The Defenders
The role of a defender is to stop attacks during the game and prevent the opposing team
from scoring into the net. This role is similar to that of the goalkeeper, but they cannot use
their hands like a goalkeeper can and they typically move up the field further than a
goalkeeper would. There are 5 different categories of defenders each with a different play
style, center-back, sweeper, full-back, defensive midfielder and the wing back. Let’s meet
our astonishing ladies who play the defenders on the Matilda’s
Ellie Carpenter (Number 21)
Born on the 28th of April 2000, Ellie first debuted with the Matilda’s against Vietnam on March the 2nd 2016. Since a young age Ellie had played football all over Australia including Sydney and Canberra, and her family ended up moving to Sydney so she could attend Westfields Sports High School. At 17 she dropped out of school in order to pursue her career in sports full time.
Since then she has been apart of many major tournaments from the 2016 Olympic Games
in Rio De Janeiro to the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia & New Zealand.
Ellie is a very versatile defender and is also apart of the Olympique Lyonnais in France.
Other clubs Ellie has been apart of include Western Sydney Wanderers, Canberra United,
Portland Thorns and Melbourne City.
Ellie won “Young Footballer of the Year” three years in a row whilst being with Canberra
United, but then Ellie also ruptured her anterior cruciate ligament in the 2022 UEFA
Women’s Champions League match against Barcelona. But she has returned recently to
prepare for the World Cup, more ready than ever.
Steph Catley (Number 7)
Steph was born on the 26th of January 1994 and debuted on the 24th of June 2012 against
New Zealand. Steph has been playing soccer since the very young age of 6 years old and
later on even joined her brothers team as the only girl player.
Steph is the vice-captain of the Matilda’s and even starting over 2010, she has participated
in plenty of major tournaments from the 2014 AFC Asian Cup in Vietnam, to the 2023
FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia & New Zealand and both the Olympic games in
Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020. Steph joined a few clubs since starting her career from the
Melbourne Victory, Melbourne City, Portland Thorns, Orlando Pride, Seattle Reign and
now currently also is with Arsenal FC in England.
Steph playing football at six years old was completely fine being the only girl playing to
now it being her major career path. She studies her Bachelor of Education outside of football and her fiance is also a professional footballer. She also won PFA Women’s Footballer of the Year award in 2020 despite undergoing minor knee surgery in 2018 and before that in 2012-2013 was the female U20 Footballer of the Year.
Charlotte Grant (Number 22)
Charlotte was born on the 20th of September 2001 and debuted against the Republic of Ireland on the 21st of September 2021. Her football career journey began with the
Cumberland United Women’s Football club as a junior, and her talent for soccer was
discovered early on and she was quickly invited to join the Football South Australia’s
National Training Center Program in which she won the Shirely Brown Medal in her final
year with them.
Charlotte has played in 3 different tournaments so far in her career, those being the 2020
Olympic Games Tokyo, 2022 AFC Women’s Asian Cup India, and the 2023 FIFA Women’s
World Cup in Australia & New Zealand. During and before those she was also apart of FC
Rosengard and Adelaide United where she kept climbing the ladder to where she is now.
At the young age of 21 Charlotte continues to impress on and off the field, making TikTok
videos with the team to show their friendships and comradery that shows when they are on
the field as well as training, and even outside of the sport entirely.
Clare Hunt (Number 15)
Clare was born on the 12th of March 1999 and debuted on the 16th of February 2023
against the Czechia Cup of Nations. For most of her junior career she was playing with the
Canberra United Academy and traveling with the NSW Academy team, before she moved
to Sydney to study at the University of Sydney and also played with their team and the
Western Wanderers.
Despite suffering a number of injuries including a broken ankle, shoulder reconstruction
and an ACL, Clare played in the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia & New
Zealand. Her only previous club being Canberra United but has quickly moved up in her
career from there going from the NSW Academy team to the University and now the
Matilda’s.
When she’s not on the field, Clare has obtained a Bachelor of Science degree from her time
at the Sydney University, and is currently studying Doctor of Physiotherapy in an extended Master.
Alanna Kennedy (Number 14)
Alanna was born on the 21st of January 1995 and debuted on the 23th of June against New
Zealand in 2012. Her journey into her football career started early in primary school,
where she would play football on an all boys team before training with the Girls Skills
Acquisition Program which would eventually lead to her first official team spot with
Sydney FC.
