NWSL players head Down Under en masse

• by Paul Kennedy  @pkedit, Oct 25, 2018

Forty players under contract to NWSL teams are expected to play on loan in the 2018-19 Westfield-W League, which kicked off Thursday in Australia.

The contingent includes all the Matildas who played in the NWSL in 2018, including star Sam Kerr who led Melbourne City to its third straight Grand Finals title. Katrina Gorry, whose option was not exercised by the Utah Royals, joined Brisbane Roar.

The Seattle Reign leads all teams with eight players in Australia for the offseason.

The season consists of a 12-game regular season, plus playoffs that will end in the second weekend of February.

Chicago Red Stars
Danielle Colaprico, Sydney FC *
Sam Kerr (Australia), Perth Glory
Alyssa Mautz, Perth Glory *
Yuki Nagasato (Japan), Brisbane Roar *
Katie Naughton, Perth Glory
Nikki Stanton, Perth Glory

Houston Dash
Amber Brooks, Adelaide United
Sofia Huerta, Sydney FC
Veronica Latsko| Adelaide United
Clare Polkinghorne (Australia), Brisbane Roar
Kyah Simon (Australia), Melbourne City

North Carolina Courage
Denise O’Sullivan (Ireland), Canberra United

Orlando Pride
Rachel Hill, Perth Glory
Alanna Kennedy (Australia), Sydney FC
Christine Nairn, Melbourne Victory
Carson Pickett, Brisbane Roar
Chioma Ubogagu, Brisbane Roar
Emily van Egmond (Australia), Newcastle Jets
Dani Weatherholt, Melbourne Victory

Portland Thorns
Celeste Boureille, Brisbane Roar
Ellie Carpenter (Australia), Canberra United
Britt Eckerstrom, Newcastle Jets
Caitlin Foord (Australia), Sydney FC
Hayley Raso (Australia), Brisbane Roar

Seattle Reign
Elizabeth Addo (Ghana), Western Sydney Wanderers
Lauren Barnes, Melbourne City
Steph Catley (Australia), Melbourne City
Elise Kellond-Knight (Australia), Melbourne City
Theresa Nielsen (Denmark), Melbourne City
Jasmyne Spencer, Melbourne City
Jodie Taylor (England), Melbourne City
Lydia Williams (Australia), Melbourne City

Sky Blue FC
none

Utah Royals
Rachel Corsie (Scotland), Canberra United
Samantha Johnson, Melbourne Victory
Gunnhildur Jonsdottir (Iceland), Adelaide United
Lo’eau LaBonta, Western Sydney Wanderers
Sydney Miramontez, Western Sydney Wanderers
Katie Stengel, Newcastle Jets

Washington Spirit
Aubrey Bledsoe, Sydney FC
Taylor Smith, Newcastle Jets