by Ben Gilby (14/10/26)
Above: Perth Glory captain Izzy Dalton speaks to the media yesterday. Image: Perth Glory.
Perth Glory captain Izzy Dalton believes that a strengthened forward line, and the return from injury of several of the club’s creative midfield talent can push the team towards Finals football this season.
Speaking at the club’s season launch/30th anniversary event at the WA Museum Boola Bardip, the Yorkshire-born midfielder highlighted the real positives she sees within the squad ahead of Saturday’s trip to Cessnock against Newcastle Jets.
“We’ve retained the majority of our squad from last year, and I think that carries with it a lot of weight. You can see in our pre-season that the togetherness is huge and I don’t think we had that last year. Hopefully with this team and with the new recruits, that we got in, Finals football is our focus.”
Last season, one of the key reasons for the Glory missing out on a place in the top six, was a lack of goals, but with the arrival of a Football Fern from the NPLW Victoria with a sackful of them, Dalton believes that the situation is well taken care of.
“We got Maggie Jenkins, a New Zealand centre forward, and she has looked phenomenal…we’ve obviously been lacking in a consistent goalscorer, and I think she’ll definitely add that for us.”
It’s not just up top where the Glory captain believes things are stronger.
“At the back, we’ve got Ella Buchanan, who has come across from (Western Sydney) Wanderers, and she is another solid player. Baxter Thew, same thing. She was with us a couple of years ago as a train on, but I think the State game on the weekend showed exactly the type of player she is, and she is going to be solid.”
The words ‘Baxter Thew’ and ‘solid’ have gone together for a very long time. Thew had been a stand out player in the NPLW WA for many seasons, but had to wait for Central Coast Mariners’ offer in 2025 to get a first chance to play A-League Women football. The defender is back in her home city and will provide major ballast for the Glory backline.
Dalton missed a large chunk of last season with injury, along with another key member of the Western Australian side’s midfield, Junior Matilda Georgia Cassidy. With the pair now ready to pull on the purple and orange again, the Barnsley-born captain is excited.
“Our midfield has immense talent and I think we can do some amazing things together, but it’s obviously about staying fit at the same time. We obviously lacked that quite a bit (last season).
“It’s not been the speediest recovery. I had to have surgery at the end of last season…but I am back on the pitch and in training now, which is good, and it’s just about building up some fitness and getting ready to play.”
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