1 00:00:05,040 --> 00:00:08,119 Speaker 1: The Tillies are the Australian football team taking the country 2 00:00:08,119 --> 00:00:11,360 Speaker 1: and the world by storm. But behind every great football team, 3 00:00:11,520 --> 00:00:15,000 Speaker 1: there's an amazing team of experts working behind the scenes, 4 00:00:15,560 --> 00:00:20,000 Speaker 1: incredible women who helped to manage the Matildas. On today's episode, 5 00:00:20,160 --> 00:00:23,360 Speaker 1: we meet Anna Odont, the media and pr manager for 6 00:00:23,400 --> 00:00:26,880 Speaker 1: the Matildas. Anne is responsible for making sure the fans 7 00:00:26,960 --> 00:00:29,440 Speaker 1: get access to the players and get to learn about 8 00:00:29,480 --> 00:00:33,000 Speaker 1: their lives, but she's also equally responsible for looking after 9 00:00:33,040 --> 00:00:36,680 Speaker 1: the players and remembering that they too sometimes need a 10 00:00:36,680 --> 00:00:40,280 Speaker 1: break from the media. At an incredible home World Cup, 11 00:00:40,479 --> 00:00:43,440 Speaker 1: An and the media team worked hard behind the scenes 12 00:00:43,520 --> 00:00:46,600 Speaker 1: to make sure the Tillies captured hearts right around the world. 13 00:00:47,280 --> 00:00:50,120 Speaker 1: But Anne is also a huge advocate about stepping into 14 00:00:50,159 --> 00:00:52,800 Speaker 1: the foreground to be a visible role model for young 15 00:00:52,840 --> 00:00:56,520 Speaker 1: women and girls, and is the inspiration behind this series. 16 00:00:57,400 --> 00:00:59,560 Speaker 1: My name is Sophie Now, I'm the producer here at 17 00:00:59,560 --> 00:01:03,120 Speaker 1: the Female Athlete Project. This episode proves that there are 18 00:01:03,160 --> 00:01:06,840 Speaker 1: so many roles and opportunities for passionate sportswomen, both on 19 00:01:07,080 --> 00:01:09,520 Speaker 1: and off the field. So we hope you enjoy the 20 00:01:09,560 --> 00:01:13,640 Speaker 1: final episode of this mini series, Managing Them at Tilda's. 21 00:01:15,040 --> 00:01:16,920 Speaker 2: And welcome to the Female Athlete Project. 22 00:01:17,000 --> 00:01:18,200 Speaker 3: Thanks for having me Chloe. 23 00:01:18,480 --> 00:01:20,839 Speaker 2: This is very cool to sit down and have a chat. 24 00:01:20,840 --> 00:01:22,720 Speaker 2: We came up, well, you came up with the idea 25 00:01:22,760 --> 00:01:25,920 Speaker 2: of this mini series when we caught up, and I 26 00:01:26,000 --> 00:01:29,120 Speaker 2: love this idea and one of the main reasons you 27 00:01:29,160 --> 00:01:33,119 Speaker 2: said behind it was about allowing young people to see 28 00:01:33,160 --> 00:01:36,880 Speaker 2: opportunities in sport when they're not necessarily the athlete. 29 00:01:37,720 --> 00:01:40,160 Speaker 3: That and I also just wanted to make sure sure 30 00:01:40,200 --> 00:01:41,520 Speaker 3: some people got their flowers. 31 00:01:41,560 --> 00:01:46,360 Speaker 2: So yeah, really that, yeah, absolutely. Where did your love 32 00:01:46,440 --> 00:01:48,639 Speaker 2: for sport and for football first come from. 33 00:01:49,120 --> 00:01:53,240 Speaker 3: It actually came from my mum, which was quite surprising 34 00:01:53,280 --> 00:01:55,120 Speaker 3: now that I think about it, But my mum was 35 00:01:55,160 --> 00:02:01,080 Speaker 3: always into sport. We came to Australia in nineteen ninety 36 00:02:01,360 --> 00:02:06,200 Speaker 3: as refugees from Uganda, and I remember when we were young, 37 00:02:06,760 --> 00:02:11,760 Speaker 3: my mum was always about sport as our way to 38 00:02:11,800 --> 00:02:15,600 Speaker 3: fit into Australian society. So when we were younger, she 39 00:02:15,919 --> 00:02:21,440 Speaker 3: taught me the rules of cricket, taught me about AFL 40 00:02:21,560 --> 00:02:25,160 Speaker 3: and went to my first game with my mom. And 41 00:02:25,200 --> 00:02:28,880 Speaker 3: then football was just always massive because my grandfather, my 42 00:02:28,880 --> 00:02:32,320 Speaker 3: Bah Bah, was a massive football fan, so she always 43 00:02:32,320 --> 00:02:34,079 Speaker 3: grew up with it, and so she taught me those 44 00:02:34,160 --> 00:02:37,800 Speaker 3: rules as well. And then when we were younger, we 45 00:02:37,840 --> 00:02:42,480 Speaker 3: were put into netball and I hated it. Sorry netball, 46 00:02:42,600 --> 00:02:46,840 Speaker 3: but it just wasn't It wasn't my game. But football 47 00:02:46,919 --> 00:02:49,360 Speaker 3: was just always a constant in our house. Sport was 48 00:02:49,360 --> 00:02:53,120 Speaker 3: always a constant. I remember when I was younger, every 49 00:02:53,120 --> 00:02:56,480 Speaker 3: summer I would go to the Test at the Whacka 50 00:02:57,480 --> 00:03:00,880 Speaker 3: and it was just after school and it was past 51 00:03:00,919 --> 00:03:04,640 Speaker 3: five pm. You could go in for free in the session, 52 00:03:05,080 --> 00:03:08,119 Speaker 3: and I remember I'd always just finish school and then 53 00:03:08,520 --> 00:03:10,639 Speaker 3: hang around and wait for sort of five pm to 54 00:03:10,720 --> 00:03:13,840 Speaker 3: be able to go into the Whacker and watch test matches. 55 00:03:13,919 --> 00:03:16,720 Speaker 3: So yeah, sport was just a big part of our 56 00:03:16,760 --> 00:03:17,560 Speaker 3: lives always. 57 00:03:17,919 --> 00:03:20,520 Speaker 2: I love the way that your mum introduced you to 58 00:03:20,560 --> 00:03:23,560 Speaker 2: those sports. Did she learn about them after arriving here 59 00:03:23,639 --> 00:03:25,200 Speaker 2: or did she already have a bit of knowledge and 60 00:03:25,280 --> 00:03:26,239 Speaker 2: understanding about them? 61 00:03:26,400 --> 00:03:29,000 Speaker 3: Cricket and football she already had the knowledge and understanding, 62 00:03:29,040 --> 00:03:32,400 Speaker 3: but AFL, Yeah, she didn't know about this sport, like 63 00:03:32,680 --> 00:03:36,200 Speaker 3: we're definitely not getting that in a village in Gulu 64 00:03:36,200 --> 00:03:40,160 Speaker 3: and Uganda. But she was just always somebody who was 65 00:03:40,320 --> 00:03:43,720 Speaker 3: inquisitive and liked learning and she passed that on to 66 00:03:43,880 --> 00:03:47,800 Speaker 3: us kids, and always trying to try new things and 67 00:03:47,880 --> 00:03:51,360 Speaker 3: learn new things. So when she kind of got into AFL, 68 00:03:51,520 --> 00:03:57,440 Speaker 3: she passed that on to us. My sister not a sportsperson, 69 00:03:57,760 --> 00:04:02,360 Speaker 3: that lesson flew over her head. My younger brothers. My 70 00:04:02,440 --> 00:04:06,400 Speaker 3: youngest brother again, he's more into arts and anime and 71 00:04:06,480 --> 00:04:10,720 Speaker 3: all that kind of art area. But my middle brother, 72 00:04:11,040 --> 00:04:15,040 Speaker 3: him and I we're just massive football fancy. I've actually 73 00:04:15,200 --> 00:04:18,239 Speaker 3: moved to Sydney around about a couple of years after 74 00:04:18,320 --> 00:04:21,200 Speaker 3: I did, and he lives about fifteen minutes away from me, 75 00:04:21,360 --> 00:04:24,279 Speaker 3: so I'll still like come to his house and like 76 00:04:24,320 --> 00:04:27,560 Speaker 3: at the moment, we're doing the Euros and we'll still 77 00:04:27,560 --> 00:04:30,000 Speaker 3: watch games together and we'll talk about games together. 