Rhali Dobson
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Rhali Dobson | ||
| Date of birth | 21 April 1992 | ||
| Place of birth | Wauchope, New South Wales, Australia | ||
| Height | 1.65 m (5 ft 5 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Striker | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Wauchope SC | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2008–2009 | Newcastle Jets | 6 | (0) |
| 2011–2012 | Newcastle Jets | 9 | (2) |
| 2012–2013 | Merewether United | ||
| 2013 | Adamstown Rosebud | ||
| 2013–2017 | Newcastle Jets | 26 | (9) |
| 2014 | → Adamstown Rosebud (loan) | ||
| 2016 | → Adamstown Rosebud (loan) | ||
| 2017 | → Merewether United (loan) | ||
| 2017–2021 | Melbourne City | 45 | (3) |
| 2021–present | Bolwarra Lorn | ||
| International career‡ | |||
| 2007 | Australia U17 | 3 | (0) |
| 2014 | Australia | 1 | (0) |
|
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 16 January 2020 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 5 March 2017 | |||
Rhali Dobson (born 21 April 1992) is an Australian former soccer player who last played for Melbourne City of the W-League. Dobson played one match for the Australia women's national soccer team.
Early life
Dobson began playing soccer at the age of five in her hometown of Wauchope, New South Wales, playing for the Wauchope Soccer Club.[1][2]
Club career
Dobson was a member of the 2008-09 Newcastle Jets inugural W-League squad which came runner up in the premier and semi-finalists in that season's championships.[3]
During the 2012 Northern NSW Football Women's Premier League season, Dobson switched between Merewether United and Adamstown Rosebud in circumstances that the Newcastle Herald described as "a far from amicable split".[4][5] Dobson would return to Newcastle Jets in 2013, netting her first brace in a 4-0 win over Adelaide United in October 2014 [6] and briefly returned to Merewether United for the 2017 Northern NSW Football Women's Premier League season.[7]
On 24 September 2017 Dobson joined title defenders Melbourne City.[8] With City, she won two W-League Championships in the 17/18 and 19/20 seasons, making a second-half substitute appearance in the 2018 W-League Grand Final 2-0 victory over Sydney FC. Dobson made her 100th appearance in the W-League in the 20/21 season, the 28th player to do so since the league was founded.[9]
Dobson announced her retirement from football in March 2021 in order to support her partner, Matt Stonham, who has brain cancer. On 25 March 2021 she played her last professional match for Melbourne City in which she also scored a goal in a 2–1 win over Perth Glory, coincidentally the team against which she'd made her W-League debut.[10] Dobson returned to amateur football in May with men's side Bolwarra Lorn, coached by Stonham, in the Australian Zone League Two. This included two games in Bolwara's FFA Cup campaign, culminating in a 13-0 defeat by semi-professional men's side Lambton Jaffas in the preliminary fourth round.[11]
International career
Dobson played three matches for Australia under-17 in 2007, including at the 2007 Australian Youth Olympic Festival and 2007 AFC U-16 Women's Championship.[12]
Dobson made her international debut for Australia in April 2014 against Brazil, coming on as a late substitute for Lisa De Vanna to see out a 2-1 friendly victory in Brisbane.[13][14]
Personal life
Dobson works full-time as an occupational therapist in New South Wales.[15] Former Australia player Tracie McGovern is a cousin of Dobson.[16]
Dobson got engaged to her partner, Matt, at her last match for Melbourne City in March 2021.[10]
References
- ^ Antunovich, Anita (9 December 2016). "On the Bench with Rhali Dobson". Northern NSW Football. Retrieved 5 March 2017.
- ^ "Wauchope's Rhali Dobson says a shift into right half with the Newcastle Jets has improved her reading of games in the W-League". Hastings Gazette. Fairfax Regional Media. 1 December 2011 – via EBSCOhost.
- ^ Kerry, Craig (21 February 2014). "Dobson step closer to Matildas call-up". The Newcastle Herald. Fairfax Regional Media. Retrieved 5 March 2017.
- ^ Kerry, Craig (1 June 2013). "Merewether looking to move on". The Newcastle Herald. Fairfax Regional Media – via EBSCOhost.
- ^ Kerry, Craig (8 June 2013). "Merewether ready for old mate". The Newcastle Herald. Fairfax Regional Media – via EBSCOhost.
- ^ http://aleaguestats.com/WLeague/W-League_25Players_95.html
- ^ Valentine, Renee (27 February 2017). "Jets add boost as WPL prepares to launch". The Star. Fairfax Regional Media. Retrieved 5 March 2017.
- ^ "Melbourne City FC signs talented trio ahead of W-League title defence". Melbourne City. 24 September 2017.
- ^ "Melbourne City's Rhali Dobson set to retire early: 'This is bigger than the sport'".
- ^ a b "Melbourne City's Rhali Dobson gets engaged on the pitch after retiring to support ill partner". BBC Sport. 25 March 2021.
- ^ https://www.newcastleherald.com.au/story/7237416/w-league-star-rhali-dobson-keen-for-ffa-cup-shot-at-npl-big-boys/.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ^ Esamie, Thomas. "Under 17 Internationals for 2007". OzFootball.net. Retrieved 28 March 2021.
- ^ Kerry, Craig (11 April 2014). "Rhali Dobson still buzzing after Matildas' debut win". The Newcastle Herald. Fairfax Regional Media. Retrieved 5 March 2017.
- ^ Esamie, Thomas. "Matildas Internationals for 2015". OzFootball. Retrieved 5 March 2017.
- ^ Davutovic, David; Windley, Matt (24 September 2016). "Female footballers will be forced to quit sport if pay does not improve in W-League, survey reveals". Herald Sun. News Corp Australia. Retrieved 5 March 2017.
- ^ "W-League Player of the Week: Rhali Dobson". W-League.com.au. Football Federation Australia. Retrieved 5 March 2017.
External links
- Melbourne City player profile
- Rhali Dobson at Soccerway