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Shocking new emails reignite push for Matildas' Olympic bronze medal

<p>The Matildas have a case to argue that why were robbed of a bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics, with damning new emails coming to light that may help their argument. </p> <p>The scandal began when Canadian football coach Bev Priestman was removed from the team during the ongoing Paris games after Canada Soccer found evidence of drone spying ahead of the nation’s opening match against New Zealand.</p> <p>Canada claimed a 2-1 win over New Zealand in their opening match, but multiple reports of drones flying over New Zealand’s practice threatened to destabilise their gold medal defence.</p> <p>The drone was found to be operated by an accredited Canadian team analyst, who was taken into police custody in what he described as "the worst day of my life". </p> <p>The Canadian team was stripped of six points and Priestman was sent home for the remainder of the Olympics. </p> <p>Now, damning new emails have come to light about alleged previous cheating scandals after Canada protested the removal of their points. </p> <p>The global sports integrity court became involved after Canada's attempt to have their points penalty reduced or lifted, which appears to have backfired as historic evidence shown in the hearing has raised suspicion the spy operation could stretch back all the way to the beginning of Priestman’s reign as coach in 2020.</p> <p>This would mean that their spy tactics could have been used back in the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, where Canada emerged with a gold medal, as the Matildas just missed out on the podium by placing in fourth. </p> <p>There has since been a push to have Canada stripped of its gold medals, which would see the Matildas elevated to the bronze medal position. </p> <p>A series of damning emails have not helped Canada's position, as one exposing thread from an unnamed analyst to Priestman detailed how the analyst was not comfortable with spying. </p> <p>“Moving forward I will have a discussion ... and reach out to the wider tech team with regards to how we could potentially look for other solutions,” the analyst wrote.</p> <p>“But just wanted to confirm that you will not be asking me to fulfil the role of ‘spying’ in the upcoming camp and future camps. I am sure you will respect my reasoning and thank you for your understanding.”</p> <p>The Canadian coach appeared to react to the email by looking for a workaround.</p> <p>“Seeking your advice and input here regarding this formal email on spying,” she wrote to the redacted recipient.</p> <p>“It’s something the analyst has always done and I know there is a whole operation on the Men’s side with regards to it (we had **** in with us recently and he was outstanding in this area). </p> <p>“Yesterday in a meeting when discussing it, I asked to propose an alternative solution as for scouting it can be the difference between winning and losing and all top 10 teams do it."</p> <p>Priestman’s comment that “spying” is something her analyst “has always done” is the most telling in backing suspicion the behaviour stretches back to Tokyo.</p> <p>She issued a letter of apology on Sunday in which she admitted to being “absolutely heartbroken” and promised to cooperate with an investigation into the affair.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Pete Dovgan/Speed Media/Shutterstock Editorial </em></p>

Legal

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Matildas captain Sam Kerr to face criminal trial

<p>Matildas superstar Sam Kerr has found herself at the centre of legal proceedings in London, as she pled not guilty to charges stemming from an alleged incident involving a police officer earlier this year.</p> <p>Kerr, aged 30, appeared before Kingston Crown Court via videolink to contest accusations of using insulting, threatening or abusive language towards a police officer in Twickenham on January 30.</p> <p>During the hearing, Kerr confirmed her identity and entered a "not guilty" plea to the charge, which was later confirmed by the Metropolitan Police. The specifics of the charge were outlined in a police charge sheet, citing Kerr for a racially aggravated offence under Section 4A of the Public Order Act 1986. The incident allegedly occurred during police intervention related to a complaint involving a taxi fare.</p> <p>The trial, slated to commence in February 2025, is expected to span four days, during which two police officers will provide evidence. Meanwhile, Football Australia (FA) has issued a statement acknowledging the legal proceedings involving Kerr, asserting their commitment to support all players both on and off the field. However, due to the ongoing legal nature of the situation, further comments were withheld.</p> <p>“Football Australia is aware of the legal proceedings involving Sam Kerr in the United Kingdom,” the statement read. “As this is an ongoing legal matter, we are unable to provide further comment at this time. Our focus remains on supporting all our players, both on and off the field. We will continue to monitor the situation and provide support as appropriate.”</p> <p>The announcement comes after Kerr's unfortunate sidelining from both club and international duties. Suffering an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury during Chelsea's warm-weather training camp in Morocco, Kerr faces a prolonged period of rehabilitation, ruling her out of action for the foreseeable future. Her absence from the Matildas' lineup is particularly sorely felt, with preparations for the Paris Olympics underway.</p> <p>Despite the setback, Football Australia has not officially ruled Kerr out of contention for the Olympics. However, the typical recovery timeline for ACL injuries suggests a lengthy rehabilitation process, casting doubts on Kerr's participation in the upcoming tournament scheduled to begin on July 26.</p> <p><em>Images: Getty Images</em></p>

