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Kiwi Women Overseas

726 replies · 179,389 views
3 months ago
From Niche Cache. Hannah Blake worth a look at by the Nix, if Samba is going to miss half the ALW season?
Taylor clubless as her club kicked out of the French top flight due to financial woes. She's good enough to find another gig in Europe.

Durham have found some new investment and saved the club but Hannah Blake won’t be around for whatever follows. She’s said her farewells to the club after two years in blue. The club itself hasn’t mentioned this yet so perhaps it was Blakey’s call and she’s got something else lined up. No word on what Mickey Foster’s up to, she’s been too busy getting married.

This means we can add Hannah Blake to a list of Football Ferns searching for new clubs, one year out from a World Cup, that also includes Indi Riley, Katie Bowen, and Kate Taylor. 
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2 months ago
Great move, at a time when not many Ferns are now playing in top leagues.
Montpellier play in Première Ligue (top womens flight in France), and last season were 10th of 12 teams.

Kate Taylor's French club Dijon were sixth in the 2025–26 Première Ligue, but the club has now been excluded from national competitions by the DNCG due to insufficient financial guarantees for the 2026–27 season.

https://twitter.com/Montpellier__FC/status/2074927165028659326

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2 months ago
Rumours
Katie Bowen to Lazio
Kate Taylor to Spain.
According to The Niche Cache latest newsletter.

That Katie Bowen to Lazio rumour has been reported in a few more places over the last few days, looking more and more like a formality there. That’s a great move, keeping her in a top league. And it sounds like similar things are brewing for Kate Taylor. Nothing official yet but with her Dijon team on the chopping block in France, KT’s teammates are all signing elsewhere and the word from over those ways is that Taylor is poised to sign in Spain. Never had a kiwi in the Spanish top flight before... Amber Hearn was about to play for Logroño in 2018 until she did her ACL and ended up retiring. Obviously Barcelona and Real Madrid would be dumb not to sign Kate Taylor but we’ll see what happens. Cool thing about Spain is that they have 16 teams in the Liga F, meaning a whopping 30 league games per season. They’ve also got a dynastic national team (at all age levels) so let’s hope this one comes true.
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Endorsed by
Simon B
2 months ago
Niche Cache.

Here’s another Football Fern making an exciting move ahead of a World Cup year. Suya Haering came up with Auckland United and was a pretty decorated NZ youth international. Shades of a young Ali Riley in how she works up and down the left edge as a defender. A couple years ago she made the switch to Germany where she teamed up with Maya Hahn at Turbine Potsdam and then one year later she swapped to Carl Zeiss Jena. At 21yo, Haering has already spent two full years in the Bundesliga at a time when we’re struggling for NZ internationals in the very top leagues around the world... but there’s a catch.

Haering’s teams were both relegated with wooden spoons. Turbine Potsdam went 0-1-21 with a -68 goal difference in 2024-25. They only scored five goals in 22 games. The following year she moved to the club that finished directly above them and Carl Zeiss Jena went 2-5-19 with a -60 goal difference in a slightly longer season. Better... but still dead last. Haering made 32 appearances across those two seasons with one assist and three yellow cards. Good experience but it’d be nice not to play for the worst team in the division for once. So she’s left Germany and signed with Montpellier in France.

Montpellier is the club where Mary Fowler spent her first two seasons outside the A-League prior to joining Manchester City. She said she hated it so fingers crossed that environment has improved since. You’d imagine it has given how the club is under completely new ownership these days, a move that saw the women’s team split from the men’s club to become an independent entity under the Crux Football banner. Montpellier was the first club acquired by the venture who have since added FC Rosengård in Sweden (long time home of Ali Riley). Oh yeah and who should happen to be the Founder and CEO of Crux Football? That’d be former Football Ferns captain Bex Smith.

That takeover happened after last season had already begun so now’s about when any changes should start to take hold. And there should be a few because Montpellier only avoided relegation by goal difference last season (granted, they’d have been reprieved anyway due to Dijon being kicked out). Haering leaving Germany means that New Zealand’s 18-year streak of having at least one player in the Bundesliga Frauen (a streak that began with Bex Smith) is under serious threat... we’ve already seen similar streaks end in the top divisions of England and USA over the past two years. But it will keep up a presence in France beyond Kate Taylor’s two years at Dijon FCO. All the Dijon players have been signing elsewhere since that club lost its licence. We’re still waiting for word from Kate Taylor, though it sounds like she may be heading to Spain.
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about 2 months ago
Ranix wrote:
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That's a good level for a first pro gig, Women's Super League 2.

Santos looks a promising keeper prospect for the Ferns, and may not be far off overtaking Esson. It's a bit of a mystery as to what Anna Leat is up to currently. 
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about 2 months ago
Ranix wrote:
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The 3rd Madrid club in Liga F, behind Real & Atlético.
9th in the 16 team Liga F, last season.

Still Spain is the world leader in the women's game, so a great league for Taylor to play in.

Not many Ferns playing in top leagues at the moment. Bowen has just left Italy for Turkey.
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about 2 months ago
coochiee wrote:
 Ranix wrote:
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That's a good level for a first pro gig, Women's Super League 2.

