Tara Murray
Calder United has added five A-League Women’s players to its squad for the rest of the National Premier League Women’s season.
As reported last week, coach Helen Winterburn said they were looking to add back in some of their previous players, who had been part of Western United’s A-League Women’s grand final run.
Alana Cerne is the highest profile player to be announced to return to the club.
Cerne, who was Western United’s first ever player, played in 19 games in the A-League season and was rewarded with a call up to the Australian under-23 squad.
Julia Sardo also returns after a strong A-League season. It was Sardo’s third stint in the A-League competition, having previously played with Melbourne City and Perth Glory.
She made 11 appearances for Western United, including being on the bench of the grand final.
Natasha Dakic was another player on the bench in the grand final.
She returns to Calder having made 11 games in her inaugural A-League season.
Raquel Deralas, a key player in Calder’s consecutive NPLW trebles in 2019 and 2022 also returns to Calder having had a scholarship contract with Western United.
She is yet to make her A-League debut.
Annabel Haffenden also continues Calder, having played with Brisbane Roar in the A-League competition.
She previously played with Alamein in the NPLW competition.
Haffenden made her debut for the club in its 1-1 draw with South Melbourne.
Meanwhile, former Calder captain Aleks Sinclair has signed with Victorian Premier League club
Stallions Tom Markovski said Sinclair was the biggest signing in the club’s history and were hopeful of having her about for a number of years.
“We’re fortunate to have the opportunity to have her at the club, we’re really rapped to get her on board,” he said.
“She had about a dozen clubs chasing her. We put something to her and it was something that she was happy with.”
Living nearby Sinclair had watched the Stallions in action and she was keen to get involved and help out her local club.
With such a young squad and big focus on bringing through their own talent, Markovski said Sinclair would be able to help the girls that are coming through.
