PORTLAND, Ore. – Portland Thorns FC today announced that the club has loaned defenders Steph Catley (Melbourne City FC), Kendall Johnson (Western Sydney Wanderers) and Clare Polkinghorne (Brisbane Roar) to clubs in the Australian W-League, and midfielders Lianne Sanderson to Apollon Limassol in Cyprus and Mana Shim to Iga Kunoichi FC in Japan.
The 2015 season marked Catley’s second with Thorns FC. The Australian international appeared in three games (2 starts) as she battled injury after returning from the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup. Catley joins Melbourne City FC after previously playing with Melbourne Victory for six seasons.
Johnson returns to the Wanderers for a second stint in 2015. The Portland native was acquired in an offseason trade in January with Sky Blue FC and appeared in 17 matches (12 starts), tallying one assist in her first season with Thorns FC in 2015.
Polkinghorne has played for her hometown club in Brisbane since 2008. In her first season with Thorns FC, the Australian international appeared in nine matches (all starts) after signing with the club following the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
Sanderson will mark her third loan stint with Apollon Limassol in 2015. The England international was acquired in a trade with Seattle Reign FC in July after helping lead the Three Lionesses to a bronze medal at the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup. She appeared in five matches (2 starts) during the 2015 season, tallying one assist for Portland.
Shim begins her first loan stint with Iga Kunoichi FC in 2015 – a club that recently retired Thorns FC defender Rachel Van Hollebeke played for in 2014. In her third season with Portland in 2015, Shim played in 18 matches (13 starts), ranking second on the teams in goals (4) and tied for first with four assists.
All five players will return ahead of the 2016 NWSL season.
