MELBOURNE Victory star Kyra Cooney-Cross is joined by fellow midfielders Amy Jackson and MelindaJ Barbieri in recommitting to the club ahead of the 2021/22 W-League campaign.
Jackson and Barbieri inked new deals to play under head coach Jeff Hopkins for another season, as Victory gun to defend their 2020/21 W-League title.
Barbieri featured 14 times for Hopkins throughout last season, scoring one goal and assisting three more. The 21-year-old played a brief cameo in Victory’s Grand Final triumph over Sydney FC, coming on in the second half of extra time with scores level before Cooney-Cross netted a dramatic winner with just seconds to play.
https://players.brightcove.net/5519514572001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6248770868001
Jackson’s 2020/21 record is identical to Barbieri’s in attacking statistics: 14 games played, one goal, three assists. The 2015 Victory Medalist re-signs for another season, as Cooney-Cross – already contracted at the club for 2021/22 – returns from a successful Tokyo 2020 campaign with the Matildas after featuring in all six of Australia’s games in a fourth-place finish at the Olympic Women’s Football Tournament.
Speaking to the club website, head coach Hopkins says returning Champions are integral to his squad’s success this season, as Victory gun for back-to-back titles in 2021/22.
“I’m very happy to be working with Amy, Mindy and of course Kyra again this season,” Hopkins said.
“They each bring unique qualities to the squad and will play important roles on and off the field to drive success.
“It is important for us to retain as much of the Championship-winning squad as possible, while adding some exciting new players to the mix.”
The returning midfield trio of Barbieri, Jackson and Cooney-Cross take Victory’s squad for 2021/22 up to seven players, after Alana Murphy, Kayla Morrison, Claudia Bunge and Polly Doran were announced as the club’s first four signings for the upcoming campaign.
