Perth Glory have continued their rapid rebuild with the recruitment of former Wellington Phoenix forward Kelli Brown and the re-signing of 20-year-old striker Tanika Lala ahead of the 2024-25 Liberty A-League season.
Both Brown and Lala have put pen-to-paper on one-season deals to cap off a busy three days for the club which has seen the club add four new recruits to the squad, whilst securing seven players from the 2023-24 playing group for another season.
Originally from Kalgoorlie, approximately 600 kilometres east of Perth, Lala has returned for a second season at Glory after making two appearances in her debut campaign. Lala scored one goal for the club but returns to the Liberty A-League after a fruitful stint at NPLW WA club Fremantle City, where she’s bagged 19 goals to date.
Brown meantime is set for her first season in purple and orange; an inaugural squad member at Wellington Phoenix in 2021-22, Brown spent two seasons at the ‘Nix and has since found success at NPLW level with Macarthur Rams in New South Wales.
The New Zealand youth international scored 23 for the Rams in her debut NPLW NSW season in 2023 and has found the back of the net 11 times in 14 appearances through the current campaign.
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New Glory head coach Stephen Peters coached Macarthur Rams prior to his appointment at the Liberty A-League club in July, and is excited to work with Brown once again.
“I’ve been fortunate enough to work closely with Kelli at Macarthur,” he said, “and am therefore aware of the blend of power and pace she brings to the table.
“She has a great pedigree having always been involved in an elite environment and in recent years, has added a strong level of tactical awareness to her natural finishing ability.
“Tanika is another exciting and gifted forward who took the step up from NPL to ALW very much in her stride last season and wasted no time whatsoever in grabbing her first senior goal.
“It is fantastic to see a player from country WA seizing the opportunity she’s been given and we look forward to helping her continue her upwards career trajectory in the coming season.”
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