Santos looks a promising keeper prospect for the Ferns, and may not be far off overtaking Esson. It's a bit of a mystery as to what Anna Leat is up to currently. 
Anna Leat is playing NPL NSW for Apia-L,
Looks like she has receovered from her latest injury sustained during A league season.
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Endorsed by
coochiee
about 2 months ago
Really hope she can continue her goal scoring exploits at A league level.
She just scored a brace in an NPL Vic cup final and was named PoM. Chelsea women up next.

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about 2 months ago · edited about 2 months ago · History
Newcastle Jets can confirm the following departures from their Ninja A-League Women’s squad.
Josie Wilson, Olivia Page, India Breier, Haley Johnson, Charlotte Lancaster, Melina Ayres, Anna Leat and Kelli Brown will depart the Club at the expiration of their A-League contract for the 2025/26 season.
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about 2 months ago
Niche Cache

There aren’t many Football Ferns who’ve boosted their reputations more over the past 18 months than Alina Santos. Maybe just Pia Vlok and even then she hasn’t yet had the national team consistency of Santos, who not so long ago was a back-up goalie for the University of Denver and nowhere near the national team set-up.  

In her fourth and final year of college, Santos finally became a starter and had a magnificent season keeping five clean sheets in 17 appearances with a save percentage of 82.8%. It just so happened that the Football Ferns were desperate for goalkeeping depth at this time and Santos was one of several keepers who were called up as part of that rotation. Beyond the established Vic Esson and Anna Leat, other keepers selected in that phase were Murphy Sheaff, Geo Candy, Bri Edwards, Claudia Jenkins, Maddie Iro, and Brooke Neary. But they were all in and out, whereas Santos was called up for the (aborted) tour of Chinese Taipei and has been in every squad since, earning four caps beginning with her debut vs Australia in December 2025.

Now she’s signed with Southampton in the English second tier. Pretty clear connection as to why that happened: the goalkeeping coach for the Ferns is the former goalkeeping coach for Southampton. Englishman Will Britt, who clearly rates what Santos brings to the picnic and has backed that opinion up by helping give her a first professional opportunity. Graduated from the Uni of Denver, into the pro scene with Southampton. She’s come a long way from the Kapiti Coast.

We didn’t have a single player in the WSL last season and we don’t currently have any this season either. But the WSL2 usually serves up a decent scattering and that hasn’t changed. Gotta see if Santos lands the number one status yet but she could debut against Mickey Foster’s Durham in week one if she does. Also got Grace Neville at Ipswich and of course Katie Kitching at Sunderland. The women’s season starts a few weeks later than the men so these preseason transfers are also happening later, giving us time for a couple more additions if we’re lucky. Southampton finished fifth last season. Plenty to build upon.

Fran Stenson started all 22 league games for the Saints in 2025-26 but transferred to Sunderland a few weeks ago. They gave her a new contract but then the club, who’ve had to make budget cuts to their women’s programme recently, accepted a transfer fee to let her go... opening the door for Alina Santos to get this opportunity. The threat is that they’ve also signed Irish international Grace Moloney - who once kept Erin Nayler on the bench for a full WSL season with Reading, and has signed from Sunderland going the other way to Stenson. So Santos will have to earn it.
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about 2 months ago
RR wrote:
The Kiwi contingent at the Newcastle Jets is suddenly much smaller

 
Newcastle Jets can confirm the following departures from their Ninja A-League Women’s squad.
Josie Wilson, Olivia Page, India Breier, Haley Johnson, Charlotte Lancaster, Melina Ayres, Anna Leat and Kelli Brown will depart the Club at the expiration of their A-League contract for the 2025/26 season.
Some of those players would have already signed on elsewhere. Ayres and Brier are highly rated Aus players.
As for the kiwi girls. 3 are football ferns that will be wanting to prove themselves somewhere with a WC coming up next year. All bar Brown are currently playing NPL in Aus.
Not sure if any will turn up at the Nix. Would be a coup if we've signed Ayres.

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about 1 month ago
Moves back to the north of England after leaving the Jets. 3rd tier in the UK. Niche Cache

https://twitter.com/HTAFCWomen/status/2089740613365154115 
Olivia Page has signed with Huddersfield Town after her season with the Newcastle Jets. Page came up with Eastern Suburbs where she was part of an NZ National League winning side under coach Stephen Hoyle, who recruited her to Newcastle following two years working up the ranks with Sheffield United in the English second tier. She was one of four NZers signed to visa spots by Hoyle’s Jets but all four (Olivia Page, Anna Leat, Kelli Brown & Charlotte Lancaster) were released at the end of the season. Hence Page has gone back to the north of England where she’s linked up the Terriers.

Page is 21 years old, a defender capable of playing through the middle or out wide (Sheffield Utd mostly used her as a CB, Newcastle Jets mostly used her as a RB). Age grade rep for Aotearoa at both U17 and U20 World Cups. She’s got a fair bit of promise about her as a tall, powerful presence with plenty of mobility but so far in her career she’s mostly been a bench player. Between Sheff Utd and Newcastle she’s made 17 league apps to date adding up to less than 700 minutes of action. Gotta get those reps in.