Legal

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"Harper is my favourite Tilly": Matildas toddler steals the show

<p>In a heartwarming turn of events at Melbourne’s Marvel Stadium, the Matildas' post-game press conference took an unexpected twist when two-year-old Harper decided to steal the show.</p> <p>As her mother, Katrina Gorry, attempted to navigate the world of media interviews, young Harper had other plans, firmly establishing herself as the newest sensation in Australian football – or at least in press conference antics.</p> <p>With the Aussies securing their spot at the Paris 2024 Olympics with a resounding 10-0 victory over Uzbekistan, it seemed fitting that the youngest member of the team would make her mark in the spotlight. Sporting a yellow team jersey and adorned with Taylor Swift-esque friendship bracelets, little Harper made it clear that she was not to be ignored.</p> <p>As Alanna Kennedy patiently awaited her turn to address the media, Harper decided that the press conference desk was the perfect spot for her impromptu playdate. Refusing to budge, she left her mark by placing her bracelets on the table, much to the delight of amused onlookers.</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/C35D414PZxD/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/C35D414PZxD/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by CommBank Matildas (@matildas)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Despite gentle prodding from her mother, Harper was determined to make her presence known. With a polite "bye bye" into the mic, she momentarily bid farewell before settling back down, much to the amusement of the room.</p> <p>Gorry, unable to contain her laughter, gracefully ushered her daughter away from the limelight, but not before receiving a wave and a cheerful "Byyyyeee" from the pint-sized press conference crasher.</p> <p>The Matildas, quick to embrace the adorable interruption, shared the sweet moment on social media, solidifying Harper's status as the unofficial mascot of the team. In a caption that perfectly captured the essence of the moment, they affectionately dubbed it "Crashing Lani's press conference," tagging Gorry for good measure.</p> <p>Fans took to the comments section to praise the Tilly Toddler, with one claiming "Harper is my favourite Tilly", and another declaring that "No offence, but I'd actually like to hear harpers press conference."</p> <p>As the Matildas look ahead to the Paris Olympics, one thing is for certain – they have a secret weapon in their midst, and her name is Harper.</p> <p>Images: Instagram</p>

Family & Pets

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Matildas star Sam Kerr's secret proposal pics

<p>Sam Kerr has finally confirmed her engagement with Kristie Mewis. </p> <p>The Matildas captain took to Instagram to share her proposal pictures over two months after the couple's rumoured secret engagement. </p> <p>"September 1st, 2023," she captioned the photos, with a white love heart. </p> <p>The first photo showed Kerr down on one knee as she proposed to Mewis. It was then followed by a close up shot of the ring and the happy couple celebrating their engagement. </p> <p>Fans first speculated that the couple secretly got engaged in September after they spotted a diamond ring on Mewis' left hand in footage posted on Gotham FC's official Instagram page.</p> <p>Then on September 25, Kerr posted a series of photos with friends and loved ones, where fans again spotted the ring on her partner's hand. </p> <p>As Australia prepared for the three qualifying matches in Perth on October, and Kerr was honoured with a football centre named after her, the couple kept silent despite growing speculation.</p> <p>In early-November, Mewis confirmed the news in an interview with <em>People </em>magazine, just a few weeks before Kerr also confirmed the news. </p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cz57ikhs0Q_/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cz57ikhs0Q_/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Sam Kerr (@samanthakerr20)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Their engagement photos were met with congratulatory messages from friends and fans alike. </p> <p>"Here they are love you guys," wrote Matildas teammate Mackenzie Arnold. </p> <p>"LOVE LOVE LOVE," added Kerr's Chelsea teammate Millie Bright. </p> <p>"Congratulations lovers 🥰 " added Matildas teammate Alanna Kennedy. </p> <p>"We’re not crying happy tears, you are 🤍" wrote one fan. </p> <p>"The lesbian world is healing," commented another. </p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

