Melbourne Victory is pleased to announce the signing of current Junior Matilda, Ella O’Grady, for the 2023/24 Liberty A-League season.
The 17-year-old attacker joins the Club from the FQ Academy QAS side having spent her junior career at Cardinia United and Berwick Churches in Melbourne, before moving to Queensland where she played for Wynnum Wolves FC and then Eastern Suburbs in Brisbane.
Her form in the QAS saw her selected for the CommBank Junior Matildas at the Asean Football Federation (AFF) U18 Women’s Championship in 2022 where she scored four goals, including an extra-time winner against Thailand in the semi-final.
Melbourne Victory Head Coach Jeff Hopkins said he was looking forward to seeing what O’Grady can produce at A-League Women’s level.
“We’re incredibly pleased to have secured one of Australia’s most exciting prospects for the upcoming season,” Hopkins said.
“Ella is young but has good foot skills, is technically strong and has a football brain.
“She is also a focused and committed individual who is not scared of hard work and this is the kind of player we want to have as part of the Melbourne Victory squad.”
O’Grady said she was excited to be joining the Club and to play for Hopkins and the team.
“I’m excited to be joining Melbourne Victory, meeting the team and getting the opportunity to work under Jeff and the coaching staff,” O’Grady said.
“It has been a dream to play in the A-League and to take my football career to the next level.
“I am looking forward to the challenge, the opportunity and to be part of Melbourne Victory.”
O’Grady is the fifth new signing of the 2023/24 A-League Women’s season, joining Rachel Lowe, Emma Checker, Jamilla Rankin and Kurea Okino as well as the re-signings of Kayla Morrison, Lia Privitelli, Alana Murphy, Paige Zois and Rosie Curtis.
