The biggest coup in Capital Football this season belongs to Belconnen United FC in the NPLW, after signing W-League player Tiana Jaber in the mid-season transfer to cement their chances at knocking Canberra Croatia FC off the top.
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Jaber, alongside player/coach Emma Stanbury, flew the coop from Wanderers. After returning from a three-week suspension, the defender landed at Belconnen to boost the side's defensive unit heading into the final rounds of the season, while Stanbury has taken a step away from the game.
Belconnen will look to the Newcastle Jets player to sure up their defence and help close the three-point gap between themselves and Croatia.
However, Croatia have picked up their leading goalscorer Brittany Palombi's older sister Ashleigh Palombi for the remainder of the season from APIA Leichhardt FC. The pair will look to secure their side's spot at the top of the ladder for the remaining nine rounds.
In the NPL the biggest transfers were Thomas James making the move from Wollongong Wolves to Croatia, Michael Mensah heading to West Canberra Wanderers FC and Daniel Fabrizio leaving Manly United FC for Tigers FC.
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Both James, who is serving a five-match suspension, and Mensah, who will likely miss upcoming fixtures due to a red card last round, will be impactful on the league upon their return.
Mensah, who previously played in Finland, Sweden and Vietnam, had marked his 50th NPL match with Belconnen in May before making the move to Wanderers, and Thomas' form last year for Wollongong earnt him a stint with Perth Glory last year.
Wanderers also picked up former Joeys and Perth Glory youth player Jaidon Seldon from the Victorian NPL.
Wanderers head coach Ulisses de Silva said bringing Mensah, Seldon and others in, and farewelling players such as 18-year-old Chilean Alessandro Pena Alcazar, was not easy.
"It hasn't been easy," he said.
"Before they came in we were doing okay so the transition to bring new players into an already successful environment has to be managed carefully.
"We're really happy and fortunate for them to come into the Wanderers to help us into the second half of the season."
Another strong NPL pickup for the Tigers is former United State's NCAA Division I goalkeeper Dean Cowdroy, making the move back to the capital after seasons with the University of Wisconsin-Madison team.
The Cooma side will be looking to utilise Cowdroy and Fabrizio in their FFA Cup round of 32 match up, where they could face an A-League, Newcastle NPL or Sydney NPL side.
They will also be looking to capitalise on their new talent to catch Croatia at the top of the ladder, with four points separating the two.
NPLW transfers
- Ashleigh Palombi to Canberra Croatia FC from APIA Leichhardt FC
- Tara Cannon to West Canberra Wanderers FC from Canberra United Academy
- Julia Stanton to West Canberra Wanderers FC
- Tiana Jaber to Belconnen United FC from West Canberra Wanderers FC
- Mikayla Van Deyk to Gungahlin United FC
- Ella Hemmings to Canberra Olympic FC
- Jordan Ujdur to Canberra Olympic FC from Canberra Croatia FC
NPL transfers
- Nikola Ujdur to Tigers FC from Northbridge Bulls
- Dylan Aitolu to Canberra Olympic FC
- Nicholas Subasic to Canberra Olympic FC from Belconnen United FC
- Alessandro Pena Alcazar to Monaro Panthers FC from West Canberra Wanderers FC
- Lachlan Harrington to West Canberra Wanderers FC from Tigers FC
- Daniel Fabrizio to Tigers FC from Manly United FC
- Stefan Vucic to Gungahlin United FC from Belconnen United FC
- Henri Mulwila to Gungahlin United FC
- Leon Michl to Gungahlin United FC from Belconnen United FC
- Michael Mensah to West Canberra Wanderers FC from Belconnen United FC
- Thomas James to Canberra Croatia FC from Wollongong Wolves
- Dylan Berkrey to Tuggeranong United FC
- Curtis Schaeffer to Belconnen United FC from Brindabella Blues FC
- James Wilson to Monaro Panthers FC from Para Hills Knights
- Domenic Giampaolo to Gungahlin United FC from Monaro Panthers FC
- Alexandru Uricaru to Gungahlin United FC from West Canberra Wanderers FC
- Dean Cowdroy to Tigers FC from USA college system
- Jaidon Selden to West Canberra Wanderers from Oakleigh Cannons FC