Relationships

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Sam Kerr's eye-watering salary revealed

<p>Sam Kerr's eye-watering salary has been revealed, with the Matildas captain raking in a whopping seven-figure sum thanks to her  football salary and major sports brand endorsements.</p> <p>The Matildas skipper, who holds Australia’s all-time goal-scoring record, earned $3.3 million before heading to the world stage for the FIFA Women's World Cup. </p> <p>According to reports by the <a href="https://www.afr.com/companies/sport/sam-kerr-is-female-soccer-s-3-3m-superstar-no-one-else-comes-close-20230718-p5dpa4#:~:text=A%20world-leading%20female%20footballer%27s,more%20than%20her%20Australian%20teammates." target="_blank" rel="noopener">Australian Financial Review</a>, Kerr was among the highest-paid players in the competition, bringing home a pay packet that is estimated to be more than 10 times higher than her Aussie teammates.</p> <p>The impressive multi-million dollar salary comes from her Chelsea FCW salary and endorsements with Nike and EA Sports, totalling more than double the income of the next best-paid Matildas star, defender Ellie Carpenter, at $1.2 million.</p> <p>Kerr’s partnership with Nike is reportedly worth $1 million and she also has a deal with Mastercard, on top of her Chelsea contract, which is reportedly worth more than $600,000 a season.</p> <p>Emily van Egmond came in third highest paid after earning just shy of $400,000, followed by Lydia Williams and Alanna Kennedy at $354,000 and Katrina Gorry at $330,000, according to the AFR.</p> <p>Seven Matildas players earned between $200,000 and $300,000, with 20-year-old Mary Fowler topping the bracket at $284,738.</p> <p>The remaining teammates’ income ranged from $100,000 to just shy of $185,000.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

Money & Banking

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Socceroos legend slams Prince William's "patronising" Matildas remark

<p>Craig Foster has slammed Prince William's "patronising pat on the head" for the Matildas after their defeat in the England v. Australia Women's World Cup semi-finals. </p> <p>Foster, a Socceroos legend and staunch supporter of Australia becoming a republic, reacted angrily to Prince William’s attempt to congratulate the Matildas in the wake of their 3-1 defeat against the Lionesses.</p> <p>Shortly after the game, Prince William sent a message to both teams.</p> <p>“What a phenomenal performance from the Lionesses — on to the final!” William wrote to the official Prince and Princess of Wales Twitter account after the tense semi-final came to a close.</p> <p>“Commiserations to the Matildas, you’ve played brilliantly and been fantastic co-hosts of this World Cup. W”</p> <p>King Charles also chimed in on the messages of support, and was full of praise for both teams.</p> <p>“My wife and I join all our family in sending the mighty Lionesses our warmest congratulations on reaching the final of the World Cup, and in sharing our very best wishes for Sunday’s match,” he said.</p> <p>“While your victory may have cost the magnificent Matildas their chance for the greatest prize in the game, both teams have been an inspiration on and off the pitch – and, for that, both nations are united in pride, admiration and respect.” </p> <p>But Foster, who is the co-chair of the Australian Republican Movement, saw through the royal family's messages and didn't want to hear their condescending messages of support and praise. </p> <p>“You’ve been proudly supporting England all tournament. Not a word for Australia. Not that we expect it. We prefer the honesty. Without the patronising pat on the head in defeat,” Foster tweeted.</p> <p>“Support the Lionesses &amp; let us get on with our business, mate.”</p> <p>Foster's message welcomed a mixed reaction, with many agreeing with his sentiment and reinforcing the notion of Australia becoming a republic, while others thought it was obvious that William would be barracking for England, as he is president of Britain’s Football Association.</p> <p>One person simply added to Craig's tweet saying, "What a weird take on a quite gracious sentiment."</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

News

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Ben Fordham calls out Bob Katter over Matilda's etiquette