78 00:04:30,279 --> 00:04:33,919 Speaker 2: So yeah, at least two of the four kids picked 79 00:04:33,960 --> 00:04:36,600 Speaker 2: up sport. Yeah, it's really cool. Do you remember a 80 00:04:36,680 --> 00:04:39,800 Speaker 2: specific moment where you thought that a role in media 81 00:04:39,920 --> 00:04:43,000 Speaker 2: might be for you? 82 00:04:43,600 --> 00:04:47,640 Speaker 3: Role in media? Look, I think at the specific moment 83 00:04:47,720 --> 00:04:50,960 Speaker 3: I thought it was possible as a female to be 84 00:04:51,040 --> 00:04:54,360 Speaker 3: involved in sport, and I actually spoke to her about it, 85 00:04:54,400 --> 00:04:57,560 Speaker 3: probably about three or four weeks ago. I was watching 86 00:04:57,600 --> 00:05:00,880 Speaker 3: the ninety eight World Cup in the more earlier at 87 00:05:00,880 --> 00:05:04,520 Speaker 3: two am, three am wake ups and seeing Tracy Holmes 88 00:05:04,760 --> 00:05:08,360 Speaker 3: on the coverage. And that was ninety eight and I 89 00:05:08,400 --> 00:05:12,000 Speaker 3: think I would have been fourteen, And that was the 90 00:05:12,080 --> 00:05:18,800 Speaker 3: first real conscious, I guess representation of a woman in 91 00:05:18,839 --> 00:05:21,000 Speaker 3: sport that I saw that I was like, oh, cool, 92 00:05:21,040 --> 00:05:24,120 Speaker 3: we can kind of do this. But as I kind 93 00:05:24,160 --> 00:05:27,200 Speaker 3: of went through it, it was very especially because football 94 00:05:27,320 --> 00:05:29,799 Speaker 3: was going to be the sport that I got involved 95 00:05:29,839 --> 00:05:33,919 Speaker 3: in and I just loved it, it was very clear 96 00:05:33,960 --> 00:05:39,320 Speaker 3: that there weren't roles in football. So I actually probably 97 00:05:39,360 --> 00:05:44,080 Speaker 3: until twenty twenty that I thought, oh, okay, I could 98 00:05:44,120 --> 00:05:50,440 Speaker 3: potentially have a career in media in women's football, because 99 00:05:50,520 --> 00:05:54,000 Speaker 3: before then it was very clear that no was there 100 00:05:54,040 --> 00:05:54,520 Speaker 3: was nothing. 101 00:05:55,480 --> 00:05:59,800 Speaker 2: Wow, what was it about twenty twenty COVID? 102 00:06:00,800 --> 00:06:05,840 Speaker 3: So that was the year we had COVID. There was 103 00:06:05,880 --> 00:06:08,560 Speaker 3: a conversation about it. So we were set to do 104 00:06:08,600 --> 00:06:13,360 Speaker 3: the Olympic qualifiers in January in twenty twenty, and we 105 00:06:13,360 --> 00:06:16,880 Speaker 3: were due to go to a little place in China 106 00:06:16,920 --> 00:06:17,760 Speaker 3: coor Wuhan. 107 00:06:19,480 --> 00:06:20,800 Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, it sounds familiar. 108 00:06:21,160 --> 00:06:24,640 Speaker 3: We were about to go then. So we were set 109 00:06:24,680 --> 00:06:31,600 Speaker 3: to travel there for the Olympic qualifiers and the previous 110 00:06:31,920 --> 00:06:34,760 Speaker 3: media manager at Football Australia. Ben O'Neill, he was with 111 00:06:34,839 --> 00:06:36,960 Speaker 3: the U twenty threes, he was with the Oli Rus 112 00:06:37,200 --> 00:06:40,440 Speaker 3: and they were trying to qualify for the Olympics across 113 00:06:40,480 --> 00:06:44,760 Speaker 3: in Thailand and there was only one media officer at 114 00:06:44,760 --> 00:06:48,640 Speaker 3: the time of Football Australia, so Ben was already in Thailand, 115 00:06:48,760 --> 00:06:51,880 Speaker 3: so there was nobody with the Matildas and I was 116 00:06:52,520 --> 00:06:56,760 Speaker 3: the digital content lead at the time, and Ben was like, well, 117 00:06:56,800 --> 00:06:59,680 Speaker 3: can you go in and sort of do both roles? 118 00:07:01,200 --> 00:07:03,920 Speaker 3: And I was like, yeah, I'll give it a go. 119 00:07:04,320 --> 00:07:08,039 Speaker 3: Like I never trained in it, and I kind of 120 00:07:08,120 --> 00:07:10,240 Speaker 3: just watched what other media managers had done in the 121 00:07:10,240 --> 00:07:12,000 Speaker 3: past and that was all the stuff I sort of 122 00:07:12,040 --> 00:07:15,480 Speaker 3: brought through. I was like, I'll just kind of wing it. 123 00:07:15,680 --> 00:07:19,800 Speaker 3: So I got in and then we made the decision 124 00:07:19,800 --> 00:07:22,360 Speaker 3: that no, we weren't going to go to wu Han, 125 00:07:23,040 --> 00:07:25,800 Speaker 3: we were going to stay in Australia and would have 126 00:07:25,840 --> 00:07:30,000 Speaker 3: the Olympic qualifiers there. So I then had that role 127 00:07:30,040 --> 00:07:32,120 Speaker 3: and I kind of acted in a dual role. We 128 00:07:32,200 --> 00:07:37,280 Speaker 3: qualified for the Olympics in that tournament and the previous 129 00:07:37,680 --> 00:07:42,440 Speaker 3: game after against Vietnam, and then the Australian Olympic Committee 130 00:07:42,440 --> 00:07:44,240 Speaker 3: asked me if I wanted to be the media liaison 131 00:07:44,240 --> 00:07:48,440 Speaker 3: officer for the games, and I said yes, and then 132 00:07:48,600 --> 00:07:51,200 Speaker 3: sort of was in an acting role for kind of 133 00:07:51,240 --> 00:07:57,640 Speaker 3: six months before two friends of mine actually said, just 134 00:07:57,760 --> 00:08:02,200 Speaker 3: asked for the role, which was Steph Brad and Tracy Holmes. 135 00:08:02,480 --> 00:08:03,520 Speaker 2: Icons Yeah. 136 00:08:03,720 --> 00:08:08,840 Speaker 3: So I wasn't sure about it and I didn't know 137 00:08:09,120 --> 00:08:11,400 Speaker 3: if it was something that I could actually go for. 138 00:08:11,680 --> 00:08:15,400 Speaker 3: The role didn't exist. So Peter Filoppolos had just come 139 00:08:15,440 --> 00:08:19,720 Speaker 3: in as the head of communications, and they were the 140 00:08:19,720 --> 00:08:21,720 Speaker 3: ones that actually gave me the courage to go to 141 00:08:21,800 --> 00:08:24,960 Speaker 3: him and say, if you really want it in the end, 142 00:08:25,800 --> 00:08:29,720 Speaker 3: ask for it. And I did, and I still remember 143 00:08:29,920 --> 00:08:36,520 Speaker 3: how I absolutely I fumbled the asking so badly, but 144 00:08:36,640 --> 00:08:39,880 Speaker 3: he was lovely and he said, sure, we'll work through it. 145 00:08:39,920 --> 00:08:43,040 Speaker 3: And so then I officially transitioned across into the role 146 00:08:43,240 --> 00:08:45,640 Speaker 3: in July of twenty twenty. 147 00:08:45,400 --> 00:08:49,240 Speaker 2: One, ahead of the twenty twenty experience. What do you 148 00:08:49,320 --> 00:08:52,840 Speaker 2: think you had already in your bag and your skill 149 00:08:52,880 --> 00:08:54,800 Speaker 2: set that prepared you to do something like that. 150 00:08:57,320 --> 00:09:03,640 Speaker 3: I actually didn't have any true additional comms person skills. 151 00:09:03,800 --> 00:09:07,640 Speaker 3: I think the two attrodubuts I had was I wasn't 152 00:09:07,679 --> 00:09:12,640 Speaker 3: afraid to fail and I loved this team and had 153 00:09:12,679 --> 00:09:16,120 Speaker 3: been around this team since two thousand and five, so 154 00:09:16,240 --> 00:09:19,960 Speaker 3: I knew who they were. I knew what this team 155 00:09:20,160 --> 00:09:23,319 Speaker 3: meant and what they stood for from the current team. 156 00:09:23,400 --> 00:09:26,920 Speaker 3: But also I had a lot of connection with the alumni, 157 00:09:27,200 --> 00:09:29,679 Speaker 3: and some amazing people taught me about the history of 158 00:09:29,720 --> 00:09:33,080 Speaker 3: the team and the history of the game throughout the years. 159 00:09:33,559 --> 00:09:36,319 Speaker 3: So I think those two things and when I say 160 00:09:36,360 --> 00:09:41,320 Speaker 3: I wasn't afraid to fail, like I absolutely knew I 161 00:09:41,360 --> 00:09:46,720 Speaker 3: would fail because I didn't know this job, but I was. 162 00:09:47,400 --> 00:09:52,480 Speaker 3: I tried to always be vulnerable and raise my hand 163 00:09:52,600 --> 00:09:56,440 Speaker 3: up when I mess up and take ownership for when 164 00:09:56,880 --> 00:10:01,600 Speaker 3: I stuffed things up, and so being okay and understanding 165 00:10:01,640 --> 00:10:05,400 Speaker 3: that that is not a weakness, that it's actually a strength. 