Brisbane Roar have signed Joe Knowles on a senior deal ahead of the 2022-23 Isuzu UTE A-League season.
The A-Leagues contract comes as reward for a stellar few months for the Oakleigh Cannons striker. Knowles impressed on trial with Brisbane in July, scoring in a friendly against English Premier League side Leeds United before giving England international Tyrone Mings a stern battle in a subsequent friendly against Aston Villa.
Knowles went on to clinch the NPLM Victoria championship with Oakleigh, scoring 13 goals in the 2022 campaign and going on to be named joint-winner of the 2022 Victoria Gold Medal with Heidelberg United’s Kaine Sheppard as the league’s best player.
The 26-year-old was also named Players Player of the Year.
“It’s great to be given the opportunity by Brisbane Roar to be able to go back into the A-League,” said Knowles.
“It’s been a bit tough last few years with COVID lockdowns and not being able to play a complete season in Melbourne but I’m glad how it’s all worked out and I’m glad I’m up here.
“I just want to be able to show that I deserve to be at this level and this is my second chance now.
“I just want to pay it back to Warren [Moon] and the team and hopefully we can have a good season and go on to make the top six and get into finals,” he added.
After announcing Knowles’ arrival, Brisbane confirmed the reutrn of Australian U23 defender Jordan Coutney-Perkins on loan from Polish side Raków Częstochowa for the 2022-23 season.
Courtney-Perkins, 19, was a key figure in the club’s youth setup, signing a scholarship contract for the 2019-20 season after helping Brisbane Youth win the 2018-19 Y-League championship.
His return to Queensland comes after his debut for Raków in the Polish Ekstraklasa in August, 2021, which preceded a loan move to fellow Polish club Warta Poznań in Febraury, 2022.
Courtney-Perkins has represented Australia at the 2018 AFC U16 Championship, the 2019 FIFA U17 World Cup and the 2022 AFC U23 Asian Cup.
