By Emma Burke 7/2/24
Above: Kaitlyn Torpey (foreground) with Melbourne City’s Hannah Wilkinson. Image: Melbourne City.
Six months ago, Kaitlyn Torpey spent her off-season in the National Premier League in Victoria playing for the Preston Lions.
Yesterday, it was announced that she would be joining the San Diego Wave on a two year deal, making the move from top of the A-League Women table Melbourne City for an outgoing transfer fee, rumoured to be around $75,000, that broke Australian records in women’s football. There she’ll play alongside the likes of fellow Matilda Emily van Egmond, and United States Superstars such as defender Naomi Girma and forward Alex Morgan.
Today, she’s a part of the Matildas squad, for the first time, that’s going to be taking on Uzbekistan in their final round of Olympic Qualification for the Paris Olympics later this year.
But who is Kaitlyn Torpey?
Originally from Queensland and only 23 years old, Torpey spent the first five years of her professional career playing as a defender for Brisbane Roar. She racked up 43 appearances and scored one goal.
In September 2021, Torpey made the move down the coast to Melbourne City where she made 43 appearances and scored eight goals.
Torpey’s defensive style has an aggressive flair to it, she’s never one to shy away from a challenge and she can often be found charging into an attack, as well as working as a playmaker from out wide.
She has frequently been utilised as a wing-back under her former head coach Dario Vidosic during her time with Melbourne City.
Her stint with Preston in the NPLW Victoria demonstrated that she also has the ability to be clinical in front of goal, scoring nine goals in nine games.
Off the pitch, Torpey does videography and photography where she has collaborated with Melbourne City, The Professional Footballers Australia, and more, producing interviews with her teammates and for the PFA.
It was revealed in the presser announcing the Matildas Qualifying squad that Torpey has been in head coach Tony Gustavsson’s sights for quite some time now.
“We’ve kept an eye on her for a long time, her improvement of performances over the last year, especially after her last injury has been phenomenal,” said Gustavsson.
“We’re intrigued by her performances,” he continued.
Now all that’s left for Torpey is to carry on her missile-like trajectory from club to country.
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