Brisbane Roar Head Coach Belinda Wilson has a welcome selection headache ahead of this weekend’s Westfield W-League match against Adelaide United with all but one of her 20 squad members available to play.
Brisbane Roar Head Coach Belinda Wilson has a welcome selection headache ahead of this weekend-s Westfield W-League match against Adelaide United with all but one of her 20 squad members available to play.
Hannah Beard, Laura Alleway and Tameka Butt all shrugged off the injury doubts, each completing a fitness test last night, while in huge news for the two-time competition champions, Elise Kellond-Knight will play her first competitive football match in over 12 months.
Kellond-Knight ruptured her anterior cruciate ligament last November while playing for Swedish team Fortuna Hjorring in the Australian off-season and will mark first anniversary of her injury with a return to first team football with the Roar.
“The three girls passed and for the first time this season, I have 19 of the 20 players available for selection which I-m really happy about,” Head Coach Wilson said.
“The only player out is Pricey [Rebecca Price], who has got a niggling knee injury but we got on top of that this week and we should see her back in the next couple of weeks.
“I-m excited to have KK [Elise Kellond-Knight] back, I know what a special player she is having seen her play at the past two World Cups.”
While Kellond-Knight hasn-t played a game under the new Brisbane Roar coach, who has been in charge for just two months, Wilson knew what an impact the 22-year-old could have.
“For her to be fit and allowed to play is a boost for her and a boost for the team,” she said.
“She-s excited to be back in Roar colours kicking a ball and hopefully she-ll be able to score a goal, depending on where I play her.
“We-ve got to be mindful that it-s her first game in 12 months and we don-t want her playing a full game and then having to miss out because of soft tissue issues.
“We-ll be careful about when she comes into the game and how long she plays and continue to assess her as the game goes on.”
After the disappointment of last weekend-s 3-1 loss to Sydney FC – the team-s first defeat this season – Wilson said preparations this weekend had focused on the positives.
“Training has gone really well this week,” she said.
“The girls are buzzing, they-ve moved on from the disappointment of last weekend and we-re concentrating on getting a positive result tomorrow.
“We haven-t worried about any of the negative of last week, it-s been all about what we did well and continued to improve with that.”
Adelaide United v Brisbane Roar
Saturday 10 November 2012
Hindmarsh Stadium, Adelaide
Local kick-off: 1.30pm
Referee: Rebecca Durcau
Catch the Action live streaming online from 2.00pm AEDT (1pm Brisbane time) at www.abc.net.au/w-league and nationally on ABC1 from 5pm
Adelaide United squad: 1. Kristi HARVEY (gk), 2. Ruth WALLACE, 3. Alex NATOLI, 5. Abby ERCEG (c), 6. Cassandra TSOUMBRIS, 7. Racheal QUIGLEY, 8. Sarah McLAUGHLIN, 9. Marijana RACJIC, 11. Grace HENRY, 12. Elise WHORLOW, 13. Ann MAYO, 14. Lorena MAGGIO, 15. Emma CHECKER, 18. Georgia MACRI, 19. Holly PATTERSON, 20. Kelly BARLTROP (gk) (*one to be omitted)
Ins: Sarah McLAUGHLIN (returns from injury), Marijana RACJIC (returns from absence)
Outs: Jenna McCORMACK, Laura JOHNS, Jessie WHAREPOURI (all omitted)
Unavailable: 16. Jess WATERHOUSE (Australia U-16)
Brisbane Roar squad: 1. Hoshimi KISHI (gk), 2. Laura ALLEWAY, 3. Amy CHAPMAN, 4. Clare POLKINGHORNE, 5. Brooke SPENCE, 6. Ashley SPINA, 7. Erika ELZE, 8. Elise KELLOND-KNIGHT, 9. Emma PITTMAN, 10. Lana HARCH, 11. Vedrana POPOVIC, 13. Tameka BUTT, 14. Georgia CHAPMAN, 15. Hannah BEARD, 16. Sachiko TATSUOKA, 17. Emily GIELNIK, 18. Kate STEWART (gk), 19. Katrina GORRY, 20. Joanne BUCKLEY (gk) (*four to be omitted)
Ins: Elise KELLOND-KINGHT (returns from injury), Tameka BUTT (returns from injury), Hannah BEARD, Joanne BUCKLEY (both promoted)
Outs: None
Unavailable: Rebecca PRICE (knee – 1 week)