166 00:10:05,440 --> 00:10:07,880 Speaker 3: To be open and honest with people of what your 167 00:10:07,880 --> 00:10:11,320 Speaker 3: capacity is. It allows people to give you a lot 168 00:10:11,360 --> 00:10:14,640 Speaker 3: more grace when you inevitably do stuff up, when you 169 00:10:14,640 --> 00:10:17,480 Speaker 3: inevitably do mess up. So I think those were the 170 00:10:17,600 --> 00:10:21,240 Speaker 3: two things that I went in with. And I again, 171 00:10:21,480 --> 00:10:25,520 Speaker 3: when I'm talking about fumbling asking for the role, I 172 00:10:25,640 --> 00:10:30,000 Speaker 3: said to Pete two things. I say, look, I promise 173 00:10:30,080 --> 00:10:32,160 Speaker 3: two things. I'm probably going to mess up because I 174 00:10:32,240 --> 00:10:36,400 Speaker 3: don't know all of this. I'm from the University of 175 00:10:36,480 --> 00:10:41,120 Speaker 3: Google and will continue really from that university. But I 176 00:10:41,160 --> 00:10:44,640 Speaker 3: promise I'll only mess up once and learn from it, 177 00:10:46,000 --> 00:10:48,480 Speaker 3: and I will love this team and this job and 178 00:10:48,480 --> 00:10:50,040 Speaker 3: give it absolutely everything I've got. 179 00:10:51,000 --> 00:10:53,800 Speaker 2: You touched on two thousand and five. How different was 180 00:10:54,200 --> 00:10:57,360 Speaker 2: that exposed to that team back in two thousand and five. 181 00:10:58,000 --> 00:10:59,280 Speaker 3: I didn't even know who they were. 182 00:10:59,640 --> 00:10:59,960 Speaker 1: Wow. 183 00:11:00,280 --> 00:11:03,640 Speaker 3: Yeah. The way I found out about the Matildas was 184 00:11:04,679 --> 00:11:09,000 Speaker 3: my mentor, Penny Tanner. She had actually got me to 185 00:11:09,080 --> 00:11:12,280 Speaker 3: start on community radio talking about football with the World 186 00:11:12,320 --> 00:11:16,320 Speaker 3: Football Program in Perth, and she'd just seen me around 187 00:11:16,360 --> 00:11:18,560 Speaker 3: games and that saw that I kind of loved the game, 188 00:11:19,160 --> 00:11:20,719 Speaker 3: and she said, you want to join this show in 189 00:11:20,800 --> 00:11:24,160 Speaker 3: January and I said yeah, sure. Like you know, the 190 00:11:24,240 --> 00:11:27,080 Speaker 3: naivety of youth. I was twenty and I had no 191 00:11:27,200 --> 00:11:30,400 Speaker 3: idea about anything really, and I was like, okay, give 192 00:11:30,440 --> 00:11:33,960 Speaker 3: it a go. Anyway, midway through the year, we went 193 00:11:34,000 --> 00:11:39,280 Speaker 3: to a women's Standing committee meeting at Football West and 194 00:11:40,000 --> 00:11:46,280 Speaker 3: the guest there was Tom Somanni this and it's okay, Tommy. 195 00:11:46,679 --> 00:11:48,200 Speaker 3: Tommy and I are good friends. So I was like, 196 00:11:48,240 --> 00:11:53,040 Speaker 3: this short statute, mustached man with a strong Scottish brogue 197 00:11:53,320 --> 00:11:55,880 Speaker 3: and he said, oh, you know, I'm the head coach 198 00:11:55,880 --> 00:11:58,880 Speaker 3: of the Matildas. And in my head I was just thinking, 199 00:11:59,240 --> 00:12:04,080 Speaker 3: who the hell are that, and I just kept my 200 00:12:04,120 --> 00:12:06,640 Speaker 3: face really neutral, and I asked Penny afterwards, I'm like 201 00:12:07,280 --> 00:12:11,520 Speaker 3: the Matilda's and she's like, oh, they're the national team. 202 00:12:11,559 --> 00:12:14,520 Speaker 3: I'm like, we have a national team for football? 203 00:12:14,679 --> 00:12:15,160 Speaker 2: Wow? 204 00:12:15,200 --> 00:12:18,800 Speaker 3: And she was like yeah. And so from that moment on, 205 00:12:19,240 --> 00:12:21,920 Speaker 3: I was because he'd just come back into the role 206 00:12:22,760 --> 00:12:25,880 Speaker 3: after being away for a number of years. From that 207 00:12:25,920 --> 00:12:30,080 Speaker 3: minute on, we consistently tried to cover the Matildas wherever 208 00:12:30,120 --> 00:12:33,680 Speaker 3: they were, whatever they were doing on the World Football program. 209 00:12:33,720 --> 00:12:37,000 Speaker 3: But yeah, up until this point, no idea we had 210 00:12:37,000 --> 00:12:38,800 Speaker 3: a national team. 211 00:12:39,160 --> 00:12:41,240 Speaker 2: Isn't that insane? And look at you now? 212 00:12:42,400 --> 00:12:45,400 Speaker 3: Well, for so long when I was covering them, I 213 00:12:45,480 --> 00:12:48,200 Speaker 3: had this whole spiel of like, oh, yeah, I covered 214 00:12:48,200 --> 00:12:52,760 Speaker 3: the Matildas, they're the Australian women's national soccer team. And 215 00:12:52,800 --> 00:12:57,520 Speaker 3: I'd just say that consistently. And I think it was 216 00:12:57,600 --> 00:13:04,240 Speaker 3: fascinating that about twenty twenty when my former boss was like, 217 00:13:04,480 --> 00:13:07,960 Speaker 3: because I used to always use my leave from my 218 00:13:08,080 --> 00:13:12,560 Speaker 3: day job to cover football, and I remember being in 219 00:13:12,559 --> 00:13:16,080 Speaker 3: a lift and then he was like, where are you going? 220 00:13:16,080 --> 00:13:19,200 Speaker 3: And I said, I'm off to I'm off to the 221 00:13:19,280 --> 00:13:23,320 Speaker 3: Algave carp And this was about twenty sixteen, twenty seventeen. 222 00:13:23,360 --> 00:13:25,360 Speaker 3: I said, I'm after the Alcaft Cup. I'm going to 223 00:13:25,360 --> 00:13:28,160 Speaker 3: be covering the Matilda's And I started doing this feeling 224 00:13:28,160 --> 00:13:29,480 Speaker 3: It's like, oh, no, no, I know who they are. 225 00:13:29,559 --> 00:13:32,800 Speaker 3: And I was like, oh my god, somebody other than 226 00:13:32,840 --> 00:13:35,040 Speaker 3: me kind of has an idea of who they are. 227 00:13:35,240 --> 00:13:37,000 Speaker 3: So that was a pretty cool moment, and for a 228 00:13:37,080 --> 00:13:39,680 Speaker 3: long time it was about just getting people to know 229 00:13:39,679 --> 00:13:40,440 Speaker 3: who the team was. 230 00:13:41,520 --> 00:13:44,320 Speaker 2: Can you give us insight into your current role with 231 00:13:44,360 --> 00:13:47,160 Speaker 2: the Matilda's in twenty twenty four. 232 00:13:46,679 --> 00:13:51,680 Speaker 3: Yeah, So I look after MEDIUMPR and I look after 233 00:13:51,720 --> 00:13:55,320 Speaker 3: the Matildas, and I try and tell people we've actually 234 00:13:55,360 --> 00:13:58,840 Speaker 3: got five Matilda's teams. So we've got the senior team, 235 00:13:59,160 --> 00:14:02,680 Speaker 3: We've got the twenty threes, the under twenties who are 236 00:14:02,679 --> 00:14:06,440 Speaker 3: the young Matildas, the under seventeens who are the junior Matildas, 237 00:14:06,640 --> 00:14:09,839 Speaker 3: and our Power team, who are the parent Matildas. So 238 00:14:09,920 --> 00:14:13,439 Speaker 3: I look after all five of those teams in the media, 239 00:14:14,040 --> 00:14:19,240 Speaker 3: pr and commspace, and it's just about again, it's a 240 00:14:19,320 --> 00:14:22,440 Speaker 3: really easy mission. Is getting people to know and love 241 00:14:22,520 --> 00:14:26,280 Speaker 3: this team the way we know and love them, and 242 00:14:26,360 --> 00:14:29,840 Speaker 3: getting people to understand what they stand for, what they're 243 00:14:30,040 --> 00:14:34,320 Speaker 3: looking to leave as a legacy, and how you can 244 00:14:34,360 --> 00:14:38,520 Speaker 3: be a part of women's football and be somebody who 245 00:14:39,320 --> 00:14:42,240 Speaker 3: loves the game but also helps contribute to the future 246 00:14:42,240 --> 00:14:45,840 Speaker 3: of the game as well. So that involves all sorts 247 00:14:45,880 --> 00:14:49,200 Speaker 3: of things. That involves things with liaising with the media 248 00:14:49,240 --> 00:14:53,560 Speaker 3: and building relationships with the media, looking at, you know, 249 00:14:53,640 --> 00:14:57,480 Speaker 3: where Australians are and making sure the Matilda's hit that 250 00:14:57,560 --> 00:15:02,360 Speaker 3: touch point. So if Australia are in the music scene, 251 00:15:02,800 --> 00:15:07,160 Speaker 3: let's get the Matilda's collaborating with Pink or collaborating with 252 00:15:07,320 --> 00:15:11,840 Speaker 3: other musicians that they love as well. If Australians are 253 00:15:11,880 --> 00:15:14,280 Speaker 3: at the Australian Open, let's get the girls to the 254 00:15:14,320 --> 00:15:18,360 Speaker 3: Australian Open. So it's finding where Australians live and getting 255 00:15:18,360 --> 00:15:21,400 Speaker 3: them to know who the team is and what they 256 00:15:21,400 --> 00:15:24,240 Speaker 3: stand for and what they want to leave behind. 