<p>Bob Katter and Ben Fordham were among the tens of thousands of sports fans who showed up at Accor Stadium in Sydney on Wednesday to support the Matildas in their semi-final match against England. </p> <p>The two were seated close to each other by chance, with Katter sitting directly in front of Fordham for the entirety of the match. </p> <p>Fordham called out Katter's lack of etiquette, after the 2GB host missed half of the game as his view was obstructed by Katter's giant Akubra, which he kept on throughout the entire game.</p> <p>Ben shared a snap of his unfortunate view on Instagram, writing, “80,000 people at the Matildas and I get seated behind Bob Katter.”</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CwAJ_tuRYl9/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CwAJ_tuRYl9/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Ben Fordham (@benfordham9)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>People took to the comments to condemn the act calling it “rude” and egging Fordham on to nudge the hat off the Queensland politician's head.</p> <p>"Take that stupid hat off Bob!!! Ben can’t see!!!" one person wrote, while other commented, "Ask him to take it off, that is so rude."</p> <p>Weighing in on the controversial act during his regular <em>Today</em> show segment on Thursday morning, Nationals MP Barnaby Joyce called Mr Katter out for the faux pas.</p> <p>“They’re there to stop you from getting melanoma, possibly keep your head warm if it is cold, but not to be worn in the house and certainly not to be worn in front of somebody because the person behind you has paid for their ticket,” Mr Joyce said.</p> <p>“Bob, they want to watch the soccer, not the back of your head – take your hat off, why did you take it to the football? It was at night, wasn‘t it?”</p> <p><em>Image credits: Instagram </em></p>

TV

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"Sweet revenge": Piers Morgan blasts Matildas after Lionesses victory

<p>Piers Morgan is revelling in Australia being knocked out of the FIFA Women's Word Cup by England's Lionesses in the nail-biting semi-final game on Wednesday night. </p> <p>The British media personality is just one of many happy Brits celebrating the Lionesses' win, which will carry them through to the final where they will meet Spain on Sunday.</p> <p>In the lead up to the match, Piers stoked the rivalry fire with with a series of tweets. </p> <p>“You know what to do Lionesses, make Ashes of the Matildas,” he wrote. </p> <p>When the Lionesses the beat The Matildas in a 3-1 victory, while thrilled with the win, Piers seemingly couldn't help but to bring up Australia's win over England in the recent Ashes. </p> <p>“England’s fabulous Lionesses crush Australia’s wilting Matildas 3-1 in their own back yard to reach the Women’s World Cup Final … sweet revenge for the Jonny Bairstow Ashes runout debacle. Congrats ladies – you’ve made your country proud!” he wrote.</p> <p>The tweet attracted plenty of backlash and saw Morgan cop it from all angles, but that wasn’t going to slow him down.</p> <p>Australian cricketer David Warner continued to stoke the fire the day before the match when he tweeted for the Matildas to “keep an eye out in case the Poms ask to change the ball”, in reference to the controversial fifth Test incident.</p> <p>Morgan doubled down, replying, “No need mate, it kept its shape despite repeatedly whacking the back of Australia’s net.”</p> <p>The win means England will play Spain for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup on Sunday, while the Matildas will play Sweden on Saturday night in the 3rd placed playoff.</p> <p>For Australia, while it was two wins from where the nation had hoped, it’s the Matildas best ever finish at a World Cup.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p> <div class="media image" style="caret-color: #000000; color: #000000; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none; box-sizing: inherit; display: flex; flex-direction: column; align-items: center; width: 705.202209px; margin-bottom: 24px; max-width: 100%;"> </div>

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"Thank you for changing the game": Outpouring of love for Matildas

