Newcastle Jets striker Tara Andrews has announced her retirement from football at the end of this season. Tara goes down in Jets history as one of the greats, with a large number of impressive statistics to her name.
Andrews began her professional football career with the Jets at just 15 years old, when she debuted on the 5th of October 2009 against Adelaide United under the coach at the time, Wayne O’Sullivan.
She went on to have an impressive career-capping 129 appearances for the Jets, placing her second overall in appearances for the women’s side.
Andrews’ footballing journey started at Merewether junior football club, before she worked her way up into the Jets women’s side.
Andrews also had a one-year stint in the US playing for Colorado Pride in the UWS league, before returning back to Newcastle. In her time playing in America, she clocked up 24 goals in just 23 appearances for Colorado.
Tara is the women’s all-time leading goal scorer with 45 goals, and is second highest overall for the club, in both the men’s and women’s sides. With her first goal scored in 2009 in a 5-1 defeat against the Central Coast Mariners.
Andrews is the only player in the club’s history to score four goals in a single match, with all four scored within a 38-minute window in a 7-1 win over Adelaide United back in 2011.
She is also responsible for scoring nearly a quarter (19%) of all Jets goals in the A-league women’s competitions history.
Aside from a notable career with the Jets, Andrews has also represented the Matildas, with two caps to her name.
In addition to having a remarkable footballing career, Tara balanced university study and playing, graduating in 2019 with a Bachelor of Civil Engineering with Honours.
Tara Andrews’ has had an impressive run throughout her 13 years of representing the Newcastle Jets, creating history multiple times, and becoming an inspiration to many.
By Daniella Flamiatos
