in terms of being able to play for the Phoenix.
“I was a mad supporter last season. I was almost at every game doing the commentating or supporting the team and now to finally be signed, to be here and be part of the group is special.”
The former Sydney FC and Melbourne Victory player is a proven winner. She has won seven national league titles, including six in eight years with the Canterbury United Pride, and has been part of two championship-winning sides in Australia.
“I want to be part of a team that’s successful. I’ve managed to do that with two teams in the A-League previously so I want to bring that experience to this group and really strive for a finals finish.
“In the last two years, the team has done well, but it’s been a struggle in terms of picking up results. As a group we all want to strive to win games, to be exciting to watch, be creative when we have the ball and score goals. That’s the way I want to play.”
Western Sydney Wanderers
Western Sydney Wanderers today confirmed the loan signing of goalkeeper Kaylie Collins from National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) side Orlando Pride for the upcoming A-League Women season.
Collins has been in the top flight of the United States competition since 2021 and will be looking to secure more match minutes in Western Sydney.
Prior to the NWSL, Collins had a prolific college career at USC Trojans where she won the NCAA Division I Women’s Soccer Championship and Pac-12 Conference Goalkeeper of the Year.
Head coach Kat Smith welcomed Kaylie to the club. “With our established technical attributes and personality profile, Kaylie is a great fit,” said Smith.
“We are happy to add more quality to our goalkeeper stocks; competition breeds excellence.
“Having achieved success throughout her career, we know that Kaylie will further add to the winning mentality we are building in our squad.”
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