257 00:15:25,000 --> 00:15:28,840 Speaker 2: The players themselves have obviously built such a huge brand 258 00:15:29,320 --> 00:15:31,680 Speaker 2: based on their performance, but I think there's some areas 259 00:15:31,680 --> 00:15:34,680 Speaker 2: that you've touched on there. How much goes on behind 260 00:15:34,720 --> 00:15:38,240 Speaker 2: the scenes to create and build this brand that Australians 261 00:15:38,240 --> 00:15:39,120 Speaker 2: have fallen in love with. 262 00:15:40,040 --> 00:15:43,840 Speaker 3: Yeah, it's interesting the word brand because that feels in 263 00:15:43,880 --> 00:15:49,960 Speaker 3: some ways quite impersonal. When you work with human beings, 264 00:15:50,280 --> 00:15:55,960 Speaker 3: you work with people who have life stories and complexities 265 00:15:56,280 --> 00:16:00,560 Speaker 3: and have things that they want to achieve. And I 266 00:16:00,600 --> 00:16:06,359 Speaker 3: think that's where all of our staff we try and 267 00:16:06,920 --> 00:16:09,200 Speaker 3: you know your previous guest Gena has spoken about the 268 00:16:09,280 --> 00:16:12,480 Speaker 3: rod red carpet is we try and provide that red 269 00:16:12,520 --> 00:16:16,360 Speaker 3: carpet so that they can perform. And part of that 270 00:16:16,640 --> 00:16:21,600 Speaker 3: performance is handling the media because media, social media, those 271 00:16:21,640 --> 00:16:24,320 Speaker 3: are all now part of sport, like you can't get 272 00:16:24,320 --> 00:16:29,880 Speaker 3: away from them, and assuming that you can actually can 273 00:16:29,920 --> 00:16:33,240 Speaker 3: be detrimental to performance if you can't work and handle 274 00:16:33,280 --> 00:16:38,800 Speaker 3: those well enough. So what we try and do, particularly 275 00:16:38,840 --> 00:16:41,960 Speaker 3: on so I guess the media side, it's just allowed 276 00:16:42,000 --> 00:16:46,080 Speaker 3: them to be themselves and look to build something that 277 00:16:46,400 --> 00:16:50,160 Speaker 3: is authentic and real so that they don't have to 278 00:16:50,440 --> 00:16:53,480 Speaker 3: create a persona or they don't have to create an 279 00:16:53,480 --> 00:16:57,440 Speaker 3: identity that is not something that they can own and wear, 280 00:16:57,960 --> 00:17:02,080 Speaker 3: and so they're you know, you have then the complexity 281 00:17:02,120 --> 00:17:05,720 Speaker 3: of trying to be this brand that doesn't really work 282 00:17:05,800 --> 00:17:08,800 Speaker 3: for who you are rather than building something that's quite real, 283 00:17:08,880 --> 00:17:11,000 Speaker 3: so they can just be themselves. They don't have to 284 00:17:11,000 --> 00:17:13,720 Speaker 3: fake anything, they don't have to try and, you know, 285 00:17:14,960 --> 00:17:17,840 Speaker 3: pretend to be something. It's more like, Okay, this is 286 00:17:17,880 --> 00:17:20,320 Speaker 3: who they are. And that's something that we've worked really 287 00:17:20,400 --> 00:17:23,440 Speaker 3: hard to show, is that this team is twenty three, 288 00:17:23,640 --> 00:17:28,440 Speaker 3: twenty five, twenty seven complex personalities with different stories, and 289 00:17:29,520 --> 00:17:33,919 Speaker 3: those personalities somebody will find themselves in the player. So 290 00:17:34,160 --> 00:17:39,280 Speaker 3: you might not be a Steph Catley, but you're a 291 00:17:39,280 --> 00:17:42,080 Speaker 3: Alana Kennedy. You might not be an Alalana Kennedy, but 292 00:17:42,119 --> 00:17:45,280 Speaker 3: you're a Mackenzie Arnold, or you're a Mary Fowler. You'll 293 00:17:45,320 --> 00:17:49,600 Speaker 3: find yourself within one of the personalities within the team 294 00:17:49,640 --> 00:17:52,000 Speaker 3: and be able to connect with them. So it's really 295 00:17:52,040 --> 00:17:55,199 Speaker 3: important that we then tell all the stories so that 296 00:17:55,240 --> 00:17:58,240 Speaker 3: people can find that particular connection. 297 00:17:59,560 --> 00:18:03,840 Speaker 2: Looking at the World Cup, I think from the outside 298 00:18:03,840 --> 00:18:06,120 Speaker 2: it felt like like you've been involved with this team 299 00:18:06,119 --> 00:18:07,920 Speaker 2: and you've known this team for so many years. But 300 00:18:08,119 --> 00:18:10,600 Speaker 2: from the outside, it was like just this building momentum, 301 00:18:10,680 --> 00:18:13,040 Speaker 2: momentum momentum. As I got closer and closer, What was 302 00:18:13,040 --> 00:18:16,320 Speaker 2: it like being in your role as this groundswell of 303 00:18:17,040 --> 00:18:19,440 Speaker 2: anticipation was coming ahead of the World Cup. 304 00:18:19,760 --> 00:18:22,160 Speaker 3: Probably similar to Gina, I wanted to chuck my phone 305 00:18:22,200 --> 00:18:31,160 Speaker 3: away so many times it was it felt controlled yet 306 00:18:31,200 --> 00:18:35,639 Speaker 3: overwhelming at the same time. Right there was We tried 307 00:18:35,680 --> 00:18:37,800 Speaker 3: to control as much as we could. We tried to 308 00:18:37,800 --> 00:18:41,760 Speaker 3: do as much planning as possible. I started planning for 309 00:18:41,880 --> 00:18:45,080 Speaker 3: the World Cup in November in twenty twenty two and 310 00:18:45,240 --> 00:18:49,480 Speaker 3: sitting down long way out, sitting down and looking at 311 00:18:49,840 --> 00:18:52,480 Speaker 3: what are the different phases, How did we want to 312 00:18:53,000 --> 00:18:57,679 Speaker 3: work with the team, What did the team want their 313 00:18:57,760 --> 00:19:01,840 Speaker 3: message and legacy being. Because my job is and our 314 00:19:01,920 --> 00:19:04,960 Speaker 3: job as staff is to facilitate what they want, not 315 00:19:05,240 --> 00:19:08,000 Speaker 3: the other way round, not to impose on it. So 316 00:19:08,080 --> 00:19:10,800 Speaker 3: having conversations with players of what do you want your 317 00:19:10,800 --> 00:19:13,160 Speaker 3: message to be? What is that thing that you want 318 00:19:13,160 --> 00:19:16,000 Speaker 3: Australia to know about you guys? You know when we 319 00:19:16,080 --> 00:19:18,760 Speaker 3: finished the tournament on the twentieth of August, what is 320 00:19:18,800 --> 00:19:22,800 Speaker 3: it that you want to have had left behind? And 321 00:19:22,840 --> 00:19:24,879 Speaker 3: then my job is to take all that information that 322 00:19:24,920 --> 00:19:28,800 Speaker 3: they give me and simplify the communication of that. And 323 00:19:28,840 --> 00:19:31,720 Speaker 3: for us it was just three really clear points, which 324 00:19:31,800 --> 00:19:35,920 Speaker 3: is leave a legacy, transform the game and United Nation 325 00:19:36,560 --> 00:19:40,040 Speaker 3: and just keeping it really clear and simple in those 326 00:19:40,040 --> 00:19:45,240 Speaker 3: three pieces. And so that was the control that we 327 00:19:45,320 --> 00:19:48,720 Speaker 3: could have. The control we couldn't have was the reaction 328 00:19:49,760 --> 00:19:58,200 Speaker 3: and the just the ferocity of want and connection and 329 00:19:58,880 --> 00:20:02,160 Speaker 3: you know, the media requests that came in, and we'd 330 00:20:02,200 --> 00:20:04,880 Speaker 3: had the conversation really early on is like, again, our 331 00:20:04,960 --> 00:20:08,600 Speaker 3: job is to protect that high performance environment and to 332 00:20:08,680 --> 00:20:12,320 Speaker 3: make sure that they're able to get up that next 333 00:20:12,400 --> 00:20:17,200 Speaker 3: day and do the job, because ultimately my job doesn't 334 00:20:17,240 --> 00:20:21,400 Speaker 3: exist if they don't perform or can't perform, like I'm 335 00:20:21,560 --> 00:20:26,600 Speaker 3: basically superfluous to the task in the end, So being 336 00:20:26,640 --> 00:20:30,920 Speaker 3: in a situation where they can actually do that, and 337 00:20:31,480 --> 00:20:35,800 Speaker 3: sometimes that means eating a lot of crap, Like sometimes 338 00:20:35,840 --> 00:20:37,840 Speaker 3: you have to be the one that just wears it 339 00:20:38,040 --> 00:20:41,960 Speaker 3: and you know, cops it. Whether it's from media, whether 340 00:20:42,000 --> 00:20:46,360 Speaker 3: it's from fans, as Gena spoke about as well, whatever 341 00:20:46,440 --> 00:20:49,280 Speaker 3: it is. Sometimes it's just you just got to take 342 00:20:49,320 --> 00:20:52,639 Speaker 3: that on because that's the task and that's your job. 343 00:20:53,840 --> 00:20:56,720 Speaker 3: And I think during the World Cup, you know, as 344 00:20:57,119 --> 00:21:00,560 Speaker 3: we progressed, there was a lot more to to be 345 00:21:00,600 --> 00:21:04,240 Speaker 3: able to have access to the players, but we couldn't 346 00:21:04,560 --> 00:21:08,800 Speaker 3: we couldn't break on that because that would create much 347 00:21:08,840 --> 00:21:12,440 Speaker 3: more you know, energy drain on them, and they needed 348 00:21:12,440 --> 00:21:14,880 Speaker 3: that energy to get through a really tough tournament where 349 00:21:14,920 --> 00:21:19,760 Speaker 3: you've got seven games across four weeks. 