Casey Dumont: The history-making A-League goalkeeper and penalty shootout queen | OneFootball

Brisbane. 11th January 2009. The W-League semi-final between Queensland Roar and Sydney FC is level at the end of extra time. Penalty kicks will decide who plays in the inaugural W-League Grand Final against Canberra United. Sydney convert their first spot-kick. Queensland’s first taker is just 16 years old. That alone might be enough pressure, but when that 16-year-old is a goalkeeper? You’ve just met Casey Dumont.

The young Brisbane Roar goalkeeper smashed home her kick with an authority belying her age. Postage stamp, top bins, up where the spiders live. Pick your phrase, it was that and then some.

Sydney missed their next attempt and Dumont saved Sarah Walsh’s fifth and final kick as Brisbane progressed. Ultimately winning the Grand Final to add to their Premiers’ Plate.

Fast forward to Sunday, 8th December 2024. The team may have changed, the name of the league has even changed. But some things stay the same. Now playing for Perth Glory, Dumont has just become the first goalkeeper in A-League Women’s history to clock up 150 appearances.

In true Casey Dumont fashion, she marked the occasion by saving a penalty. It’s become something of a party piece for the Sydney-born shot-stopper. Of the eight penalty shootouts in ALW Finals history, Dumont has been involved in five of them. She’s won all five.

Casey Dumont building a legacy

Another Championship followed in 2010/11, as Brisbane Roar again overcame Sydney — this time in the Grand Final. As was the case two years previously, the Roar were indebted to their goalkeeper’s penalty heroics as Dumont netted the winning spot-kick in the semi-final against Canberra.

After leaving Brisbane in 2013, a two-year stint with Sydney and a solitary appearance for Western Sydney Wanderers followed for Dumont.

Capped at U17 and U20 level for Australia, Dumont was finally rewarded with full international honours in 2015. She was part of the Matildas squads for the 2016 Olympics, 2011 World Cup. She was also named in three Asian Cup squads. In 2010, as Australia won the tournament, and again in 2014 and 2018. Despite that, she has yet to add to her total of just three caps.

After two years in Sydney, a six-year stint at Melbourne Victory was next as Dumont was reunited with her old Brisbane boss Jeff Hopkins. Another Premiers’ Plate was secured in 2018/19, but their Finals hopes were dashed at the first hurdle as a Sam Kerr hat-trick denied Victory a place in the Grand Final.

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Disaster struck on the eve of the 2020/21 season as Dumont ruptured her Achilles tendon, missing the entire campaign as the Vuck lost the Grand Final to Sydney FC. With a career that’s also been blighted by a lacerated liver and a torn ACL, her character on the pitch is more than matched by her resilience off it.

That resilience was rewarded in spades the following season. A third Grand Final win was accompanied by a first Goalkeeper of the Year award.

Queen of the spot-kick

Dumont left Victory at the end of the 2022-23 season, but not before scoring and saving in yet another penalty shootout win. This time, it was rivals Melbourne City on the receiving end of the undisputed queen of the spot-kick.

Not content with mastering one sport, a move to AFL Women’s side Hawthorn followed in the 2023 and 2024 A-League off-seasons. With the conclusion of the 2023 AFLW season, a move back to the round ball and the Central Coast Mariners followed.

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It was the Mariners’ first season back in the league following a 13-year absence. A fifth place finish set up an Elimination Final against former side Melbourne Victory. It was a game that went to penalties. Obviously. Dumont came back to haunt her old side, scoring the Mariners’ first and saving two. Because of course she did.

A 2-1 aggregate defeat to Sydney FC ended Central Coast’s season in the next round and Dumont departed once more for her AFLW commitments. In October, it was announced she would join Perth Glory for the 2024/25 season, while continuing to balance her dual-sport career.

The Glory have arguably bagged themselves the best goalkeeper in the league. After all, few are better equipped to deal with the highs and lows of the life of the goalkeeper than Casey Dumont.

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