Young midfielder Aleeah Davern has had a busy week, signing her first professional contract and making her professional football debut.  The move continues CEO David Pourre's aim of promoting Queensland players.

Aleeah Davern signing

  • Aleeah Davern signed her first professional football contract this week, joining Brisbane's A-League Women's side.
  • The 17-year old Cairns player made her debut a few days later against Sydney FC"
  • The move continues Brisbane's Queensland-centric approach.

More A-League Women's news can be found on The Women's Game.

Last winter, after an A-League Women's season that saw Brisbane Roar finish second in the regular season, club CEO David Pourre announced a bold new approach for his women's side:  a Queensland-centric approach going forward.

"As the only professional club in Queensland, we are proud to provide a platform for our people to really grow in the lead-up to the FIFA Women's World Cup in 2023," said Pourre in August.

"Our focus on promoting Queensland talent is all about rewarding the fantastic footballers we have here.

"That doesn't mean every player has to be born and bred here, but our principal philosophy is to promote those who have developed here, who have done well in a Roar shirt in the past or who have formed close ties to Queensland."

Mid-way through this A-League Women's year, the club have continued with this direction.  Seventeen year old Aleeah Davern signed her first ever professional contract earlier this week, joining the A-League Women's side for the rest of the season. 

Originally from Cairns, she moved to Brisbane less than 12 months ago to join the Queensland Academy of Sport.  She is the most recent player to join Roar from the QAS, following in the footsteps of Mia Bailey, Heidi Dennis and Ellen Gett.

Her new A-League Women's coach Garrath McPherson is therefore familiar to Davern, serving simultaneously as a coach at the QAS academy's NPL women's competition.

“It’s exciting,” Head Coach Garrath McPherson said to the Roar's website.

“It’s great to give another young Queenslander a chance to experience the league and continue to grow as a footballer.

“She’s had a really good year with the NTC. She’s mobile, she’s aggressive.

"She has a lot to learn, but over the last three or four months, training with Katrina Gorry, Hollie Palmer, Mariel Hecher, players like that, she’s really come out of her skin.

“It’s exciting to be able to give her a chance.”

Davern echoed her head coach's remarks upon signing:

“I’m very excited and very appreciative of this offer,” said Davern.

“When I told my mum the news she didn’t believe me at first, but she was very excited for me as well.

“I’m looking forward to getting my experience up. It’s been really good training with the team this season.

"Each session is very challenging – it’s a step up in level from the QAS – but it’s been good.”

The signing would not be Davern's only highlight of her week.  The young midfielder made her A-League debut in Roar's mid-week match against league leaders Sydney FC.  

With her introduction into the game she became Brisbane's 108th A-League Women's player and the seventh newest Roar debutante this season.

Brisbane Roar are currently seventh in the A-League Women's, a different position to last year.  However, with the run of new players being brought in, they are clearly preparing for the future.  Davern is only the most recent part of that direction.

PLUS...

February 2-6 A-League Women's schedule: All teams return to play

All ten A-League Women's teams will return to action this week, with five games scheduled from February 2-6, 2022.

PLUS...

A-League Matildas star Gorry heading to Europe

Brisbane Roar have announced that their A-League Matildas midfielder Katrina Gorry has signed with a Swedish side.

The full A-League Women's schedule can be found using this link.