350 00:21:19,600 --> 00:21:22,720 Speaker 2: Looking ahead just prior to game one in the Sam 351 00:21:22,800 --> 00:21:25,679 Speaker 2: Kirk calf Strain, What on earth was that like in 352 00:21:25,720 --> 00:21:32,080 Speaker 2: your role? I can laugh about it now, I can 353 00:21:32,240 --> 00:21:33,240 Speaker 2: laugh about it now. 354 00:21:34,240 --> 00:21:38,199 Speaker 3: At that time, it was you've got fifteen minutes to 355 00:21:38,320 --> 00:21:39,520 Speaker 3: put together a comms plan. 356 00:21:39,960 --> 00:21:40,720 Speaker 2: Fifteen minutes. 357 00:21:41,960 --> 00:21:48,840 Speaker 3: Yeah, whoa, because there's multiple stakeholders involved in something that big. 358 00:21:50,080 --> 00:21:54,600 Speaker 3: But also the key thing again I know we come 359 00:21:54,680 --> 00:21:57,640 Speaker 3: back to it is the team had to perform that night, 360 00:21:57,880 --> 00:22:00,959 Speaker 3: the opening match of the World Cup, where they'd been 361 00:22:01,000 --> 00:22:04,080 Speaker 3: preparing for it for two years. It wasn't just the 362 00:22:04,119 --> 00:22:06,560 Speaker 3: pre camp or the pre pre camp that we had, 363 00:22:07,160 --> 00:22:10,920 Speaker 3: It was two years of anticipation to that match. And 364 00:22:11,000 --> 00:22:15,840 Speaker 3: so you are trying to do two things. One is 365 00:22:16,320 --> 00:22:20,240 Speaker 3: protect the player, protect the human at the heart of it. 366 00:22:21,720 --> 00:22:25,119 Speaker 3: And then number two is protect the team so that 367 00:22:25,160 --> 00:22:27,960 Speaker 3: they can still go out and be able to perform 368 00:22:28,000 --> 00:22:31,119 Speaker 3: in that moment. And the key thing for us was 369 00:22:31,280 --> 00:22:33,760 Speaker 3: we had to keep that internal because it was a 370 00:22:33,800 --> 00:22:37,200 Speaker 3: performance advantage. If that got out. You know, if Ireland 371 00:22:37,240 --> 00:22:42,080 Speaker 3: knew twelve fifteen hours beforehand, that's a performance advantage. And 372 00:22:42,200 --> 00:22:46,119 Speaker 3: ultimately the key to things. Protecting the player and the 373 00:22:46,200 --> 00:22:50,879 Speaker 3: human protecting the team are the ultimate pieces. And again 374 00:22:51,320 --> 00:22:54,200 Speaker 3: that that means you have to copy it, and boy 375 00:22:54,280 --> 00:22:58,359 Speaker 3: did we cop it. That's what you do. 376 00:23:00,080 --> 00:23:03,160 Speaker 2: Formed incredibly well. I feel like you you mentioned those 377 00:23:03,200 --> 00:23:08,399 Speaker 2: three key focus areas that are not that they're simple, 378 00:23:08,440 --> 00:23:10,840 Speaker 2: but not that easy to achieve the idea of uniting 379 00:23:10,840 --> 00:23:14,119 Speaker 2: a nation is a very large task, but that was 380 00:23:14,240 --> 00:23:18,199 Speaker 2: achieved over and above what was managing the beast like 381 00:23:18,400 --> 00:23:19,280 Speaker 2: off the back of that. 382 00:23:20,240 --> 00:23:24,960 Speaker 3: I mean, it was so straight after that we you know, 383 00:23:25,080 --> 00:23:30,600 Speaker 3: as Gina mentioned, you're out of the tournament. Everything everything 384 00:23:30,600 --> 00:23:34,320 Speaker 3: stops really quickly, but there was still the momentum with 385 00:23:34,400 --> 00:23:38,760 Speaker 3: the team. But the reality is we were all exhausted 386 00:23:39,400 --> 00:23:43,639 Speaker 3: ten weeks in a camp in an intense home World 387 00:23:43,680 --> 00:23:49,240 Speaker 3: Cup where the focus was on you all as a team. 388 00:23:50,080 --> 00:23:52,680 Speaker 3: And then by the end of that camp, as always 389 00:23:52,840 --> 00:23:55,040 Speaker 3: is the way, when your body starts to know that 390 00:23:55,080 --> 00:23:57,719 Speaker 3: things are winding down, you start to get sick. So 391 00:23:57,960 --> 00:24:03,480 Speaker 3: I started getting sick about the night the night of 392 00:24:03,640 --> 00:24:07,000 Speaker 3: the bronze medal match and then slowly started to get 393 00:24:07,040 --> 00:24:09,439 Speaker 3: sicker and sicker. But there were a lot of media 394 00:24:10,440 --> 00:24:15,080 Speaker 3: requests after that, but ultimately the players needed a break, 395 00:24:16,400 --> 00:24:19,520 Speaker 3: your staff needed a break, and to be honest, after 396 00:24:20,080 --> 00:24:22,880 Speaker 3: that time frame, there was about five days where we 397 00:24:22,920 --> 00:24:26,040 Speaker 3: tried to clear out any media requests that we could 398 00:24:26,119 --> 00:24:28,240 Speaker 3: before the players went on a break, and some players 399 00:24:28,320 --> 00:24:30,600 Speaker 3: were just they were they were done, They really needed 400 00:24:30,840 --> 00:24:37,280 Speaker 3: that just time away. And then after that I burnt out. 401 00:24:37,800 --> 00:24:44,080 Speaker 3: I just I couldn't function talk. Think if you'd asked 402 00:24:44,119 --> 00:24:48,000 Speaker 3: me to write not let alone a media release, if 403 00:24:48,040 --> 00:24:50,000 Speaker 3: you'd ask me to write a WhatsApp message, I wouldn't 404 00:24:50,000 --> 00:24:52,800 Speaker 3: be able to put those words together at all. And 405 00:24:53,400 --> 00:24:56,520 Speaker 3: I ended up going to Vietnam for ten days just 406 00:24:56,600 --> 00:24:58,960 Speaker 3: to get away from it. And it was a really 407 00:24:59,000 --> 00:25:04,159 Speaker 3: interesting time because we'd been so focused on the task, 408 00:25:04,320 --> 00:25:07,400 Speaker 3: the mission, the team for so long. As I said, 409 00:25:07,440 --> 00:25:10,720 Speaker 3: not just those ten weeks, but also the two years beforehand. 410 00:25:11,560 --> 00:25:15,520 Speaker 3: That the funniest part was everybody wanted to talk about 411 00:25:15,560 --> 00:25:18,760 Speaker 3: the Mathildas and the World Cup, and the last thing 412 00:25:18,800 --> 00:25:20,920 Speaker 3: I wanted to talk about was the Matildas and the 413 00:25:20,960 --> 00:25:21,480 Speaker 3: World Cup. 414 00:25:21,760 --> 00:25:22,840 Speaker 2: Yeah, because. 415 00:25:23,960 --> 00:25:26,560 Speaker 3: That had been just the overwhelming focus for so long. 416 00:25:27,640 --> 00:25:30,600 Speaker 3: It got to the point where I just needed to 417 00:25:30,640 --> 00:25:32,199 Speaker 3: be away from all of it. And that was a 418 00:25:32,240 --> 00:25:36,359 Speaker 3: really interesting time and moment because how's the World Cup? 419 00:25:36,480 --> 00:25:37,359 Speaker 2: Yeah, it was great. 420 00:25:38,400 --> 00:25:40,639 Speaker 3: Meanwhile, I was like, I just I just want to 421 00:25:40,760 --> 00:25:43,440 Speaker 3: go away for a little bit and just not think 422 00:25:43,480 --> 00:25:46,960 Speaker 3: about it because that was all consuming for that timeframe. 423 00:25:47,640 --> 00:25:50,879 Speaker 2: Did that trip away allow you to decompress and be 424 00:25:51,000 --> 00:25:52,520 Speaker 2: ready to go when you came back again. 