Ella Buchanan will be in Red & Black for another two years after signing a contract extension.
It may come as a surprise, but she admits she was initially caught off guard by the news coach Robbie Hooker wanted to keep her around after being a mid-season addition to the main squad.
“I didn’t really hear much from him (initially),” Buchanan said, “then he was on a podcast and I heard him talk on that and talk about what his plans were for me.
“And I was like, ‘oh so he wants to keep me’, and then we had the conversation.
“He proposed a two year signing and (I said), ‘yeah, I’ll take it’. It’s close to home, It’s a really good environment and I want to keep playing in the A-League.
It caps a quick rise for the 20-year-old, who only came into the side in round 17 last season as an injury replacement player; she had been in and around the Wander Women setup for much longer as a train-on player.
She admits she was nervous at first making the step up to getting first team action, but also says her teammates were open and welcoming to her: “It was very nerve wracking to begin with, but as I got a couple more minutes on the field… I felt more comfortable in my role and position as one of the girls in the squad.”
She also commented on the differences between being a train-on and a fully fledged member of the team.
“I don’t think you’re treated differently with the girls, because as a train on I still felt like I was welcome and that they wouldn’t look at me differently if I wasn’t a contracted player,” Buchanan said.
“You get to experience more as a contracted player, the trips, the gear – it was pretty cool having a jersey – but it’s (not too much difference) except you are an A-League player.”
Buchanan joined at a pivotal point of the season where the Wanderers had recovered from a tough start of the year to be well and truly in the finals race.
Buchanan can play both in defence and midfield, and she knows her versatility is one of her best assets in the team.
“It’s good that I’m versatile, so if (Robbie Hooker) needs, I can fill the defender role or the midfielder role,” she said.
“It means there’s a lot more freedom as well for the formation with the team and what he wants to do, he can play around with it.”
Buchanan made a quick impact, as she scored twice in her seven appearances for the Wanderers as she impressed as both a wing back and a wide midfielder.
Her first goal came in a come from behind win over Canberra, before she scored the equaliser in an important win over Western United in the final home game of the season.
Buchanan form saw her rewarded with a call up to the Australia U20s side, and she is currently with the team at the World Cup in Colombia.
The Wander Women fell heartbreakingly short of reaching the finals, but Buchanan insists the goal is to go one better in season 2024-25.
“Of course (we can make finals),” she insisted, “I don’t think I’m going to take no for an answer, I think it’s a really big goal of everyone’s in the team, and it’ll be really special if we can do it.”
As for personal goals: “even though goals are important, i’d like to get my name on the leaderboard for assists, that would be cool.
“I do enjoy a good assist.”
