Quality imports into the WPL can help raise the standard of the league and provide greater competition for local players, which in the long run can help them improve their game. Despite many local players in the WPL currently or previously being in W-League contention, imports haven’t have been as lucky, often overlooked for overseas based foreigners. At the Corner Flag, we’ve compiled a list of the WPL imports we believe are capable of plying their trade in the W-League based on their WPL form or pedigree.
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Taryne Boudreau (Boroondara Eagles)
The former Canadian youth international played in two FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cups and triumphed in the 2008 CONCACAF Women’s Under-20 Championship. She joined Boroondara Eagles this season, where she’s proving to be an attacking force with 11 goals and many assists.
The 25-year-old is a mobile forward that can play centrally or on either wing, and can turn a game with one solo effort. She’s technically sound, a skilled dribbler, can score amazing goals and is destructive in one-on-one situations with her trickery.
READ MORE > Round 4-6 Player of the Month: Taryne Boudreau
Georgia Cloepfil (Ashburton United)
The American winger’s CV includes Macalester College in the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference – where she scored and assisted goals for fun, and earned a host of accolades between 2011-13 – along with the Minnesota Twin Stars in the Women’s Premier Soccer League in 2014. Already has eight goals this campaign at Ashburton United, an impressive feat considering she plays mainly on the right flank.
The 23-year-old, standing at 178cm, is tall, speedy, direct, and has an eye for goal. She can keep running all day and is good at delivering a dangerous ball into the area, or get on the end of one herself.
READ MORE > Round 1-3 Player of the Month: Georgia Cloepfil
Brittany Dudley-Smith (South Melbourne Women’s)
Yep, still considered a Kiwi, unfortunately. The New Zealand youth international played in the Under-17 World Cup before moving to Australia in 2013 with an ACL injury and and uncertain future. However, she revived her career at Casey Comets, before really taking off this year at South Melbourne, leading the WPL goalscorer’s tally with 14.
One of the youngest players on this list at 21, Dudley-Smith is a powerful striker that gets in good positions to score and is also good with her feet. Has proven to be a clinical finisher this season, but also provides good link up play with teammates in the front third.
Sarah Jacobs (Boroondara Eagles)
The diminutive central midfielder – standing at 5’1 – was once awarded most valuable player at Clemson University, before also playing in the American semi-professional W-League and VIOD in the Netherlands. Like Boudreau, has made a huge impact in her first season at the Eagles, scoring six goals and assisting many more.
The 25-year old creative midfielder is neat in possession but can also play a killer through ball with her impressive vision and passing range. Also has an eye for goal, often ghosting into the box to put away chances.
Christy Zwolski (Heidelberg United)
The forward wrapped up her career at Marquette University with 22 goals and 15 assists before plying her trade at Sky Blue FC in the W-League, QBIK in Sweden, and Cincinnati Saints in the WPSL. She already has an impressive tally of six goals – including a hat-trick against Casey – from a handful of appearances for the Bergers since joining halfway through last month.
So far the 29-year-old has shown a killer instinct up front, getting in good positions and providing a number of clinical finishes. Zwolski is also busy around the box, tracking back and forth and pressuring opposition defences with her high work rate.
READ MORE > International integration key for Bergers
Anisa Guajardo (Heidelberg United)
Having played only one game in the WPL before jetting off to the World Cup for Mexico as an injury replacement, Guajardo’s selection in this list is more down to pedigree than form, as all eyes will be on the forward at Olympic Village upon her return from Canada.
Before arriving to Heidelberg, she was a train on at Houston Dash of the National Women’s Soccer League. Her career has taken her from Pepperdine University where she scored 27 career goals – fourth highest in program history – to professional football at Pali Blues (USL-W League) and Boston Breakers (NWSL). Guajardo has also played at all age levels of Mexican international football, forming part of the CONCACAF Olympic qualifying team and the senior team at the 2013 Algarve Cup.
READ MORE > Heidelberg’s Guajardo receives late World Cup call-up