The Westfield W-League is a competition which has nurtured, tested, and built some of the biggest names to then go on and don a Westfield Matildas jersey.
For 12 seasons, the best of Australia’s best have played right here in our own backyard.
Although there have been incredible moves overseas for our players and those familiar names won't be on the backs of shirts, the Westfield W-League is still where Westfield Matildas were made. And most importantly, it will continue to be where Matildas are made.
From our most prolific striker in Lisa De Vanna to one of our newest Westfield Matildas in Jenna McCormick who debuted just over a year ago, the Westfield W-League has been an integral part in the careers of our national team players.
De Vanna started her career in the Women’s National Soccer League, eventually plying her trade in the USA, in Sweden, and in Italy. But the Westfield Matildas all-time leading goal scorer has always returned to the Westfield W-League. A born entertainer, she has always put on a show from Perth to Brisbane and all the way down the eastern seaboard.
MORE: Lisa De Vanna returns to the Westfield W-League
De Vanna brings success with her wherever she goes, winning championships with Brisbane, Sydney, and both Melbourne clubs. And trophies follow her with the Westfield Matildas picking up silverware too, namely the AFC Women’s Asian Cup.
With almost 130 appearances in the Westfield W-League, Tameka Yallop has always brought the same energy in an orange jersey as she does in a green and gold one.
Yallop is the Roar’s all-time leading goalscorer and a big game player. She has scored in four of Brisbane’s five grand final appearances, which include championship wins in the inaugural season and the 2010/11 season.
That silverware winning form translated to the national team as she was a part of the 2010 AFC Women’s Asian Cup squad. A Julie Dolan medal winning season in 2013/14.
She wrote herself into the Westfield Matildas history books, scoring against the USWNT to help Australia record its first win over the FIFA Women’s World Cup champions.
Katrina Gorry started her Westfield W-League career in the country’s south with two stints in the navy blue of Melbourne Victory and one season in the red of Adelaide. A move to her hometown club saw the beginning of her rise.
MORE: Experienced midfielder Katrina Gorry heads back to Brisbane Roar
There was a Westfield W-League premiership, and strong performances in the national team over a number of years. This all culminated in her being named the AFC Women’s Player of the Year in 2014.
Another premiership with the Roar and stints overseas have seen her once again return to league, ready for a tilt at the Tokyo Olympics squad.
Emily Gielnik is set to make her 100th Westfield W-League appearance during this season. Starting out in 2009 in the orange jersey, she has won trophies – with the Roar and Victory – and gone from being an Olympics alternate to playing in an AFC Women’s Asian Cup and a FIFA Women’s World Cup.
MORE: Health and wellness key to Emily Gielnik’s success
A championship with the Roar preceded her Matildas debut. She’s now back in a Brisbane shirt and a strong W-League season could be the start of a strong 2021 for both Gielnik and the Matildas.
Jenna McCormick has featured in the W-League since 2012, with stints at Adelaide, Canberra, and Brisbane.
MORE: McCormick returns to the Westfield W-League eager to impress
Beginning as a midfielder, she eventually moved back into the heart of defence. There was a premiership in green and the juggle of Westfield W-League football and Aussie rules over the summer months. But McCormick’s move to Melbourne Victory for the 2019/20 signalled a focus on the beautiful game.
Her Westfield Matildas debut followed not long after, in that central defensive role. And now she has returned to the league, this time with the reigning champions in Melbourne City. With the Tokyo Olympics on the horizon, it is the Westfield W-League where she and other players will push their case for selection.
They will continue to be tested and work hard for national team selection, and in the process, play their role in developing the next generation of Westfield Matildas.