Taroona sign Jessie Williams in the hope of grabbing a first WSL win tonight against the Lions

Photo:  Jessie Williams at today's pre-game media conference. [PlessPix] 

Taroona FC have signed Jessie Williams in time for tonight’s Women’s Super League clash with Kingborough Lions United at Lightwood Park.

Williams is an all-round athlete and last weekend won the VFLW grand final with Port Melbourne against Collingwood.

The 28-year-old has been a footballer for many years and trained with the Young Matildas in 2013 and represented Australia in junior national teams at Under-14 and Under-16 levels on tours of Asia.

She has alternated between AFL and football over the years and been very successful at both sports.

Taroona sit at the bottom of the Women’s Super League standings with just one point from 14 outings.

Kingborough Lions United are second-last but have 15 points.

A win for the Lions tonight could move them up a place on goal-difference at the expense of fourth-placed Clarence Zebras.

“It’s been a long time coming [joining Tarona],” Williams said at today’s media conference hosted by Football Tasmania.

“I’ve been in pretty close contact with Karen [Wills, Taroona’s coach] over the past couple of years and we’ve been chatting passionately about football in Tasmania for quite some time.

“I’ve just come off a season of footie [AFL} and my body is feeling pretty good.

“I guess with all of the experience I’ve had in the past I just felt it was worth coming back and lending my experience to a pretty young side in Taroona.

“They’ve had a relatively tough start to the season so I chatted to Karen and thought it worth lending a bit of a hand.

“I’ve been getting a bit of an itch after watching the Women’s World Cup games and I thought it’d be nice to come back and have a game.”

Williams has been flying back and forth between Tasmania and Victoria since January this year and arrived back in Hobart on Tuesday.

Photo:  Jessie Williams with Taroona FC club president Sam Johnson. [PlessPix] 

The difference in seasons has enabled Williams to play AFL and soccer.

“Soccer is my old favourite, I guess, the old friend that I can go back to because it feels quite natural,” Williams said.

“I was actually quite nervous going to training last night because it’s been 12 months since I’ve had a kick and so I was a bit rusty to start with, but I sort of fell into it.

“I’m really passionate about the game still and it was good last night to work with some of the younger players.

“Footie’s been my new love sort of because I grew up watching with my Dad and it’s always been kind of special and I always wanted to play.

“I’ve been lucky that I’ve been able to do both.”

Williams said Lightwood Park has been a lucky ground for her.  She has played against Kingborough twice in the past four years and scored 7 goals.

“I’m sure they won’t be too happy to see my name on the team sheet,” Williams said.

“Taroona have had some improved results recently but they had some heart-breaking finishes this season.

“There’s plenty of potential there but I don’t know if I’ll be able to make much of a difference tonight, but to get one win on the board would be nice.”

Photo:  Jessie Williams fronts the media today. [PlessPix] 

Williams said she had learned to tackle harder this season playing AFLW and she would have to temper her challenges tonight.

Williams is a physiotherapist by profession and was asked what she thought of the Sam Kerr situation with the Matildas.

She said calf injuries were serious soft-tissue injuries and there had been lots of mind games played in terms of whether Kerr would be fit to play any time soon.

“Looking at it from the outside, I’d suspect her injury was worse than they’ve let on,” Williams said.

“I don’t think she had any chance of playing last Monday, but she’s got a little more time now before next Monday’s game and she has a chance of playing.

“Soft tissue injuries, once you get them, never quite heal the same and always become a weak point.”

A special guest at tonight’s game will be Matildas player Emily Gielnik, who will be available to sign autographs and merchandise.

She spent part of today at junior coaching clinics on the Eastern Shore.

In other Women’s Super League games this weekend, Devonport Strikers host Launceston United at Valley Road on Saturday at 12.15pm and Clarence zebras entertain league-leaders South Hobart at Wentworth Park on Sunday at 2.30pm.

If South Hobart win, they will collect the WSL title for 2023.