The players to watch this 2023/24 Liberty A-League season

The most anticipated season of the Liberty A-League is coming this weekend.

Off the back of the incredible success of the Matildas at the FIFA Women’s World Cup, the appetite for the local game is at an all-time high.

Membership numbers are skyrocketing as Aussies are gearing up to support their local game.

Whether you’re a new fan or have been along for the ride for a while now here are some players to look out for this 2023/24 season.

Kyah Simon - Central Coast Mariners

The Matildas striker is back on home soil and back in the side where it all began for her - Central Coast Mariners.

Despite being included in the World Cup squad, the striker heartbreakingly missed out on any game time due to injuries.

But now it’s her chance to kick on with the momentum the Matildas have brought to Australian football as she returns to the Mariners.

After stints at Tottenham Hotspur, PSV, and Houston Dash, she arrives with a wealth of experience in some massive leagues.

She’s also a former three-time A-League (FKA W-League) champion who will be looking to add a fourth.

Emily Gielnik - Melbourne Victory

Another Matildas veteran returning to her former stomping ground in Melbourne Victory.

Gielnik boasts 54 Australian caps but unfortunately missed out on the World Cup squad due to a serious ankle injury.

She’s spent much of her career overseas in some of the best sides in the world including Aston Villa, Liverpool, Bayern Munich, and Swedish side Vittsjo.

She played for Victory in the 2018-19 season and now returns to Melbourne for the upcoming season.

Chloe Lincoln - Canberra United

At just 17 years old, Chloe Lincoln was thrust into the Canberra United first team.

With a full season under her belt now, and making that goalkeeping position her own, she’s showing promise of a future Matildas starter.

The young Matilda has been instrumental in the u20 Australian squad and continually improves each season.

She’ll be vital to Canberra’s finals charge.

Alana Murphy - Melbourne Victory

At just 18 years old, Alana Murphy is already gearing up for her third season in the A-League.

She’s Melbourne Victory’s first-ever graduate from their Elite Girls Program and has played a major role in the side ever since.

She’s made 31 appearances over her two seasons so far, etching out a first-team spot in Victory’s midfield.

Bossing the middle of the pitch, Murphy is a workhorse who can create chances as well, and we expect a big season from her this year.

Taylor Ray - Sydney FC

Taylor Ray has had a string of bad luck in recent years.

The 22-year-old had just won her first cap for the Matildas against Sapin in 2022 when she ruptured her ACL for the third time.

Despite the injuries, there’s no doubt the defensive midfielder has the talent to eventually put her mark on the Australian first-team squad.

After missing the 2022/23 A-League season, she’s been playing for Sydney Olympic in the NSWL NPL and is now looking eager to start the new season for the Sky Blues.

If she can regain her post-injury form, expect her to be one of the stars of the season.

Hannah Keane - Western United

Might be an obvious one to point out, but last season’s top goalscorer is another one to keep your eye on this year.

Scoring 13 goals across the season, she was instrumental in Western United’s push to finish just one point behind Sydney FC in the regular season and eventually losing to the Sky Blues in the Grand Final.

The American boats a tonne of experience with goalscoring stints in Portugal and Germany and will most certainly enter the Golden Boot race this A-League season.

Cortnee Vine - Sydney FC

For all intents and purposes, she is the face of the Liberty A-League this year.

Australia’s quarter-final hero, slotting home the decisive penalty against France to send the Matildas to the World Cup semi-finals.

While her stock skyrocketed during the tournament, the winger was already a star in the A-League women’s.

She has been instrumental as part of Sydney FC’s dominance over the past few years, and her signing on for another year should be considered one of the biggest coups in the league.

She’ll have plenty of love as she enters the pitch for the first time this season, and expect that adulation to continue throughout.