Brisbane Roar has added a host of NPL Women’s talent to its Westfield W-League squad for the upcoming 2020/21 season.
Returning from the 2019/20 campaign include young guns Winonah Heatley, Anna Margraf and Jamilla Rankin while three of the NPL Queensland Women’s finest in Mariel Hecher, Billie Murphy and Sharn Freir all sign their first deals with Brisbane Roar.
Lions FC striker Hecher is in the box seat to take out the NPL Women’s Golden Boot with a second- straight 20-plus goal season following an impressive debut season in Australia for the Brazilian in 2019.
She will be joined for a maiden season at Brisbane Roar by former Everton and Leeds player Billie Murphy.
The former England U19 international joins following an impressive third NPL Women’s season – her first with Capalaba FC.
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Lions FC young gun Winonah Heatley and 17-year-old Jamilla Rankin are set for another stint in Brisbane orange after making their Westfield W-League debuts in the latter stages of last campaign. Rankin has spent the majority of the 2020 campaign with the FNSW Institute in the NPL NSW Women’s.
The pair will join Anna Margraf in returning for another Westfied W-League season in orange. Margraf, who captained the 2018 NPL Women’s Championship winning BRFC/NTC squad, has nine Westfield W-League appearances under her belt after debuting early in the 2018/19 campaign.
An impressive NPL Women’s campaign for The Gap FC product Sharn Freier has also earned the young attacker a call-up from Roar boss Jake Goodship.
“This is so much talent in the NPL Women’s and we’re pleased to have plenty of players who have earned these opportunities to represent Brisbane Roar in the [Westfield] W-League,” Goodship told brisbaneroar.com.au
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“Players like Billie and Mariel, who have been absolute stars in the NPL Women’s, bring incredible experience and knowledge to this squad and I’m sure will create nightmares for opposition teams this season.
“It’s also great to offer a new opportunity to a player like Sharn who has came through the ranks and really impressed for The Gap FC.
“Our fans will be familiar with Anna, Wini and Jamilla – three of our squad’s younger players who have massive careers ahead of them and hopefully many years in the orange jersey.”
The players add to the heavy representation of NPLW players for the Roar this season, with Capalaba FC duo Kaitlyn Torpey and Georgina Worth also re-signed by the club for another campaign.
