The countdown is on! Only a few days remain until season nine of the Westfield W-League 2016/17 season kicks-off and excitement is hitting fever pitch among the Roar squad.
The Roar came within a whisker of a Grand Final appearance in January, going down to eventual Champions Melbourne City in a Semi-Final penalty shootout, becoming the only side to not be beaten by City in regular time.
The Roar Women open the Westfield W-League season this Saturday (November 5) against Sydney FC at Corporate Travel Management Stadium (4pm KO). Get your tickets at the gate on game day.
The squad will be looking to go one step further this season and have added a number of quality players.
Most notably, the Roar will enter the 2016-17 campaign with new Head Coach Mel Andreatta, whose extensive resume includes coaching NTC teams and being heavily involved in State team programs.
Despite the addition of a number of fresh faces, Andreatta says the standards still remain high amongst the Westfield W-League’s most successful club.
“Brisbane Roar has always been about aiming for the highest level and that doesn’t change, we are always aiming for finals football and winning whatever it is we are involved in,” she said.
“I think our strength is our playing group. It’s an experienced playing group with a good mixture of youth as well.
“The group are not only technically and individually good players who are tactically smart but they have a special spirit which some might say is unique to Queensland, it’s unique to Brisbane Roar.
Matildas Goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold joins the Roar from Perth Glory while Orlando Pride defender Maddy Evans, Danish international Nina-Frausing Pedersen (above second from left) will play their first Westfield W-League season in the Roar orange.
Youth remains a key element of the squad with 16-year-old Kaitlyn Torpey (above) set to make her Westfield W-League, while Cortnee Vine and Angela Beard were both involved in national teams during the off-season.
Attacker Emily Gielnik returns to Brisbane after plying her trade in Tokyo during the winter while Matilda Tameka Butt returns from Swedish outfit Mallbackens
Clare Polkinghorne (below left) will once again captain the squad in her ninth Westfield W-League season.
Attacking midfielder Katrina Gorry (below right) was one of four Roar players to represent their nation at the Rio Games in August and says that the Roar’s latest additions have fitted seamlessly into the incredible Roar culture.
“Everyone’s slotted in nicely,” Gorry said.
“We have an incredible culture in the team at the moment that I’ve kind of never been a part of so I think we are pretty lucky to have the girls we have.”
“I feel like we just got a lot more supporters now and always playing on a big stage makes it a better match.
The Women will once again take part in Hyundai A-League/Westfield W-League double headers at Suncorp Stadium on December 11 and January 7.
Roar’s Midfield maestro is excited about the opportunity to play at a venue that has become synonymous with Roar success.
“We absolutely love playing at Suncorp before the men! We get a pretty decent crowd especially towards the end of the game,” Gorry said.
The Women will play home matches at three venues across Brisbane this campaign with the opener to be played at Newmarket’s Corporate Travel Management Stadium, three matches at Kippa-Ring’s A.J. Kelly Field as well as two matches at Suncorp Stadium.
