Brisbane Roar welcomes forward Joe Knowles to the Club ahead of the 2022/23 Isuzu UTE A-League season.
Knowles arrives in Queensland following a successful season with NPL Victoria outfield Oakleigh Cannons, who lifted the Championship title after a 5-0 win over South Melbourne in the grand final.
Scoring 13 goals in the 2022 season, including an extra-time winner in the semi-final against Port Melbourne, the 26-year-old is excited to have another shot at topflight football in Australia.
“It’s great to be given the opportunity by Brisbane Roar to be able to go back into the A-League,” said the former Perth Glory player.
“It’s been a bit tough last few years with COVID lockdowns and not being able to play a complete season in Melbourne but I’m glad how it’s all worked out and I’m glad I’m up here.
“I just want to be able to show that I deserve to be at this level and this is my second chance now.
“I just want to pay it back to Warren [Moon] and the team and hopefully we can have a good season and go on to make the top six and get into finals,” he added.
Knowles returns to the highest-level professional men’s soccer league in Australia after being released by Perth Glory in 2018 where he made 15 appearances.
He then signed with Scottish side Largs Thistle FC for the 2018-19 season and made 14 appearances before returning home to Western Australia to play with local side ECU Joondalup.
Soon after he was picked up by the Oakleigh Cannons ahead of the 2020 season on a two-year deal.
Knowles made an instant impact on the Victorian team, scoring on his debut before the season was interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Perth-born player then made his mark on the NPL Victoria competition in the 2022 season and featured in three Australia Cup matches including as a substitute in the Cannons quarter-final win over A-League Men’s outfit Sydney FC.
He went on to be named joint winner of the 2022 Victoria Gold Medal with Kaine Sheppard (Heidelberg United) for being voted the league’s best player. Knowles also received the Players Player of the Year award.
Earlier this year, Knowles was also offered a trial by A-League Men’s Head Coach Warren Moon and scored against Premier League outfit Leeds United before taking to the field for the Aston Villa match in Townsville.
“That was a great experience and being able to train with the team was good but then to be able to play in those games against Premier League opposition was amazing,” he said.
“To score that goal was a dream come true.”
Moon said the hunger and desire Knowles showed to want to get back to A-League stood out to him.
“He made his own way up to Brisbane to trial then went back and played for Oakleigh. He showed his commitment there, which stood out to me how hungry and how determined he was to not only put himself in front of us to show what he could do but show his commitment to his club as well,” Moon said
“That showed great qualities to me.
“When he came in, he showed his quality and that he deserved to be at this level and he’s someone that’s going to be a valuable asset to our team this season.”
Knowles has chosen to wear jersey No.28.
Brisbane Roar kicks off their Isuzu UTE A-League season against Macathur FC on Saturday 8 October at Suncorp Stadium.
