German Bundesliga star Leia Varley has returned to Goulburn Valley Suns to inspire the stars of tomorrow.
Goulburn Valley Suns’ stars of tomorrow received the rare chance to meet one of the club’s most distinguished alumna, as German Bundesliga defender Leia Varley returned to Shepparton to help inspire the next generation.
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The 24-year-old is one of a host of established names that first emerged off the McEwen Reserve production line, with future international Garang Kuol also having pulled on the team’s navy blue jersey during his youth.
There is no doubt that the Suns provided a springboard for Varley’s future successes in the game, having gone on to make 107 National Premier League Victoria appearances during stints with Football Victoria Academy/NTC and South Melbourne.
This then propelled her to further opportunities, as she represented giants Adelaide United, Melbourne City and Brisbane Roar of the A-League during the infancy of her professional career.
Making a major breakthrough at Brisbane, her strong performances at the heart of the Roar’s backline over the previous two seasons caught the eye of many admirers – including clubs overseas.
After four seasons plying her trade in Australia’s top tier in total, the 182cm centre-back eventually clinched the transfer of a lifetime to Frauen-Bundesliga club FC Nürnberg on deadline day earlier this year.
She made nine appearances in Germany’s top league before the end of the 2025-26 season, as the Bavarian side finished in 11th place in the standings.
Former GV Suns player Leia Varley brought along her Nürnberg jersey.
During her time with the club, she has turned out at the 50,000-capacity Max-Morlock-Stadion during home clashes.
Now, the proud Sheppartonian has returned to her hometown to give something back to the club that provided her with her first big break in soccer.
Spending time with the Suns’ juniors during a night to remember on the evening of June 23, she shared her experiences, insights and advice with the youngsters present ahead of pre-season with Nürnberg.
Suns senior men’s head coach and director of football Craig Carley expressed his delight at being able to welcome Varley back to the club.
“I’ve been keeping up communication with Leia for a number of years and she reached out and said ‘I’d love to come down’,” he said.
“We love getting former players down, especially those who have gone on to play at the very highest level – her last game of the season, she played in front of 50,000 people.
“So it was a great experience for our young players to hear from Leia about her experiences and hear her pathway too as she’s a fellow regional footballer who has overcome adversity in her career.
“She has proven that you can forge a professional career out of playing football, so it was a great insight.”
The Nürnberg star’s family has a unique bond with the Suns, with mum Nicole having served on the board, while her siblings also played at the club during their youth.
Sister Sophie is currently playing as a goalkeeper for the Central Coast Mariners in the A-League, while brother Sam still plays in the Victorian leagues.
“We’ve had great success with younger players here at the Suns and it proves that there is a pathway into that senior set-up and it’s something we’re really proud of,” Carley said.
“I don’t think it’s something that will be matched by any other club in Victoria in terms of having homegrown players going on to play at the senior level.
“It’s something we are keen to keep doing and keep producing a crop of local talented players that can compete.”