425 00:25:53,040 --> 00:25:56,320 Speaker 3: Yeah, because the funniest thing was after sort of that. 426 00:25:57,359 --> 00:25:59,359 Speaker 3: It ended up being sort of, you know, the week 427 00:25:59,520 --> 00:26:03,600 Speaker 3: after the World Cup, then two weeks away, and then 428 00:26:03,640 --> 00:26:06,840 Speaker 3: I came back. And then then I slightly First of all, 429 00:26:06,840 --> 00:26:09,440 Speaker 3: I started to get a bit better because I'm still 430 00:26:09,520 --> 00:26:12,040 Speaker 3: sick when I was over in Vietnam, and I slowly 431 00:26:12,080 --> 00:26:15,000 Speaker 3: started to get better. And then as I kind of 432 00:26:15,040 --> 00:26:17,639 Speaker 3: like my brain came back online. It was about five 433 00:26:17,680 --> 00:26:21,040 Speaker 3: weeks after the World Cup, and then it was like, oh, 434 00:26:21,080 --> 00:26:24,440 Speaker 3: you've got Olympic qualifiers in Perth. Okay, cool. 435 00:26:24,960 --> 00:26:27,800 Speaker 2: Oh so I feel like exhausted for you. 436 00:26:28,119 --> 00:26:31,639 Speaker 3: So it was just like moving from the World Cup 437 00:26:31,960 --> 00:26:35,680 Speaker 3: and we had that September window off, which thank goodness, 438 00:26:36,359 --> 00:26:38,520 Speaker 3: and then it was we had the October window and 439 00:26:38,560 --> 00:26:41,879 Speaker 3: we've got to try and start the qualification for Olympics. 440 00:26:42,480 --> 00:26:46,440 Speaker 3: So I mean that timeframe just going away to Vietnam. 441 00:26:46,480 --> 00:26:49,960 Speaker 3: I went to Hanoi and just was by myself. I 442 00:26:49,960 --> 00:26:52,040 Speaker 3: couldn't even go home. I wanted to go home, but 443 00:26:52,080 --> 00:26:54,720 Speaker 3: I couldn't because I knew my family would want to 444 00:26:54,760 --> 00:26:57,320 Speaker 3: talk about it, and you know, people would want to 445 00:26:57,359 --> 00:26:59,359 Speaker 3: talk about it, and I just didn't want to talk 446 00:26:59,480 --> 00:27:02,640 Speaker 3: football for a while. And that was the best thing 447 00:27:02,680 --> 00:27:06,040 Speaker 3: that I did. And again that I was truly supported 448 00:27:06,040 --> 00:27:11,359 Speaker 3: by that by Peter and Bectrovoevich, who is our GM 449 00:27:11,400 --> 00:27:14,760 Speaker 3: of comms of just just going away and throwing away 450 00:27:14,800 --> 00:27:15,800 Speaker 3: that phone for a while. 451 00:27:16,680 --> 00:27:18,800 Speaker 2: What is the most challenging part of your role? 452 00:27:21,560 --> 00:27:29,280 Speaker 3: The most challenging I think is balancing and communicating to 453 00:27:29,400 --> 00:27:34,520 Speaker 3: people the difference between the human and the athlete. I 454 00:27:34,560 --> 00:27:41,000 Speaker 3: think sometimes people don't understand that piece of Yes, they're athletes, 455 00:27:41,119 --> 00:27:42,960 Speaker 3: Yes they have a job to do, Yes they have 456 00:27:43,119 --> 00:27:47,840 Speaker 3: roles to perform, but they're also human beings and some 457 00:27:47,880 --> 00:27:53,520 Speaker 3: of them, particularly, we're not supposed to be in this 458 00:27:54,680 --> 00:27:58,439 Speaker 3: intense environment, like the microscope they're under and the amount 459 00:27:58,520 --> 00:28:03,720 Speaker 3: of media attention they're under. Unlike men's football, this has 460 00:28:03,760 --> 00:28:08,639 Speaker 3: happened just like that, and that's a really big learning 461 00:28:08,680 --> 00:28:12,160 Speaker 3: curve for some of these players who are still quite young. 462 00:28:12,880 --> 00:28:16,600 Speaker 3: I mean, you're asking twenty two to twenty three, twenty 463 00:28:16,600 --> 00:28:18,800 Speaker 3: four year olds to be in the glare of the 464 00:28:18,880 --> 00:28:23,639 Speaker 3: public eye and it's just changed like that, And so 465 00:28:24,240 --> 00:28:29,119 Speaker 3: guess what they have human reactions to things, you know, 466 00:28:29,240 --> 00:28:33,040 Speaker 3: the you know, the ferocious media beast that it can 467 00:28:33,119 --> 00:28:35,439 Speaker 3: be of, like, you know, we want to talk to 468 00:28:35,480 --> 00:28:37,320 Speaker 3: this player, we want to have this player on, and 469 00:28:37,359 --> 00:28:40,920 Speaker 3: it's like, actually, that player is just really tired right 470 00:28:40,960 --> 00:28:45,480 Speaker 3: now and got to look after them as a person first. 471 00:28:46,000 --> 00:28:49,320 Speaker 3: And I think explaining that and working through that, I 472 00:28:49,320 --> 00:28:52,280 Speaker 3: think that can be really challenging because there's this expectation 473 00:28:52,440 --> 00:28:54,680 Speaker 3: that of course they want it, of course they want 474 00:28:54,880 --> 00:28:58,240 Speaker 3: like why wouldn't they And they do. But it's also 475 00:28:59,000 --> 00:29:05,320 Speaker 3: you're asking people to be on quite consistently. And the 476 00:29:05,360 --> 00:29:08,560 Speaker 3: way I kind of sometimes say it to people is, 477 00:29:09,200 --> 00:29:12,719 Speaker 3: could you imagine if your job is administration and you 478 00:29:12,800 --> 00:29:16,480 Speaker 3: are typing, you know, away, tapping away on your computer 479 00:29:17,280 --> 00:29:19,280 Speaker 3: and seventy five thousand people are watching you as you 480 00:29:19,320 --> 00:29:21,840 Speaker 3: tap away on your computer. Oh stressful. 481 00:29:22,640 --> 00:29:24,880 Speaker 2: It's a good analogy, but that's what they're doing. 482 00:29:24,920 --> 00:29:28,600 Speaker 3: They're doing their job and seventy five thousand people, sixty 483 00:29:28,640 --> 00:29:32,760 Speaker 3: thousand people are watching them perform their job, and another 484 00:29:32,800 --> 00:29:36,560 Speaker 3: few million and I throw and everybody has an opinion 485 00:29:36,600 --> 00:29:42,120 Speaker 3: on it. And on top of that, again, they can 486 00:29:42,160 --> 00:29:45,680 Speaker 3: be quite young in the scheme of life. They're twenty 487 00:29:45,680 --> 00:29:47,760 Speaker 3: two to twenty three, twenty four year olds, and you're 488 00:29:47,760 --> 00:29:50,640 Speaker 3: asking them to do all that. So when you put 489 00:29:50,640 --> 00:29:54,000 Speaker 3: it in that context of you know, whatever your job 490 00:29:54,080 --> 00:29:56,520 Speaker 3: or your role is, imagine you are sitting in the 491 00:29:56,520 --> 00:30:01,040 Speaker 3: center of a stadium and seventy five thousand, six fifty 492 00:30:01,120 --> 00:30:04,320 Speaker 3: thousand people are watching you perform your job for ninety minutes. 493 00:30:05,960 --> 00:30:11,120 Speaker 2: Yeahs. Do you have a favorite failure in your career? 494 00:30:15,000 --> 00:30:16,680 Speaker 3: Do I have a favorite failure? 495 00:30:18,280 --> 00:30:18,520 Speaker 2: Yeah? 496 00:30:18,640 --> 00:30:22,200 Speaker 3: Actually, I think my favorite failure is I used to 497 00:30:22,480 --> 00:30:28,680 Speaker 3: run the women's game. And I remember as women's football 498 00:30:28,680 --> 00:30:32,720 Speaker 3: started to become a bit more consistent in its media coverage, 499 00:30:32,920 --> 00:30:36,360 Speaker 3: it kind of changed. There was a you know, when 500 00:30:36,360 --> 00:30:41,400 Speaker 3: I first started with the women's game, it was about coverage. 501 00:30:41,480 --> 00:30:45,160 Speaker 3: It was about making sure people knew the who, what, when, where, 502 00:30:46,440 --> 00:30:50,160 Speaker 3: you know, kind of just getting that information out, not 503 00:30:50,240 --> 00:30:52,160 Speaker 3: even the why or the how, because we just needed 504 00:30:52,160 --> 00:30:55,160 Speaker 3: to do the first things, and then slowly it became 505 00:30:55,200 --> 00:30:57,800 Speaker 3: about the why and the how, and slowly it became 506 00:30:57,840 --> 00:31:03,640 Speaker 3: more about being more or I guess critical. And by 507 00:31:03,680 --> 00:31:07,440 Speaker 3: that time I was thirteen years into this, and I 508 00:31:07,520 --> 00:31:11,800 Speaker 3: knew the players, I knew their families, I knew their partners, 509 00:31:11,840 --> 00:31:15,040 Speaker 3: I knew their friends, like there was a connection there. 