Brisbane Roar has locked in one of it’s brightest academy talents with 17-year-old defender Lucas Herrington signing a three-year scholarship contract ahead of the 2024/25 Isuzu UTE A-League season.
The towering, ball playing central defender performed a key role in the heart of defence for Young Roar in the NPL this season, impressing with his defensive presence, game awareness and ability to break lines.
Herrington made his first team debut on Roar’s India tour, playing in the heart of defence in a side that kept a clean sheet in a 2-0 win over Sporting Clube De Goa.
The defender has represented Australia at youth level, starting three games for Brad Maloney’s side as they finished third at the ASEAN U19 Boys’ Championship in Indonesia last month.
Herrington joins Thomas Waddingham and Quinn MacNicol as the third member of the current squad to earn a scholarship contract after impressing for Young Roar.
The Taringa Rovers, Toowong FC and Brisbane City junior has been at Roar for five seasons and earns a scholarship contract after joining the club’s U13 side in 2020.
“It means everything – to my family and it means a lot to me,” Herrington said.
“Every footballer as a kid, they dream of this, so to happen at the Roar is just extra special and I’m just really grateful to everyone who made it happen.
“To make my A-League debut for Roar, that’d be the best day of my life, I’ve been dreaming of that for ages, so for that to happen this season would be awesome.
“We’ve worked really hard in pre-season so as a team we’re hoping to get back into finals, where we belong.”
Brisbane Roar Head Coach, Ruben Zadkovich said the sky was the limit for the club’s newest scholar.
“Lucas is such an exciting talent, his demeanour and his calmness, he’s very intelligent, very articulate and comes from a lovely family,” Zadkovich said.
“His awareness and ability to see things probably beyond his years, he’s got such a high ceiling.
“When you have a player that has that much talent but also a great attitude and such a humble demeanour it’s just a real good recipe for someone like myself to then try and shape him and develop him as a person and player.”
Herrington has been handed the number 12 jersey for Roar ahead of the 2024/25 Isuzu UTE A-League season which kicks off against Auckland on Saturday, October 19.
