With the recent exodus of so many Matildas to European leagues, many clubs now have spots on their rosters that need to be filled, which provides greater opportunities for local players to make the jump into the W-League.
Having more opportunities won’t make W-League selection any easier though, nor will it guarantee a long career. For every player with 50 or more W-League appearances, there are many more who have played less than 20 games, and yet they make the same sacrifices and put in the same efforts week in week out.
One such player is 28 year old Carla Bennett, who played 15 times for Perth Glory from 2015 to 2017 and is now playing for NPLW WA side Northern Redbacks.
Bennett started at a young age in a mixed team at her local club, playing the game for enjoyment with no thoughts of playing at any other level. At that time, the Matildas barely rated a mention in the media and there was zero coverage of the Women’s National Soccer League (WNSL), with WA not even fielding a team (Western Waves) until 2004.
The games were simple Sunday kickabouts in an intra-club league with the only aim being to have fun and chase a ball around. Things changed when an ex-Luton Town and Republic of Ireland U23 international arrived and decided he wanted to help develop the more talented younger players. Aaron Tighe selected 24 players that he would take under his wing in an academy and the world suddenly changed for Bennett.
“I started up in the academy with Aaron, and from there I started playing in boys premier league teams. Aaron had me from a young age, and he helped me develop my skills properly with his guidance. He also taught me a lot about the game.”
She also credited ex-Hibernian and Perth Glory player Mark Lee with helping her develop her game, as his development programs were full of enthusiasm and this helped fire her love of the game.
“From that early age (ages 8-10) coaches are probably crucial to help you get some skills into your training and cement the fundamentals.”
With the guidance of these two coaches Bennett continued to develop and found herself being selected for junior WA state teams, then travelling to Coffs Harbour along with the likes of Sam Kerr, Ella Mastrantonio and Marianna Tabain to compete in the FFA National Youth Championships.
“It’s tough,” she said. “Some days you’re playing two games a day, and the standard is nothing like you’ve experienced before in your local leagues, as you’re now up against the best players in the country at your age. There’s also quite a bit of pressure because you obviously know that people are watching, and it’s those tournaments that a lot of the national teams pick their players from. But I had so much fun and it’s definitely an experience I’ll remember for the rest of my life.”
When the time came to select the first-ever Perth Glory W-League squad, many of the players in those WA state youth squads were involved. However, Bennett was one of the few who weren’t selected and had to watch as many of her peers went on to take part in the first season. She was philosophical about the situation and described her feelings.
“I was still in high school, and to be honest I wasn’t really thinking about it. I had discussions with the WAIS (Western Australian Institute of Sport) coach at the time and he felt that it was definitely an option for me, but I wasn’t mature enough and wasn’t where I needed to be physically. (However), I knew that if I wanted it I’d just have to keep working for it. Obviously, rejection hurts but at the end of the day the only person that was going to make things happen was going to be me, and I had to work hard to get to where I wanted to be and that’s what I did, and I did it on my own, and I’ve shown that it can be done.”
Being part of the WAIS football program which included Collette McCallum and Tanya Oxtoby, Bennett still harboured ambitions of playing at higher levels. She left the program at the age of 18 as the coaches felt she wasn’t physically strong enough to contend with the demands of the highest levels of women’s football, returning to Redbacks where she had been playing before earning selection for WAIS. The move back to Northern Redbacks and senior women’s football was made as the club had a reputation for nurturing female talent, with alumni including Lisa De Vanna, McCallum and Oxtoby.
There followed many successful years at Redbacks both for the team and individually, but the itch to prove herself at the highest levels just wouldn’t go away. After taking a year out of the game to travel Bennett decided that the appointment of a new coach in 2015 would represent something of a last chance, and at the age of 23 started taking part in trials organised by new Glory coach Bobby Despotovski, who was running the rule over the local Perth talent.
“I was at that point where I either did it then or I’d never do it, and I never wanted to be thinking ‘what if’. It had been something I’d wanted to do from a very young age and I knew if I didn’t do it now and grab onto the opportunity, and the fact that there was a new coach taking the squad who had no preconceived ideas or notions about what the players were like, and had no favourites so it was then or never, and I’m glad I did.
“Getting there is half the battle, it took a lot of work physically and I got myself to a really good level of fitness. I knew I had the skills to be able to play in the league, but then you obviously have to try and stay in the league and you have to fight for your spot every week. It’s tough, both physically and mentally because you don’t know what squad he’s going to put out each week, you don’t know what his decisions will be until literally the day before flying so you kind of put your life on hold, and just hope he picks you.
“Once you’re playing in the league, I don’t think people really appreciate just how big of a step it is from local football to that level. I certainly didn’t, but you’re playing against the best players in the country and many players from international leagues, and it’s a really, really hard competition. But if you work hard then you can get there.”
The hard work and sacrifices paid off with a Glory contract in Bobby Despotovski’s first year as coach, and she was part of his starting 11 for much of the 2015/16 season. Injuries to Sam Kerr and Caitlin Foord hampered the Perth team’s chances of playing finals football but Bennett felt pleased with her progress.
Her second W-League season was marked with injuries and a feeling that her playing style was not suited to the way the coach wanted to play. Bennett spent more time in the stands or on the bench than on the pitch. Even though she made it to the Grand Final squad Bennett decided that the demands of juggling a full-time job, five days a week training with double sessions on some days, and then flying to interstate games on the weekend were just too much, and so she declined the offer of a third contract. It should also be remembered that the money on offer at that time was far, far less than than the current minimum wages a W-League player earns.
This didn’t stop Bennett playing though and she continued to play for Redbacks, who are the only club with whom she has played senior football. Bennett now holds the record for the most Redbacks senior appearances with over 230 games under her belt, and has also added to her junior state honours with senior state representation and state senior honours as part of the WA Futsal squad.
Bennett had this to say about the Redbacks, the NPLW, the changes she has witnessed over the last 13 seasons and what keeps her coming back:
“Obviously it was a big thing for the NPLW to finally make it to WA, but I don’t really look at it as much of a difference, as it’s still the same players I’ve been playing against for years and years now. I’m just playing now because I love the sport. I obviously don’t have anything to prove, I just love the game and I’ve been at this club for 13 seasons now and it’s just part and parcel of who I am. I don’t really know what I’d do if I didn’t play.
“The facilities have changed so that we now have what we deserve, and I’ve obviously seen a lot of players come and go, including ones who now play for their countries and others who used to play for their country. Each year it’s always exciting to see new players come in and see how they will mesh.”
Finally, she had this advice for any young players about to embark on their journey with the game.
“Just enjoy it. It’s just a game at the end of the day and if you’re not enjoying it then what’s the point, and the second that you lose the enjoyment then it’s not worth it anymore, so just have fun.”
