Melbourne Victory is pleased to announce the promotion of four NPLW players to Scholarship Contracts ahead of the 2026/27 Ninja A-League season.
Leyla Hussein, Chloe McKenzie, Poppy O’Keeffe, and Sienna Techera will again be part of the A-League Women’s program, continuing their development under the tutelage of A-League Women’s Head Coach, Jeff Hopkins.
Each player has been a key figure during the 2026 Senol NPL Victoria Women – Victory’s inaugural season playing in the competition.
Attacker Hussein is pushing for her ALW debut, having been heavily involved in training with the senior group for the past two campaigns. She scored the Club’s first-ever NPLW goal earlier this year and was recently a part of the Junior Matildas squad that reached a 2026 AFC U17 Women’s Asian Cup Semi-Final.
Goalkeeper McKenzie, developed through Victory’s youth pathways, spent 2025/26 training with the A-League Women’s program, including alongside recent Matildas call-up Courtney Newbon. She made 18 appearances for the Club during the 2026 NPLW season.
O’Keeffe, who joined as a 10-year-old, became the first female player to complete Victory’s entire Academy pathway, recording her A-League Women’s debut against Western Sydney Wanderers in Round 2 of the 2025/26 season, and was an AFC U17 Women’s Asian Cup quarter-finalist in April.
Techera is preparing for her third season in the ALW squad, having ended the last, when the winger made a dozen appearances, including her senior debut, the recipient of the Richard Smith Youth Scholarship Award. Her NPLW effort included scoring Victory’s sixth in a landmark win over Melbourne City.
Melbourne Victory Director of Football, John Didulica, commented:
“It is fantastic for all four players to be continuing their journeys with Melbourne Victory, building on their achievements to date through continuity of environment and coaching.
“They each possess great talent and potential but will also now resume the ALW program enriched by their experience in the NPLW competition.”
The Scholarships follow Skye Leach, Sophie Harding, Alicia Woods, Ayana Aoyagi and Angela Beard signing, and Claudia Bunge, Chelsea Blissett, Nicki Flannery, Courtney Newbon, and Zoe McMeeken re-signing.
