Brisbane Roar have rewarded seven of Queensland’s most exciting young talents with Youth Development Agreement (YDA) contracts ahead of the 2024/25 Isuzu UTE A-League season.
Ivan Ozzi, James Durrington, Ty Cobb, Lennard Atterwell and George Plusnin all sign YDA contracts after impressing for Young Roar in the NPL this season.
Sam Klein returns to Roar after a strong campaign with NPL Premiers, Gold Coast Knights while goalkeeper, Alex Nassiep joins the club from Western United.
Ozzi (20) and Durrington (18) were two of Roar’s most potent attacking weapons in the NPL this season, netting eight and four goals respectively. Both players made their first team debuts on the Roar’s recent tour of India.
Winger, Ty Cobb (19),vis another to earn a deal after playing a key role in the final third for Young Roar while Lennard Atterwell (18) who can operate as a winger or fullback and was part the Papua New Guinea squad for the 2024 OFC Nations Cup signs on after joining the club midway through the NPL season and impressing in the latter stages of the campaign.
Goalkeeper, George Plusnin puts pen to paper on a deal after some strong showings between the sticks in the NPL at senior level aged just 16.
Sam Klein (20) returns to the club where he made his A-League debut in January 2022. The midfielder then headed to Scandinavia for a year before coming back to Queensland at Gold Coast Knights where he scored four league goals and earned selection in the Queensland State Side that faced Roar at Underwood Park earlier this month.
Alex Nassiep (18) is a Queenslander, who has represented Australia at U17 level that played his junior football at Caloundra FC and is a former Roar academy product. He joins Roar after plying his trade in Western United’s NPL set up.
Roar’s seven YDA players join the likes of Thomas Waddingham, Quinn MacNicol and Lucas Herrington in the contingent of exciting young Queenslanders in Ruben Zadkovich’s squad.
Roar kick off their 2024/25 Isuzu UTE A-League campaign against Auckland FC at Go Media Stadium on Saturday, October 19.