510 00:31:15,760 --> 00:31:19,000 Speaker 3: And I was starting to be asked to write more 511 00:31:19,080 --> 00:31:24,760 Speaker 3: articles that would be a lot more critical, and I 512 00:31:24,800 --> 00:31:27,080 Speaker 3: remember I was asked to actually do one that like 513 00:31:27,240 --> 00:31:32,840 Speaker 3: basically was to go in on the team, and I 514 00:31:32,880 --> 00:31:36,440 Speaker 3: just realized I couldn't do it. I didn't. I don't 515 00:31:36,480 --> 00:31:38,400 Speaker 3: know if I didn't. I don't know if the word 516 00:31:38,480 --> 00:31:42,120 Speaker 3: is the guts or whatever it was. I didn't have 517 00:31:42,200 --> 00:31:45,120 Speaker 3: the stomach or the metal to be able to do it. 518 00:31:46,040 --> 00:31:50,080 Speaker 3: And I think that's the time I realized I couldn't 519 00:31:50,120 --> 00:31:52,560 Speaker 3: be I couldn't be a journalist. I couldn't be a 520 00:31:52,600 --> 00:31:57,000 Speaker 3: reporter in that way and be that objective. And that's 521 00:31:57,000 --> 00:31:59,640 Speaker 3: when I slowly moved across to start to do a 522 00:31:59,640 --> 00:32:03,800 Speaker 3: lot more content because I realized I'm not going to 523 00:32:04,000 --> 00:32:07,040 Speaker 3: I can't do that job. I'm going to be really 524 00:32:07,080 --> 00:32:07,880 Speaker 3: bad at that job. 525 00:32:09,000 --> 00:32:10,320 Speaker 2: Do you have a career highlight. 526 00:32:11,720 --> 00:32:17,400 Speaker 3: Yeah, I know. My career highlight is actually at the 527 00:32:17,440 --> 00:32:24,280 Speaker 3: Olympics against Great Britain and when we defeated Great Britain 528 00:32:24,520 --> 00:32:30,640 Speaker 3: at at Tokyo, and it was a career highlight for 529 00:32:30,680 --> 00:32:34,280 Speaker 3: two reasons. One, I remember facetiming a couple of friends 530 00:32:34,360 --> 00:32:40,479 Speaker 3: of mine, including Sarah Groove and Sheryl Downs, who runs 531 00:32:40,680 --> 00:32:44,920 Speaker 3: beyond ninety right now. And I remember facetiming them on 532 00:32:45,000 --> 00:32:48,680 Speaker 3: the bench before the game before that quarter final, because 533 00:32:49,280 --> 00:32:52,760 Speaker 3: there had been alongside me and so many big moments 534 00:32:53,240 --> 00:32:55,960 Speaker 3: and it was just weird not to have them there 535 00:32:56,120 --> 00:32:59,520 Speaker 3: for what could potentially be another big moment. And I 536 00:32:59,520 --> 00:33:02,280 Speaker 3: remember timing them and telling them thank you for being 537 00:33:02,400 --> 00:33:06,400 Speaker 3: just amazing friends and support throughout. Like my whole I 538 00:33:06,400 --> 00:33:09,240 Speaker 3: wouldn't even call it a career, it was just my own, 539 00:33:09,440 --> 00:33:15,160 Speaker 3: my whole passion. And then and then we played that 540 00:33:15,280 --> 00:33:18,200 Speaker 3: quarter final and we won, and I've been to through 541 00:33:18,240 --> 00:33:22,400 Speaker 3: so many like moments where we'd gotten too quarterfinals and 542 00:33:23,400 --> 00:33:31,680 Speaker 3: just pain twenty eleven in Germany against Sweden. Sweden's actually 543 00:33:31,720 --> 00:33:35,760 Speaker 3: a theme here, so luckily they're not in the Olympics 544 00:33:35,760 --> 00:33:40,200 Speaker 3: because there've been a theme, you know, great result twenty eleven, 545 00:33:41,040 --> 00:33:43,560 Speaker 3: you know, losing the Asian Cup in twenty fourteen, the 546 00:33:43,760 --> 00:33:46,600 Speaker 3: twenty fifteen Well Carver, the quarter final against Japan and 547 00:33:46,680 --> 00:33:52,520 Speaker 3: losing that as well. Twenty sixteen, the penalty shootout against Brazil. 548 00:33:53,960 --> 00:33:56,880 Speaker 3: There's just been so many of those moments where we 549 00:33:56,880 --> 00:34:01,640 Speaker 3: were almost there and and it just we just fell short. 550 00:34:01,920 --> 00:34:04,600 Speaker 3: So to be there for a moment another quarter final 551 00:34:05,560 --> 00:34:11,160 Speaker 3: and we actually made the breakthrough moment that that was beautiful. 552 00:34:11,480 --> 00:34:12,600 Speaker 2: Yeah, that's really special. 553 00:34:12,680 --> 00:34:13,480 Speaker 3: Yeah. 554 00:34:13,520 --> 00:34:17,480 Speaker 2: Any advice for young people who might want to have 555 00:34:17,560 --> 00:34:20,239 Speaker 2: a career in media comms pr. 556 00:34:20,880 --> 00:34:23,920 Speaker 3: Yeah, I think two things that I would say. I 557 00:34:23,920 --> 00:34:28,600 Speaker 3: would go back to that vulnerability piece is be okay 558 00:34:28,920 --> 00:34:34,920 Speaker 3: with being open with your capability. Sony has a quote 559 00:34:35,040 --> 00:34:41,760 Speaker 3: about loving someone for who they are, but also respecting 560 00:34:41,760 --> 00:34:44,320 Speaker 3: who they could be, and I think it's that same 561 00:34:44,520 --> 00:34:49,080 Speaker 3: thing of understanding what your capacity is right now and 562 00:34:49,120 --> 00:34:52,439 Speaker 3: being open and honest with people about that, but also 563 00:34:52,560 --> 00:34:55,560 Speaker 3: understanding what you could potentially be and working towards that 564 00:34:55,640 --> 00:34:59,240 Speaker 3: as well, and always looking to build, always looking to learn, 565 00:34:59,640 --> 00:35:04,520 Speaker 3: always looking at other people. You don't want to be 566 00:35:04,840 --> 00:35:07,120 Speaker 3: the smartest person in a room, because then you're in 567 00:35:07,160 --> 00:35:09,680 Speaker 3: the wrong room. You're not actually going to grow from that, 568 00:35:10,360 --> 00:35:13,440 Speaker 3: and I always get challenged by being in rooms with 569 00:35:13,600 --> 00:35:18,719 Speaker 3: other really senior, really experienced media managers, and I will 570 00:35:18,760 --> 00:35:21,719 Speaker 3: always talk to them and tap their brains about what 571 00:35:21,800 --> 00:35:25,000 Speaker 3: they've done. I mean, even in building the World Cup plan, 572 00:35:26,000 --> 00:35:28,880 Speaker 3: I can openly and honestly say I didn't do that myself. 573 00:35:29,000 --> 00:35:36,400 Speaker 3: I spoke to the media manager of the US, England, Germany, Sweden, Canada, 574 00:35:36,800 --> 00:35:40,120 Speaker 3: France because they'd all had home tournaments and ask them 575 00:35:40,280 --> 00:35:42,200 Speaker 3: what did they do really well and what did they 576 00:35:42,200 --> 00:35:45,960 Speaker 3: wish they'd learned previously, And that helped me build our 577 00:35:46,040 --> 00:35:49,719 Speaker 3: media plan for the World Cup. So I would say 578 00:35:50,000 --> 00:35:54,000 Speaker 3: is just understand where you are, be open and honest 579 00:35:54,000 --> 00:35:56,719 Speaker 3: with people around what you can and what you can't do, 580 00:35:57,239 --> 00:36:00,440 Speaker 3: and then work towards that greater capacity for the future 581 00:36:02,120 --> 00:36:04,600 Speaker 3: that would be mine. And love what you do and 582 00:36:04,680 --> 00:36:08,400 Speaker 3: know exactly why you're doing it, because that why is 583 00:36:08,440 --> 00:36:11,480 Speaker 3: what's going to hold you through those times when you 584 00:36:11,560 --> 00:36:14,960 Speaker 3: are sitting at three am and you've still got haven't 585 00:36:14,960 --> 00:36:17,120 Speaker 3: sent a media release out. It needs to go out 586 00:36:17,160 --> 00:36:23,040 Speaker 3: after a game, quen but that why is, it's what's 587 00:36:23,080 --> 00:36:25,160 Speaker 3: going to hold you through the really hard time since 588 00:36:25,160 --> 00:36:27,160 Speaker 3: soon understanding that really clearly. 