Football Fern Hannah Blake has signed for Liberty A-League club Perth Glory on an injury-replacement contract for the rest of the season.
Blake (22) replaces Rylee Baisden whose season has been ended by an ACL injury.
Blake made her Football Ferns debut against Thailand at 17, having previously represented her country at U-17 and U-20 FIFA Women’s World Cup tournaments.
She has been based in the United States since 2019 where she played for the University of Michigan Wolverines in NCAA Division 1, the highest level of US college football.
She told the Perth Glory website:
“Having graduated from the University of Michigan, I was looking for the next step and my first step into full-time football.
“After getting an understanding of Alex [Epakis] as a coach and Perth Glory as a club, I felt as though this would be a great fit for me and even the short few days that I’ve been here have already confirmed that.
“I’m hoping to contribute positively both on and off the pitch.
“I’m looking forward to really focusing on my individual development and then using that to help the team during the back end of the season to pick up as many points as possible.”
Epakis believes Blake has the potential to be a major asset for Glory in the race for a finals berth.
“Securing Hannah for the remainder of the season is an important addition for us,” he said.
“We have a run of games over the second-half of the season and I expect Hannah to showcase her versatility and attacking style of play to help us win matches.
“She has senior and youth international experience with New Zealand and has just finished off a strong college career at the University of Michigan and I have no doubt she will bring all those experiences with her into the team.
“We searched very hard to find a replacement for Rylee outside the [transfer] window and I have no doubt that Hannah will provide great cover and bring her strengths to the team.
“She is very excited by the opportunity and I am eager to work with her and have her integrate as quickly as possible.”
Blake will be eligible to make her Glory debut in Saturday’s clash with Western United at Morshead Park Stadium in Ballarat.
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