<p><em>Today Extra</em> host Sylvia Jeffries summed up the thoughts of a grateful nation with her simple, heartfelt words on Wednesday night: "Thank you for changing the game":</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CwAS5tNR8F5/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CwAS5tNR8F5/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Sylvia Jeffreys (@sylviajeffreys)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>TV ratings for last week's game, when Australia defeated France in a penalty shoot-out, was one of the biggest audience figures since Aussies stopped to watch Cathy Freeman win gold in the 400-metre final at the Sydney Olympics in 2000 ... and it looks like the athlete was among them.</p> <p>"So incredibly proud of our girls!" Freeman shared after Wednesday's game. "You gave it everything and inspired an entire nation! Hold your head up high and here's to the future!"</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">So incredibly proud of our girls! You gave it everything and inspired an entire nation! Hold your head up high and here’s to the future! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/matildas?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#matildas</a></p> <p>— Cathy Freeman (@CathyFreeman) <a href="https://twitter.com/CathyFreeman/status/1691792140328915115?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 16, 2023</a></p></blockquote> <p>Rebel Wilson also chimed in live from the stadium, with her message of support:</p> <p>"@matildas are sooooo amazing! 🐨 what a moment for women’s sport! (And always amazing when I get to chat to one of my idols @billiejeanking ) The biggest congratulations to Matildas for absolutely crushing this World Cup! Thank you to the Infantino family for including me and my family at the games 💛💚⚽️💛🇦🇺⚽️ such incredible memories!"</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CwAi8hYLUzk/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CwAi8hYLUzk/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Rebel Wilson (@rebelwilson)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p> <p> </p>

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Prince William and King Charles' sweet messages to Matildas after World Cup defeat

<p>In the wake of England's victory over Australia in the World Cup semi-finals, both Prince William and King Charles have sent sweet and heartfelt messages to the Matildas and their millions of fans.</p> <p>The monarch, Queen, and Prince of Wales have lauded the Lionesses for their performance in the semi-final conquest, with the resounding 3-1 victory at Stadium Australia paving the way for a thrilling showdown against Spain in the upcoming World Cup final set to take place on Sunday. </p> <p>Emotions ran high at Stadium Australia on the evening of Wednesday as both fans and players shed tears. The Matildas, despite their phenomenal display, ultimately yielded to England, leaving spectators in awe.</p> <p>Even as Australian supporters rallied behind their captain, Sam Kerr, who set the stadium alight with an extraordinary long-range goal in the latter half, England's Lionesses retaliated with an assertive 3-1 triumph.</p> <p>Sharing his reflections on the occasion, Prince William took to platform X (formerly Twitter), writing, "What a phenomenal performance from the @Lionesses – on to the final! Commiserations to @TheMatildas, you've played brilliantly and been fantastic co-hosts of this World Cup. W."</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">What a phenomenal performance from the <a href="https://twitter.com/Lionesses?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Lionesses</a> – on to the final! Commiserations to <a href="https://twitter.com/TheMatildas?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TheMatildas</a>, you've played brilliantly and been fantastic co-hosts of this World Cup. W</p> <p>— The Prince and Princess of Wales (@KensingtonRoyal) <a href="https://twitter.com/KensingtonRoyal/status/1691782820727783486?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 16, 2023</a></p></blockquote> <p>While the King wrote: "My wife and I join all our family in sending the mighty Lionesses our warmest congratulations on reaching the final of the World Cup, and in sharing our very best wishes for Sunday’s match.</p> <p>"While your victory may have cost the magnificent Matildas their chance for the greatest prize in the game, both teams have been an inspiration on and off the pitch – and, for that, both nations are united in pride, admiration and respect."</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">⚽️ The King has sent a message to <a href="https://twitter.com/wiegman_s?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Wiegman_S</a> and her <a href="https://twitter.com/Lionesses?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Lionesses</a> following their win in today’s <a href="https://twitter.com/FIFAWWC?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@FIFAWWC</a> semi-final. <a href="https://t.co/oEZWLlp1ll">pic.twitter.com/oEZWLlp1ll</a></p> <p>— The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) <a href="https://twitter.com/RoyalFamily/status/1691816496245203204?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 16, 2023</a></p></blockquote> <p><em>Image: Getty</em></p> <p> </p> <p> </p>

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“Uncle Karlos says it's okay”: Karl’s message to Aussie school kids