589 00:36:27,640 --> 00:36:31,279 Speaker 2: Yeah, it's some amazing advice. Can you touch on the 590 00:36:31,400 --> 00:36:34,440 Speaker 2: tournament that you're a little side project that you're involved 591 00:36:34,440 --> 00:36:37,240 Speaker 2: with organizing that we chatted about a couple of months ago. 592 00:36:37,200 --> 00:36:37,520 Speaker 1: Ha ha. 593 00:36:38,760 --> 00:36:44,160 Speaker 3: Yeah, So I'm looking at organizing Women's African Cup for 594 00:36:44,440 --> 00:36:47,879 Speaker 3: the end of this year. It's called the Coma Emojor Cup, 595 00:36:47,920 --> 00:36:53,960 Speaker 3: which is Swahili for as One altogether, and the whole 596 00:36:54,000 --> 00:36:58,319 Speaker 3: tournament is about trying to get more girls from multicultural 597 00:36:58,320 --> 00:37:02,000 Speaker 3: backgrounds being involved in full and loving the game and 598 00:37:02,080 --> 00:37:04,959 Speaker 3: trying to bring down the cultural stereotypes about what women 599 00:37:05,000 --> 00:37:07,000 Speaker 3: and girls can do and how they can perform in 600 00:37:07,040 --> 00:37:11,960 Speaker 3: the game. So I'm really passionate about that because I 601 00:37:12,120 --> 00:37:15,640 Speaker 3: just see so many girls from my background in my community, 602 00:37:15,880 --> 00:37:22,280 Speaker 3: a community and refugees and migrants who don't feel included 603 00:37:22,320 --> 00:37:24,360 Speaker 3: in the game and feel locked out of the game, 604 00:37:24,719 --> 00:37:27,960 Speaker 3: and want to make sure we create a space and 605 00:37:28,360 --> 00:37:33,239 Speaker 3: a space for conversation and a space for them to go. Yeah, 606 00:37:33,239 --> 00:37:36,880 Speaker 3: this is my game as well, because they're incredible athletes. 607 00:37:37,320 --> 00:37:39,600 Speaker 3: I mean, we felt the sting of it when we 608 00:37:39,640 --> 00:37:42,680 Speaker 3: played Nigeria and the World Cup and it's just how 609 00:37:42,719 --> 00:37:49,080 Speaker 3: incredible athletic they are, smart, tactically intelligent, all of those things. 610 00:37:49,080 --> 00:37:51,279 Speaker 3: And I think as a sport, if we want to 611 00:37:51,320 --> 00:37:53,920 Speaker 3: continue to progress, we need to be able to utilize 612 00:37:53,920 --> 00:37:57,880 Speaker 3: the talents of our whole community, our whole society. And 613 00:37:57,920 --> 00:38:00,680 Speaker 3: I think that's one of the reasons I'm really passionate 614 00:38:00,719 --> 00:38:02,000 Speaker 3: about driving that one forward. 615 00:38:02,360 --> 00:38:05,839 Speaker 2: Yeah, it's such an incredible concept. And just on that note, 616 00:38:05,840 --> 00:38:08,160 Speaker 2: that idea of a lot of those women and girls 617 00:38:08,200 --> 00:38:10,760 Speaker 2: feeling like they don't belong in sport, what's the importance 618 00:38:10,800 --> 00:38:14,160 Speaker 2: of also having diverse representation at the media level as well. 619 00:38:14,760 --> 00:38:17,279 Speaker 3: It's incredibly important and it's one of the reasons we're 620 00:38:17,320 --> 00:38:22,520 Speaker 3: lucky we are a reasonably diverse team. The Senior Matilda's 621 00:38:22,920 --> 00:38:26,080 Speaker 3: we're a very diverse team now at the youth levels. 622 00:38:26,520 --> 00:38:35,880 Speaker 3: I mean, we've got girls from you know, Greek, Thai, Filipino, Zimbabwean, Chilean, 623 00:38:36,120 --> 00:38:39,799 Speaker 3: Argentinian background all look and we're starting to very much 624 00:38:39,880 --> 00:38:43,800 Speaker 3: look like Australian society in all its shapes and sizes 625 00:38:43,920 --> 00:38:48,600 Speaker 3: and backgrounds. But I think, you know, one of the 626 00:38:48,600 --> 00:38:52,920 Speaker 3: reasons I actually I actually looked at this series was 627 00:38:53,600 --> 00:38:56,480 Speaker 3: for a long time I wanted to be in the background. 628 00:38:56,560 --> 00:39:01,320 Speaker 3: And I still feel pretty uncomfortable being in the foreground, 629 00:39:01,320 --> 00:39:05,240 Speaker 3: and I definitely enjoy being in the background a lot more. 630 00:39:07,200 --> 00:39:10,560 Speaker 3: And I remember when we were in Townsville in twenty 631 00:39:10,640 --> 00:39:13,600 Speaker 3: twenty two and we were doing a signing session with 632 00:39:13,680 --> 00:39:16,839 Speaker 3: the girls, and again we're staff. We was to try 633 00:39:16,880 --> 00:39:21,080 Speaker 3: and facilitate connection with the fans and the players. And normally, 634 00:39:21,200 --> 00:39:23,080 Speaker 3: you know, if I see somebody, you know, trying to 635 00:39:23,080 --> 00:39:24,799 Speaker 3: get the attention of a player, I'll go over and 636 00:39:24,840 --> 00:39:27,400 Speaker 3: try and ask him, how who is it that you're looking? 637 00:39:27,560 --> 00:39:31,839 Speaker 3: And she was probably about eleven or twelve, and I said, 638 00:39:32,040 --> 00:39:34,520 Speaker 3: you know, asked her, Okay, which plage you want? Were 639 00:39:34,520 --> 00:39:37,440 Speaker 3: you looking to like chat two? We'll bring across And 640 00:39:37,520 --> 00:39:40,719 Speaker 3: she said, no, I don't want a player. I want you. 641 00:39:40,800 --> 00:39:44,400 Speaker 3: I want to know how I do your job. And 642 00:39:44,440 --> 00:39:48,520 Speaker 3: that was a really like thought provoking moment. And you know, 643 00:39:48,680 --> 00:39:51,920 Speaker 3: I think I said it to both Melandrietta to Gina. 644 00:39:52,680 --> 00:39:54,399 Speaker 3: I might have said it to Georgia. I'm not too 645 00:39:54,440 --> 00:39:59,799 Speaker 3: sure about stepping into the foreground is really important for 646 00:39:59,920 --> 00:40:03,000 Speaker 3: us us even as support stuff because and I think 647 00:40:03,000 --> 00:40:06,000 Speaker 3: I said it to them was don't be selfish. And 648 00:40:06,040 --> 00:40:09,120 Speaker 3: that's because I also tell myself thing that is don't 649 00:40:09,160 --> 00:40:14,279 Speaker 3: be selfish, because us demonstrating that these roles are available 650 00:40:14,320 --> 00:40:17,480 Speaker 3: to women and girls makes it possible for them to 651 00:40:17,520 --> 00:40:20,480 Speaker 3: be able to go, oh, actually I can be involved, 652 00:40:21,000 --> 00:40:24,400 Speaker 3: and so showing that representation as much as possible gives 653 00:40:24,440 --> 00:40:30,279 Speaker 3: them the opportunity to dream beyond what the confines of 654 00:40:30,360 --> 00:40:32,680 Speaker 3: society might dictate to them. 655 00:40:33,280 --> 00:40:36,560 Speaker 2: Yeah, it's that story is really really powerful, isn't it. 656 00:40:37,239 --> 00:40:40,319 Speaker 2: Thank you and for stepping into the foreground today and 657 00:40:40,360 --> 00:40:42,640 Speaker 2: many other days. It's been very special to have the 658 00:40:42,719 --> 00:40:45,680 Speaker 2: chance to chat to you, and for setting this chance up. 659 00:40:45,680 --> 00:40:49,040 Speaker 2: I know how hectic the three of you, how hectic 660 00:40:49,080 --> 00:40:50,960 Speaker 2: your schedules are in the lead up to Paris. It's 661 00:40:51,239 --> 00:40:53,040 Speaker 2: been a real privilege to sit down with you. Thank 662 00:40:53,080 --> 00:40:53,600 Speaker 2: you so much. 663 00:40:53,760 --> 00:40:58,319 Speaker 3: Thanks Chloe Pleasure And like said, I love this show 664 00:40:58,400 --> 00:41:01,480 Speaker 3: and I think you're doing an incredible job. 665 00:41:01,760 --> 00:41:04,520 Speaker 2: Thank you very much. I appreciate it. Thanks so much 666 00:41:04,560 --> 00:41:07,040 Speaker 2: for listening. If you got something out of this episode, 667 00:41:07,120 --> 00:41:09,319 Speaker 2: I would absolutely love it if you could send it 668 00:41:09,320 --> 00:41:13,600 Speaker 2: on to one person who you think might enjoy it. Otherwise, subscribe, 669 00:41:13,760 --> 00:41:15,719 Speaker 2: give us a review, and make sure you follow us 670 00:41:15,760 --> 00:41:18,560 Speaker 2: on Instagram at the Female Athlete Project to stay up 671 00:41:18,600 --> 00:41:21,800 Speaker 2: to date with podcast episodes, merch drops, and of course 672 00:41:22,239 --> 00:41:24,920 Speaker 2: news and stories about epic female athletes.