Melbourne Victory have confirmed changes to their coaching staff ahead of the 2026/27 Ninja A-League season, with head coach Jeff Hopkins set to continue into his 11th campaign in charge.
Hopkins, the longest-serving head coach in the A-League, will be joined by members of Victory’s successful NPLW coaching staff following the departures of Johnathan Clemente to Brisbane Roar and Melissa Maizels.
Harley Hamdani has been appointed Senior Assistant Coach after leading the club through the NPLW season following the departure of Santi Escudero.
TRANSFER CENTRE: Ninja A-League 2026/27 Transfer Centre: Your club’s moves
Bella Santilli will also work closely with Hopkins and Hamdani after playing a leading role in the NPLW Under 20 Championship.
The pair will be joined by former Championship-winning Assistant Coach Gareth Turnbull, who reconnects with Hopkins after serving as his deputy from 2019 to 2025.
Blerton Belica has been appointed Goalkeeper Coach, arriving after three years in the A-League and most recently working with St Albans Saints in the NPL Victoria.
Victory have also appointed Rebecca Berry to their registered coaching set-up as the inaugural recipient of the Maria Berry AM Coaching Scholarship.
Working in partnership with Women Onside, Berry will undertake a season-long placement alongside Hopkins and the club’s Ninja A-League coaching staff.
“We are very pleased to have appointed full-time staff to roles across the A-League Women’s program to ensure we are setting the players, staff and Club up for success,” said Melbourne Victory Director of Football John Didulica.
“We are building an exciting squad and believe we have surrounded the team on the pitch with a team of elite professionals off the pitch.”
Didulica also highlighted the club’s NPLW pathways and partnership with Women Onside as avenues for the continued development of coaches.
“It’s also exciting that we have been able to use the NPLW pathways and our partnership with Women Onside to continue developing ALW coaches, something we will continue to build on year on year.”
Physical Performance Coach Damien Kovacevic and physiotherapists Andrew Shaw and Stephaine Grech will also continue in their roles for the 2026/27 season.
The club has also been busy when it comes to moving players in and out this off-season.
Angie Beard, Ayana Aoyagi, Alicia Woods, Sophie Harding and Skye Leach have all joined the club ahead of the new campaign whilst the likes of Claudia Bunge, Chelsea Blissett, Nicki Flannery, Courtney Newbon and Zoe McMeeken have all extended their contracts.
However they have lost a fair amount of talent, with Rachel Lowe, Kennedy White, Taylor Ray, and Rhianna Policina among nine players to have departed.
Melbourne Victory kick off their 2026/27 Ninja A-League campaign with an away trip to Western Sydney Wanderers on Saturday, October 17.
