Western Sydney Wanderers striker Sophie Harding has claimed the prestigious Julie Dolan Medal after an outstanding 2023-24 campaign in the Liberty A-League.
Harding was awarded the Liberty A-League’s most coveted individual prize at half-time of Saturday’s Liberty A-League Grand Final between Melbourne City and Sydney FC.
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Awarded to the competition’s Player of the Year, the Julie Dolan Medal is steeped in history and after breaking Western Sydney’s individual goalscoring record in the league with 12 goals in 2023-24, Harding’s name will now sit forever among a star cast of former winners including the likes of Sam Kerr, Michelle Heyman and Kyah Simon.
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The 24-year-old had never scored more than two goals in a single Liberty A-League season before the start of the 2023-24 campaign, but with her combination of lightning pace and dead-eye finishing, Harding took just 11 rounds to break the Wanderers’ all-time scoring record of seven goals in a single season – previously held by 2019-20 Julie Dolan Medalist Kristen Hamilton.
By the end of the season, Harding had 12 goals and four assists to her name, cementing herself in the Wanderers’ history books and in the process becoming a top contender for the Julie Dolan Medal.
The Liberty A-League’s most coveted individual honour capped off a dream season for Harding which included her very first call-up to the CommBank Matildas in February.
Harding topped the count with 26 votes across the season, coming in ahead of Chloe Logarzo (21), Cortnee Vine (21), Michelle Heyman, Sarina Bolden (19) and Tameka Yallop (18).
