PAY DEAL REAL POSITIVE IT REALLY IS A BUSY LIFE

Q AWhat did you make of the recent pay deal for the Matildas. Is it enough at this point?

Absolutely, it’s a step in the right direction. Equal pay should be across the board in all industries. We’ve got the PFA (Professional Footballers Australia) behind us to help us get there, and it’s good that the FFA has come to that agreement as well. It’s a step in the same direction as well as trying to build women’s football here, trying to build our league here. I think it’s definitely a positive move.

You have always juggled work and football, now it’s probably more routine but how do you go with it nowadays?

AYou get used to it. It’s a bit of a juggling act. You’re at work all day and you have to go to training at night and be on the ball.

As you get older you get wiser and use your downtime a bit better – you fit things in before coffee or after work. You get used to being busy and getting things done quicker.

For someone who hasn’t lived it, can you describe what the juggle means? What’s a typical day of work and football look like?

AI work Monday to Friday, nine to five, with fairly flexible employment in that I have a really good boss who understands my commitment outside of work and he supports that fully, so that’s a big bonus.

I come to work, leave at five, then head straight to training for a 6pm start. At the moment they’re fairly long sessions so I’ll get home at 8.30pm, sometimes later.

Then it’s dinner, shower, bed, and we’ll do it all again the next day.