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Belinda Wilson took over Brisbane Roar in 2012 as Australia’s third top tier female coach. She followed a Grand Final win in her first season (2012/13) and Runners up in her second. While Brisbane’s first female coach’s tenure did not ring with the success Roar fans had come to expect Belinda Wilson oversaw a period of transition within the squad.
Melissa Andreatta became Brisbane Roar’s coach in 2016. She’s also Assistant Coach of the Matildas. Even better still she’s a local. She began her playing career at Taringa Rovers, which quickly led to rep football for the City and State. Turning coach, she started at the Gap Football Club. She also coaches at Queensland’s National Training Centre (NTC), is heavily involved in State Team programs and, when she has time, teaches football at Cavendish Road football school of excellence. Brisbane Roar had one of their best seasons under Andreatta’s guidance. More recently, Jake Goodship took over as The Roar’s coach.
The current squad includes 6 Matildas and some experienced imports (from the US, Hong Kong, New South Wales, the ACT, and Victoria), but it is dominated by local talent. We reckon it’s the reason they’re so good.
LATE IN 2017, THE MATILDAS REACHED NUMBER 4 IN THE FIFA’S WOMEN’S WORLD RANKINGS.
They were very close to England who sit behind Germany and the World No.1 Team, the USA. The ranking followed victory at the Tournament of Nations in August 2017 where Australia beat the USA (1-0) on home soil and Japan and Brazil (6-1). The Matildas followed the tournament with a series of wins here in Australia, over Brazil and China.
The squad included a number of Brisbane and Queensland players, including Clare Polkinghorne (co-captain), Hayley Raso and Katrina Gorry from Brisbane and fellow Queenslanders, Mackenzie Arnold (Gold Coast) and Elise Kellond-Knight (Southport).
The Matildas have only been called the Matildas since 1995. Before that they were the Female Socceroos (we think it was a rubbish name too).
Currently Football Brisbane is responsible for the governance of football throughout the Brisbane region (including Ipswich).
Current clubs which field women’s teams are AC Carina, Annerley, Albany Creek Exelsior, Bardon Ladies, Bayside United, Brighton Bulldogs, Brisbane Athletic, Brisbane City, Brisbane Knights, Caboolture, Capalaba Bulldogs, Centenary Stormers, Colleges United, Eagles, Eastern Suburbs, Grange Thistle, Holland Park Hawks, Ipswich City Bulls, Ipswich Knights, Jimboomba United, Kangaroo Point Rovers, Lions, Logan Lightning, Logan Metro, Logan Village Falcons, Mitchelton, Moggill, Hawks, Narangba United, New Farm, Newmarket, North Brisbane, North Lake Mustangs, North Pine, North Star, Olympic, Oxley United, Park Ridge Panthers, Peninsula Power, Pine Hills, Pine Rivers Athletic City, Rochedale Rovers, Samford Rangers, Slacks Creek, Southside Eagles, Springfield United, St George Willawong, Taringa Rovers, Tarragindi Tigers, The Gap, The Lakes, Toowoong, UQ, Virginia United, Western Spirit, Western Pride and Westside.
We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the land on which the events presented in this digital history occurred and acknowledge that sovereignty was never ceded. We recognise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and their continuing connection to land and waterways as well as their rich history of sports and significant continuing contribution to football.