Brisbane Roar Confirms Ninja A-League Women's Football Staff for 2026/27

Brisbane Roar has confirmed the full football staff who will work alongside Head Coach Johnathan Clemente for the 2026/27 Ninja A-League Women season. Coaching Justin Micallef joins as Assistant Coach.

Micallef arrives from South Melbourne FC, where he served as Female Technical Director before being promoted into the Senior Women's Head Coach role for the remainder of the 2025 season, having played a key part in developing several players who went on to represent Victoria at national level. Liz Doherty joins as Assistant Coach.

Doherty combines coaching with a background in physical education, and brings strong development pathway experience to the role, having served as NPLW Head Coach at the Queensland Academy of Sport and worked internationally as Assistant Coach with the Junior Matildas during their 2023 Asian Cup Qualifiers campaign. Player Development Kate McShea returns to the club in the newly created role of Player Mentor.

McShea is a Brisbane Roar founding figure, having captained the club's inaugural W-League squad in 2008 as a Matildas stalwart, and brings that history and experience back into the playing group in a mentoring capacity. Goalkeeping and Sports Science Isaac Tallant joins as Goalkeeping Coach.

Tallant arrives with an international background, having most recently served as Head of Goalkeeping at Green Gully Soccer Club in Melbourne, with earlier roles across the United States including Director of Goalkeeping at Seattle Celtic, and in Ireland as Republic of Ireland CP National Team Goalkeeping Coach and with clubs including St Patrick's Athletic and Kilkenny United. Henri Joensuu joins as Strength and Conditioning Coach.

Joensuu brings a background across Brisbane's NPL system, including roles at Capalaba Bulldogs Football Club and St John's Anglican College, along with strength and conditioning experience in Finnish football with Jyväskylän Jalkapallo Kerho and Jyväskylän Taitoluisteluseura. Medical Tevan Sandhu continues as Head Physiotherapist for the A-League Women, a role split alongside his responsibilities supporting the men's program.

Melissa Watson joins as Assistant Physiotherapist. Watson holds a Bachelor of Physiotherapy (Honours) from the University of Queensland and brings experience across both semi-professional and professional sporting teams, including previous work with the Roar's A-League Women's program and the Brisbane Lions men's and women's academy teams.

Operations Sophia Stathoulis will continue in her important role as Kit and Equipment Officer. Sophia is responsible for the preparation, maintenance and logistics of all playing and training kit across the women's program, ensuring the squad is properly equipped for training, match days and travel.

2026/27 Women's Football Staff Head Coach: Johnathan Clemente Assistant Coach: Justin Micallef Assistant Coach: Liz Doherty Player Mentor: Kate McShea Goalkeeping Coach: Isaac Tallant Strength and Conditioning Coach: Henri Joensuu Head Physiotherapist: Tevan Sandhu Assistant Physiotherapist: Melissa Watson Kit and Equipment Officer: Sophia Stathoulis