Clare Polkinghorne will head into an unprecedented 13th season with Brisbane Roar after signing on for another Westfield W-League campaign with her hometown club.
Roar announced on Monday that club skipper Polkinghorne had inked a deal for the 2020/21 Season.
It’s another big statement of intent from coach Jake Goodship, who has already secured the likes of Tameka Yallop, Katrina Gorry, Emily Gielnik and Kim Carroll.
But Polkinghorne is the name most synonymous with Roar, with the 31-year-old not only a long-serving skipper but also the club’s games record holder.
“It’s a club that I love playing for – there’s nothing better than representing your home City, your friends and your family,” Polkinghorne said on Roar’s official website.
“From the very first season, I have really enjoyed playing for the club and representing the City. It’s good to see that not only the club, but the league too, has grown and it’s been great to be part of that.
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“To come home and get games under my belt to kick off what’s a really important year coming up – it was really important for me to get in as many games as possible.
“I’m really looking forward to being back out there on the field and preparing for the new season.”
Polkinghorne is a fan-favourite among Roar supporters and has enjoyed a hugely successful Westfield W-League career.
Not only has the tough-tackling central defender won two Championships with the club but she has also taking out the Julie Dolan Medal as the league’s best player on two occasions.
Polkinghorne, who is closing in one 150 appearances in the competition, is also a stalwart of the Westfield Matildas and has represented Australia at four FIFA Women’s World Cups.
“Clare embodies everything that you could possible want in a player. Not only is she a fiercely competitive and excellent player on the pitch, she’s an exemplary leader, both on and off it, and someone who her teammates have looked to for guidance for many years now,” Goodship said.
“She has been an incredible servant for Brisbane Roar, the [Westfield] W-League and football in Queensland for many years now and we’re beyond excited to have her back for yet another season.”
Roar open their new Westfield W-League campaign away at Newcastle Jets on Monday, December 28, kicking off at 5pm AEDT.
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