Grace Kuilamu

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Grace Kuilamu
Personal information
Date of birth (2007-03-13) 13 March 2007 (age 18)
Position Forward
Team information
Current team
 Brisbane Roar
Number 10
Youth career
–2019 Souths United
2019–2021 FQ QAS
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2022–2023 FQ QAS 15 (5)
2023– Brisbane Roar 20 (6)
International career‡
2022 Australia U17 7 (3)
2025– Australia U20 0 (0)
2025– Australia 1 (0)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 20 June 2025
‡ National team caps and goals as of 22 July 2025

Grace Kuilamu (Fijian: [ku.i.la.mu] KOO-i-lah-MOO; born 13 March 2007) is an Australian soccer player who plays as a forward for A-League Women club Brisbane Roar and for the Australia national team. She has been described as a talented young player.[1] She is the first player of Pacific Islander descent, male or female, to represent Australia.[2][a]

Early life

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Kuilamu was born in 2007 into a Christian household in Brisbane to a Fijian father, Reverend Ilaitia Kuilamu (who hails from the village of Navidamu in the province of Macuata)[2] and a Romanian mother, Oana.[3] She has five older siblings, though she was the first in her family to pursue soccer. She previously played rugby union, beginning at age 10.[2]

Kuilamu's parents ran the Brisbane branch of the Christian Mission Fellowship. She attended Sunnybank Hills State School and Brisbane State High School, where she had high grades.[4] As a child she played with Souths United in the Football Queensland Premier League until 12-years-old.[5][6] Kuilamu joined Football Queensland's Academy of Sport/National Training Centre (FQ QAS/FQ NTC) under-13s in the National Premier Leagues Queensland.[6]

Club career

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Kuilamu continued as a forward with FQ QAS seniors team during National Premier Leagues Women's (NPLW) 2022–23 season.[5] She was awarded a scholarship in September 2023 ahead of the 2023–24 season by A-League Women club Brisbane Roar.[6] On 15 October 2023 she appeared in their 2–1 win against Melbourne Victory.[5]: 33, 40  She kicked a goal upon debut and became the youngest Brisbane Roar scorer of all-time at 16 years 216 days.[5]: 40  During the 2024–25 season she appeared 18 times for Brisbane and kicked five goals.[7]

International career

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Kuilamu received her first callup for the Australia national team on 20 June 2025, when she was named in the extended squad for two friendlies against Panama on 5 and 8 July in Perth and Bunbury, respectively.[8] She made her debut appearance in the match in Bunbury,[9] becoming the first Australian of Pacific Islander descent (male or female) to represent Australia.[2][a]

Playing style

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Kuilamu has been described as a bright young talent in Australian soccer, having been compared to Matildas and Manchester City forward Mary Fowler when she was as young as 17.[10] She aspires to play at the FIFA Women's World Cup and to play overseas,[11] namely in the Women's Super League (WSL) in England (though without a particular club in mind).[2]

Notes

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  1. ^ a b While Mary Fowler is of Papua New Guinean descent, Papuans usually are not counted as Pacific Islanders.

References

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  1. ^ Comito, Matt (5 January 2025). ""Crazy" A-Leagues trend highlights rapid rise of two teenagers including 17yo "phenomenon"". A-Leagues.
  2. ^ a b c d e Salalo, Sereana (15 August 2025). "Kuilamu eyes UK Women's Super League contract". Fiji Sun.
  3. ^ Harrington, Anna (21 February 2025). "Pasifika passion: Kuilamu dreams of Matildas and more". National Indigenous Times.
  4. ^ "QAS striker Grace Kuilamu on balancing school, faith and football dreams". Football Queensland. 1 October 2021.
  5. ^ a b c d "Ninja A-League 2024/25 Season Guide" (PDF). A-Leagues Media Centre. November 2024. Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 August 2025. Retrieved 2 September 2025.
  6. ^ a b c "Grace Kuilamu signs first A League scholarship contract with Roar". Brisbane Roar. 6 September 2023. Archived from the original on 7 September 2023. Retrieved 4 September 2025.
  7. ^ "Brisbane Roar stats, results, fixtures & transfers". Soccerway. Retrieved 4 September 2025.
  8. ^ "Next chapter begins as CommBank Matildas name extended squad for Slovenia and Panama series". Matildas. Football Australia. 20 June 2025.
  9. ^ "🗣️ Grace Kuilamu: "I've been dreaming of this moment since I first started."". Matildas.
  10. ^ Pisani, Sacha (11 December 2024). "A-Leagues teenager with "Mary Fowler-esque tendencies": "That excites me"". A-Leagues.
  11. ^ "The World Cup dream fuelling Tillies' latest teenage sensation". CODE Sports. 21 June 2025.
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