Melbourne Victory captain Kayla Morrison has a message to clubs around the league: if you’re interested in signing me, don’t even try.
This week, the Victory skipper re-signed with the club on a deal set to run to the end of the 2026-27 season – but if that wasn’t enough to deter rival Ninja A-League sides from inquiring about her future, the American-born Australian citizen has followed her contract extension with a clear message of loyalty to the club she first joined in 2020.
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Morrison will go down as one of Victory’s greatest servants once her time at the club eventually does come to an end; the 28-year-old was captain of the 2020-21 Championship team and although an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear sidelined her for all but the first 30 minutes of the following campaign – another Championship win – Morrison returned the following season and has gone on to amass 77 league appearances in navy blue and white.
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Having committed the next three years of her career to Victory, Morrison could surpass the 100-game mark for the club next season. Speaking after inking her fresh Victory contract, Morrison vowed not to play for any other club in the Ninja A-League as long as she remains in Australia.
“I’m loyal to a fault; that is just ingrained in my DNA,” Morrison said.
“I just feel like Victory has done so much for me. I’ve played my best soccer at Victory. I’ve learned so much under Jeff (head coach Jeff Hopkins) at Victory and was finally taught how to be a defender… And then obviously, when I was injured, Victory did everything for me to get me back.
“I just feel like I’ll never be able to repay them. So they have my loyalty. As long as I’m in Australia, I’m sure I’ll be at Victory.
“I actually said to JD (Victory director of football John Didulica), before my contract had originally even finished, I said: ‘I don’t even want people to think that I am tangible for them to reach out to. I want other clubs to know that I’m Victory through and through’.
“I feel like it would discredit me as a player and me as the captain of Victory if people did think they could reach out to me. So I was happy to get the deal done before any of that even happened.”
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Born in California, Morrison became an Australian citizen in 2022 and has long been touted as a player with the potential to break into the CommBank Matildas squad.
Asked about her eligibility for selection in future squads, Morrison explained that discussions had taken place between Victory and FIFA, but “blockages” in the eligibility process have prevented her from being selected thus far.
“I know that there’s been lots of talk between (Didulica) and the club and FIFA. It’s all really big words and lawyer talk. So they do ring me in whenever they think it’s something I need to know.
“I think there’s been some blockages, but they keep trying to go back. Again, another reason why I would sign for Victory is they’re doing everything they can to help me in this situation.
“I trust them to just give me the updates, because I know that they’re doing whatever they can to kind of help push this through.”
“I am just as confused as everyone else is,” she added. “I think when I talk to JD about it, I can see that it’s upsetting. So I think that there (are) probably some little things there that feel unfair (as to) why it’s being blocked.
“But I feel like the best I can do is just play as good as I can, and maybe if I just play so spectacularly, they’ll pull any strings.”
Morrison and Victory are next in action against Adelaide United at AAMI Park on Saturday night in a battle between second and third on the Ninja A-League table.
Victory head into Round 21 five points behind league leaders Melbourne City and just two points above Adelaide United, but hold a game in hand over both City and the Reds.
