Royals secure elite attacking threat with signing of Bronte Peel

Essendon Royals are thrilled to announce the signing of prolific forward Bronte Peel, who joins the club ahead of the upcoming NPLW Victoria season.

Peel arrives from Heidelberg United, following impressive stints in the US and in the Northern NSW NPLW.

With Maitland FC, Peel was crowned the Emily van Egmond Medal winner as the league’s Player of the Year for 2024, as Maitland finished top of the table. Peel also claimed the Golden Boot in the same season, scoring an astonishing 41 goals in 22 games – 8 more than her nearest rival.

Those performances saw her named Maitland Sportsperson of the Year, with her achievements formally acknowledged in NSW Parliament.

Peel also spent time in the US college system with the Little Rock Trojans, earning All-Ohio Valley Conference First Team and OVC All-Newcomer Team honours in 2022.

A dynamic forward with pace, movement and a natural eye for goal, Peel now joins Essendon Royals bringing proven scoring output, competitive edge, and experience across multiple high-performance environments.

Senior coach Jaiden Van Der Heijden welcomed Peel’s arrival, highlighting her attacking instincts and winning mentality as major assets for the squad.

“We’re delighted to have Bronte in the squad and we’re excited to see her scoring goals,” he said.

“She’s excellent in the box and has a great knack for getting on the end of crosses. 

“Her aerial ability is very good, she’s a very strong player and we can’t wait to see her in action at Cross Keys.”