More recently she’d had a stint in the NPL with NWS Spirit where she played 12 games and scored two goals. Now she’s moving to the third tier of English footy, down a division from where she was with the Blades (albeit Sheffield United finished last in her second season so the level is probably similar). However, she’ll be joining a team that’s just experienced promotion and a lot more used to winning football games. 
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18 days ago
NPL Victoria Womens team of the season.
Hannah Wikinson still banging in the goals with 20 goals for the regular season.
Young Kiara Bercelli will be hoping to pick up an A League contract somewhere with an outstanding season full of goals and assists.
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18 days ago
Ranix wrote:
NPL Victoria Womens team of the season.
Hannah Wikinson still banging in the goals with 20 goals for the regular season.
Young Kiara Bercelli will be hoping to pick up an A League contract somewhere with an outstanding season full of goals and assists.
image.png 393.88 KB
 
Brooke Bennett is a NZ'er as well, GK from Gisborne/Central and a few other sides.
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18 days ago
reubee wrote:
 Ranix wrote:
NPL Victoria Womens team of the season.
Hannah Wikinson still banging in the goals with 20 goals for the regular season.
Young Kiara Bercelli will be hoping to pick up an A League contract somewhere with an outstanding season full of goals and assists.
image.png 393.88 KB
 
Brooke Bennett is a NZ'er as well, GK from Gisborne/Central and a few other sides.
As is Rosie Wild, any aussies make the team ;)
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18 days ago
Good stuff
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13 days ago · edited 13 days ago · History
Maybe Kiwi Players Elsewhere should be split Mens & Womens?
So womens players get their own individual threads over time

https://www.friendsoffootballnz.com/2026/09/08/new-zealander-isabella-atkinson-signs-with-top-tier-greek-club/
 
New Zealand midfielder Isabella Atkinson has signed a one-year contract with newly promoted Greek top-flight club Sirines Grevenon.

The move takes Atkinson (20) to Europe after a successful season with Devonport Strikers in Tasmania’s Women’s Super League.

She helped the Strikers win the league and Women’s Statewide Cup, completing a double before moving to Greece.

Devonport won their third successive Statewide Cup in June, beating Launceston United 6-0 in the final after going through the competition unbeaten.

Atkinson also contributed goals during their league campaign, including a long-range strike in a 5-0 victory against Launceston United.

She moved to Tasmania after two senior seasons with Auckland club Eastern Suburbs, having joined them from Wellington’s Western Suburbs in 2024.

Atkinson was part of the Suburbs squad which reached the women’s National League grand final in 2025, losing 1-0 to Auckland United.

Before moving to Auckland, Atkinson spent six years developing at Wellington’s Olé Football Academy and played for Western Suburbs.

She comes from a family with strong international football connections.

Her father, Mark Atkinson, played for the All Whites, while her aunt Marlies Oostdam (née James) earned 31 senior caps for the Football Ferns.

Sirines Grevenon are returning to Greece’s A’ Ethniki this season after earning promotion from the second tier.

They won their group before beating Chalkida 1-0 in a promotion play-off in May, completing an unbeaten campaign and returning to the top flight after two seasons away.

Atkinson joins the club as they prepare for their first season back among Greece’s leading women’s teams under head coach Christos Hasiotis.
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Endorsed by
Simon B
10 days ago
NPL NSW team of the season.
Mona Walker surely deserves another A League gig.
And Erin Naylor still good enough.
Any other kiwis in there?
9838.jpg 1.45 MB



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9 days ago

New Zealand age-group international Olivia Page has returned to English football, joining Huddersfield Town after a season with women’s A-League club Newcastle Jets.

The versatile Page (21) has joined the Terriers for their 2026-27 campaign in the FA Women’s National League Northern Premier Division, England’s third tier.

Primarily a defender, Page can operate at centre-back or as a fullback, and has also played in midfield during her senior career.

She spent the 2025-26 women’s A-League season with Newcastle after joining the Jets from English club Sheffield United, where she had spent two seasons.

The Jets confirmed Page’s departure in August after the expiry of her contract, having made nine A-League appearances during her season in Australia.

Page began her senior career with Auckland club Eastern Suburbs and was a member of their National League championship-winning side in 2022.

She moved to England the following year, signing for Sheffield United after representing New Zealand at the 2022 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in India.

Page later represented New Zealand at the 2024 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Colombia, making three appearances at the tournament.

Her move to Huddersfield gives Page another opportunity in English football, with the Terriers targeting a strong campaign in the Northern Premier Division.

Huddersfield have started the league season unbeaten, taking seven points from their opening three matches.

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7 days ago · edited 7 days ago · History
Ranix wrote:
NPL NSW team of the season.
Mona Walker surely deserves another A League gig.
And Erin Naylor still good enough.
Any other kiwis in there?
9838.jpg 1.45 MB



 
You missed one, Maddie Iro ex Canterbury, CGHS has played for NZ
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Endorsed by
Ra
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