Brisbane Roar are set to open their 2024/25 Ninja A-League Women campaign with a clash against Canberra United on the road at McKellar Park on Saturday, 2 November.
Round 1 will see Roar’s new-look side in action after a busy off-season saw Head Coach, Alex Smith welcome ten new faces into the squad.
Leia Varley, Emily Pringle, Momo Hayashi, Isabela Hoyos, Zara Kruger, Laini Freier, Danelle Tan, Evdokia Popadinova, Tanaye Morris and Olivia Sekany have all arrived in Brisbane ahead of the 24/25 season.
Matildas star midfielder Tameka Yallop has been handed the captain’s armband to lead the team for her thirteenth season in orange and is set to make her 150th appearance for her hometown club, Brisbane Roar.
WHAT WAS SAID
Head Coach, Alex Smith is clear on how he would like his squad to kick off the season and believes a productive pre-season has prepared them to return to Brisbane with three points.
“It’s pretty simple from me. We want to control the game, we want to control the ball, we want to be threatening in behind when we get into the final third and when we don’t have the ball, we want to be trying to get it back as quickly as possible,” Smith said.
“I want to make it clear the expectation from me is that we do go win and that is something that we’re trying to put on the girls this year because I don’t think in the last few years it’d been that important as it should be, because that’s what we’re here to do, we’re here to win.”
Central defender Leia Varley joined the club from Melbourne City and is excited to play her first game in Roar colours in the capital this Saturday.
“I think everyone’s just cracking to get started,” Varley said.
“It’s felt like a quick pre-season. We’ve had a couple hit outs against some teams that we’ve started to gel quite easily. We’re really looking forward to getting that first hit out and then get the wheels rolling for the rest of the season.”
“I think our intensity is going to be one thing, we’ll be able to run the full length of the game. I think every third of the pitch is going to be good for us. Even our keepers have had a fantastic preseason and absolutely looking amazing.”
LAST TIME WE MET
Brisbane Roar last faced Canberra United in the final round of the 2023/24 season that ended in a 2-1 defeat at Perry Park after goals from Michelle Heyman and Vesna Milivojević sealed the result despite Jenna McCormick scoring for Brisbane first.
HEAD-TO-HEAD
Games: 21
Brisbane wins: 8
Canberra wins: 9
Draw: 4
TEAM NEWS
There are seven Ninja A-League Women players in the mix to make their league debuts for Brisbane in Saturday’s opener in Canberra.
New recruits Leia Varley, Momo Hayashi, Danelle Tan, Evdokia Popadinova, Emily Pringle, Isabela Hoyos and Olivia Sekany have all been named in Roar’s 18-player squad for Round 1.
Chelsea Blissett is set to play her 50th A-League match in Saturday’s clash which will also mark her first return to the pitch after overcoming an ACL injury she acquired in Round 5 of the 2023/24 season.
Grace Kuilamu is also in line to make her first appearance since sustaining a season-ending ACL injury last season.
Kijah Stephenson will miss the season opener after sustaining an ACL injury in her NPL QLD season with Olympic FC.
Laini Freier will also remain sidelined after injuring her leg in her NPL QLD Grand Final win for Brisbane City.
Brisbane Roar Round 1 Ninja A-League Squad:
1. Keeley RICHARDS, 2. Leia VARLEY, 3. Deborah-Anne DE LA HARPE 6. Holly MCQUEEN, 7. Momo HAYASHI, 8. Mariel HECHER, 9. Danelle TAN, 10. Grace KUILAMU, 11. Sharn FREIER, 12. Tamar LEVIN, 13. Tameka YALLOP, 14. Zara KRUGER, 16. Chelsea BLISSETT, 17. Evdokia POPADINOVA, 18. Emily PRINGLE, 23. Isabela HOYOS, 32. Alicia WOODS, 33. Olivia SEKANY
INS: N/A
OUTS: N/A
UNAVAILBLE: 4. Kijah STEPHENSON (ACL), 19. Laini FREIER (leg injury)
MATCH DETAILS
Ninja A-League Women Round 1
Canberra United FC v Brisbane Roar FC
McKellar Park, Canberra
Saturday 2 November 2024, 3:00pm AEST KO
