Three of Canberra United's stalwarts in defence and midfield have flown the coop, with Clare Hunt, Jessika Nash and Bianca Galic making the move to Sydney outfits next season.
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Despite growing up in Sydney, 16-year-old Nash made her W-League debut in December with United. However, she will no longer be lining up in green, and instead the Young Footballer of the Year nominee has signed with last year's grand finalists Sydney FC.
Hunt is following along, having earned herself a spot in Western Sydney Wanderers' line-up under new coach Catherine Cannuli. She joins former United teammate Galic at the club.
Similarly to Nash, Galic debuted in green last season but grew up in Sydney and has made the move back to her roots.
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Hunt, 22, made her return to Canberra in the 2020-21 season following knee injuries which left her sidelined for two seasons.
With 12 matches under her belt in the W-League, Hunt said she was extremely excited for her first season at Wanderers.
"I was drawn to the Wanderers knowing of the professionalism of the club and the dedication of coaching staff to offer strong support and resources," she said.
"Being at the Wanderers this season will give me an opportunity to pursue work and study, while immersing myself in a positive and intense training environment.
"This season I want to develop as a footballer and take in as much of this experience as I possibly can. For me, this looks like consistency in performance and utilising the endless resources to develop myself and players around me."
So far United has announced three signings for the upcoming 2021-22 season - Michelle Heyman, Emma Ilijoski and Laura Hughes - with another player set to be announced on Tuesday, as their pre-season plans remain in limbo due to Canberra's lockdown.
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Isobel Cootes
Sports reporter at The Canberra Times. A Novocastrian with a passion for football (or soccer as they call it in the capital) via The Examiner and The Port Lincoln Times.
Sports reporter at The Canberra Times. A Novocastrian with a passion for football (or soccer as they call it in the capital) via The Examiner and The Port Lincoln Times.
