Brisbane Roar can confirm Jez Lofthouse and Louis Zabala have been signed for the 2023/24 Isuzu UTE A-League season.
Lofthouse first signed with Brisbane in 2021 but found himself in the starting line-up more regularly at the back end of the 2022/23 season, scoring his first professional goal against Macarthur in March.
Former Australian Schoolboys representative Zabala made his top-flight debut in January of 2022.
Lofthouse feels as though his journey has just begun in the Isuzu UTE A-League and is looking forward to continuing to develop as a professional footballer.
“I feel like I’ve only just gotten started in the last couple of seasons, just kind of been growing into it so another season at the club will be very good and I think it’s a year that I’m looking to break out,” Lofthouse said.
“I feel comfortable at this level now, so it’ll be a year where I am going to try and cement myself as an A-League player,” he added.
After getting more minutes and experience in former Interim Head Coach Nick Green’s starting squad, Lofthouse is looking to maintain that form.
“Everyone’s goal is to start every week and be in the team as much as they can, so to get the opportunity to show what I could do towards the end of last season was really beneficial for me,” he said.
“I’m hoping to bring that same form and hopefully start the season well this year,” he added.
“I’d like to cement myself in the starting team and just play as much as possible, and I’d like to contribute to a few more goals and grab some more assists this year.”
Louis Zabala is looking forward to getting more minutes under his belt in the upcoming season to gain more experience and continue growing as an Isuzu UTE A-League player.
“I’m super excited, and super happy to have re-signed. I can’t wait for the coming season, hopefully it’s going to be good,” Zabala said.
“The season just gone probably wasn’t the best season for me personally, I would’ve liked to have played a bit more, but I think hopefully in this season coming up I can get more minutes and more game time, and hopefully continue to develop as a player and help the team get back to where we want to be,” he added.
He hopes to contribute to turning things around for the Roar and get back to winning ways.
“I want to work really hard throughout the off season so when we come back in for pre-season, I can make a good first impression with the new boss,” he said.
“I just want to play as many minutes as possible and help the team as much as I can to get back to winning ways.”