Alanna has competed in many tournament throughout her career from the 2014 AFC Asian
Cup Vietnam to the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia & New Zealand, and both
the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janerio, and the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. She
has also been in many clubs including the Western Sydney Wanderers, Sydney FC, Perth
Glory, Newcastle Jets, Western New York Flash, Orlando Pride, Tottenham Hotspur and
Melbourne City.
Moving from team to team Alanna would win numerous big games with the Western New
York Flash, the USA’s National Women’s Soccer League Orlando Pride and more. Outside
of her football career Alanna likes to hang out at local cafes and even does skateboarding
and photography.
Aivi Luik (Number 3)
Aivi was born on the 18th of March 1985 and debuted on the 17th of February 2010 against
New Zealand in Auckland. Born to Estonian and Swedish parents and attended a number
of Universities before joining the Nevada Wolf Pack for 2 years. In her senior year she
captained the squad and got the game winning penalty kick for the NCAA College Cup.
Aivi has competed in a lot of tournaments throughout her career from the 2010 AFC Asian
Cup China to the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia & New Zealand, and she also
competed in the Olympic games tournament in Tokyo 2020. Aivi was in a number of clubs
before her current those being Brisbane Roar, Sevilla FC, Pomigliano C.F, Perth Glory,
Ottawa Fury, Melbourne City, Brondby, Fylkir, Notts County, Valerenga Fotball, Kalmar
and Levante.
With so much experience under her belt and being able to play as a defender and a
midfielder, Aivi is an exceptional asset to the Matildas. Aivi has also raised 40,000 dollars
for the Mark Hughes Foundation and was presented with the PFA Beyond Bank
Community Medal in 2023 just before this years FIFA Cup. (The Mark Hughes
Foundation raises funds for Brain Cancer)
Courtney Nevin (Number 2)
Courtney was born on the 12th of February 2002 and made her debut against Denmark on the 10th of June 2021. In her early years as a teenager she was playing with her local
Oakville Public School team, later playing for more teams as she moved up from just
playing local teams.
Courtney has participated in 3 different tournaments so far those being the 2020 Olympic
Games Tokyo, 2022 AFC Women’s Asian Cup India, and the 2023 FIFA Women’s World
Cup Australia & New Zealand. Despite the later state than most she has been in several
clubs too including Hammarby Fotboll, Blacktown Spartans, Western Sydney Wanderers,
and Melbourne Victory.
She was also nominated for Aprils Player of the Month in the Barclays Women’s Super
League during her time with the Foxes, keeping a clean sheet and getting 3 assists. Her
playstyle often has her going from her full back position to the front and has gained the
nickname “Lethal” for her left foot scoring.
Clare Polkinghorne (Number 4)
Clare was born on the 1st of February 1989 and had her debut on the 19th of June 2006
against China in Shanghai. From an early age Clare had remarkable potential as a defender
and was quickly spotted by coaches and scouts, getting her into higher level play early on
in her life.
From playing early on in her life, Clare has been in many tournaments starting from the
2007 FIFA Women’s World Cup China, to the now 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup
Australia & New Zealand. Clare also competed in both the soccer olympic events in the
2016 Olympic Games Rio de Janerio, and the 2020 Olympic Games Tokyo. Clare has only
been in 5 previous clubs, those being INAC Kobe Leonessa, Houstan Dash, Avaldnses IL,
Portland Thorns and Brisbane Roar, her current club being Vittsjo GIK.
Clare is Australias all time highest capped player and made her 152nd
record breaking appearance for the 2023 Cup Of Nations, surpassing that of Cheryl Salisbury’s record who held the record at the time. Despite playing a defensive position as well she has managed to get 16 national goals over her career and continues to strive to be the heart and soul of the team in terms of being an example and a leader for those for follow and watch her.
References
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ellie_Carpenter
https://www.matildas.com.au/player/ellie-carpenter
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Defender_(association_football)
https://www.matildas.com.au/player/steph-catley
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlotte_Grant
https://www.matildas.com.au/player/charlotte-grant
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alanna_Kennedy
https://www.matildas.com.au/player/alanna-kennedy
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aivi_Luik
https://www.matildas.com.au/player/aivi-luik
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Courtney_Nevin
https://www.matildas.com.au/player/courtney-nevin
https://www.fresherslive.com/latest/articles/who-are-clare-polkinghorne-parents-meet-
anthony-polkinghorne-1555036757
Images Provided From Google Images
By J.C
