by Ben Gilby (7/1/25)
Above: Ella Lincoln talking at today’s media conference. Image: Perth Glory.
It’s been a heck of a year for Ella Lincoln. From being the NPL WA’s top scorer and winning the State Cup with Perth SC to now making her professional debut in the A-League Women. She’s done it all.
Lincoln’s substitute appearance against Wellington Phoenix on Saturday came with an additional landmark – she became the thousandth different player to play in the W/A-League Women since it began.
Reflecting on the achievement, the striker said: “It has always been a dream of mine to make my debut for my hometown club, and it was also great to achieve a huge milestone of being the 1,000th A-League Women player – it’s pretty cool. I thought I was getting closer (to being selected), but I didn’t realise it would be the trip to New Zealand. I’m proud of myself that I did get selected.
Any Glory away trip is a long one, but the one to Wellington is extreme. Lincoln revealed that the homeward leg was even tougher than usual.
“It was definitely very long, and coming back we got delayed and there was a plane stuck on the tarmac, so it was a really long journey! There were a few positives to take, but we have to just live from here.”
Lincoln’s debut was the culmination of months of hard work after her superb form in the NPL with Perth SC earned her an A-League Women contract. It’s been quite a step up, and the attacker revealed just how hard it has been.
“It was quite challenging just transitioning from a couple of days a week in the NPL to a full-time professional environment. It takes a big toll on the body physically and mentally, but I’ve enjoyed every single minute of it, so I’m super grateful for it.”
Lincoln is one of a large number of stars from the NPL WA who have been given a chance with the Glory this season. It’s a source of real pride for the striker that she is alongside so many familiar faces from the local league, and the impact they are having this season is marked.
“Overall the girls and the coaching staff have been amazing, they’ve made it a great environment to be around. It’s pretty cool to see a lot of the local WA girls in the one team – a couple of weeks ago at HBF Park (against Central Coast Mariners), our midfield three consisted of Georgia (Cassidy), Tijan (McKenna), and Charli (Wainwright) that was our whole midfield three at Perth SC in the NPL, so that was great to see.”
Perth now have a big game on Friday night when they take on Sydney. The reigning champions haven’t made the start to the season that they would have liked, and the Glory are three points ahead of the Harbour City side. It’s a chance for the Western Australians to put real daylight between themselves and the bottom of the table.
Looking ahead to the challenge, Lincoln said: “I’m expecting a fast and transitional game. They have just come off a 1-1 draw with Melbourne City which I feel was a pretty close and intense game. Obviously, they are previous title champions, so we know what to expect and they have some individuals that we need to be aware of.
“We just have to dig deep. We have such a good squad with a lot of talent…we need to get the work done, and as long as we’re giving 100% we’ll definitely be able to grab three points off of anyone. The table is quite close, but anything’s possible…we’re all good players and we can do anything!
The game with Sydney will take place at the Glory’s new home of the Sam Kerr Football Centre – a venue where Lincoln played a prominent role for her NPL WA side in their State Cup Final win and Top Four Cup Final defeat in September 2024.
“I’ve had the privilege of being able to play at the Sam Kerr Football Centre during the NPL, and it’s such a great facility and we have great fans,” Lincoln said.
“When they get behind us, it’s amazing. I wasn’t part of the (Glory) squad for the last games there – but the energy, the vibes there is just insane.”
Lincoln is a player who thrives with a crowd giving her vocal support. If she gets on the pitch this weekend, don’t be surprised to see this potent finisher slot in home in style.
Follow Impetus on social media –
Twitter (X): @impetusfootball TikTok: @impetusfootball
Instagram: @impetusfootball
impetusfootball.org 