<p dir="ltr">Karl Stefanovic has shared a questionable message for Aussie school kids, encouraging them to skip school if the Matildas win the semi-finals. </p> <p dir="ltr">The <em>Today</em> host is just one of millions of Australians counting down until the Matildas face off against England’s Lionesses in the FIFA Women’s World Cup semi-final.</p> <p dir="ltr">On Wednesday morning, Stefanovic made a cheeky suggestion to school kids around the country in the name of patriotism if the Tillys win. </p> <p dir="ltr">"I wanted to say something to the kids of Australia," he said.</p> <p dir="ltr">"Look, if it goes well tonight and we get through to the next round, I think all the kids of Australia should wag school and just say 'Uncle Karlos says it's okay.'"</p> <p dir="ltr">However, co-host Sarah Abo reminded Karl parents and teachers may not be too happy about countless kids not showing up for their lessons.</p> <p dir="ltr">"They will all get detention thanks to you," she warned.</p> <p dir="ltr">"No they won't, give the kids a day off - I was only joking," Karl quickly back pedalled.</p> <p dir="ltr">More than 75,000 fans have been lucky enough to score a ticket to the match in Sydney, but millions more are expected to watch the match both at home and at live venues around the country.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: Today</em><span id="docs-internal-guid-fe90c86f-7fff-2f5b-0d65-eaeda659c637"></span></p>

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5 ways to protect your voice while barracking for the Matildas – and how to treat a hoarse voice after

<p><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/amy-hume-1393423">Amy Hume</a>, <em><a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-melbourne-722">The University of Melbourne</a></em></p> <p>“It was definitely loud,” said Matildas player Caitlin Foord last week after the team played Denmark in Sydney, <a href="https://sport.optus.com.au/news/womens-world-cup-2023/os61164/matildas-beat-denmark-wwc-caitlin-foord-wish-loud-crowd-sydney">adding "</a>I loved it. We definitely hear it, we feel it and the louder the crowd I feel the better we are."</p> <p>Now fans are set to get even louder, whether watching at home or in a stadium, as the Australian team prepare to face England in their first-ever World Cup semi final.</p> <p>While the Matildas are warming up their limbs and muscles pre-match, spectators need to warm up our vocal folds. With a barracking job to do, we need to be match-fit. Here’s why.</p> <h2>Why do we need to warm up at all?</h2> <p>A sudden night of cheering can lead to vocal strain. The short-term risk is that you have a hoarse voice for a couple of days. Repeated vocal abuse can lead to <a href="https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/voice-disorders">permanent damage</a> that may require therapy or surgery.</p> <p>But with some good habits and preparation, you’ll be able to get loud safely. Here are five ways to build vocal stamina for tonight.</p> <h2>1. Get your body ready</h2> <p>The amount of volume you can have in your voice all begins with your body. If you are feeling tight, especially around the neck and shoulders, the muscles around the vocal folds may <a href="https://britishvoiceassociation.org.uk/voicecare_muscle-tension-dysphonia.htm">overcompensate</a>, giving you a tired or strained feeling. Before the match, take a moment to stretch your neck and shoulders for a more open and relaxed throat, ready to roar.</p> <p>And just as the Matilda’s will aim to stay well hydrated, you should too to <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2925668/">protect your voice</a>. The vocal structures consist of soft tissues that vibrate better when wet.</p> <h2>2. Yawn – even though you’re excited</h2> <p>Yawning stretches your soft palate (the fleshy back portion of the roof of the mouth) and its flexibility is essential for safe screaming. A vocal technique called <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8353622/">yawn-sigh</a> can also help stretch and warm up the structures like the tongue and pharynx (the passage at the top back of the throat) that are important for voice.</p> <p>Try yawning “horizontally” – smiling widely as you yawn. Then try yawning in the usual “vertical” way. When yawning horizontally, you should feel a different stretch in the back of your mouth and throat that targets your soft palate.</p> <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/aFxKt1sexVc?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe><figcaption><span class="caption">‘Yawn a lot,’ says actor Morgan Freeman. ‘It relaxes your throat muscles, it relaxes your vocal chords.’</span></figcaption></figure> <h2>3. Breathe</h2> <p>If the semi final is anything like the <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-08-13/matildas-world-cup-win-over-france-game-stopped-nation/102723254">quarter final against France</a>, it may be hard to remember to breathe. But breath gives your voice <a href="https://voicefoundation.org/health-science/voice-disorders/anatomy-physiology-of-voice-production/breakdowns-result-voice-disorders/#:%7E:text=If%20the%20airflow%20source%20is,for%20long%20periods%20of%20time.">power</a>.</p> <p>If you roar and cheer without a decent in-breath, the muscles of your throat will tense and strain to try to make the sound louder. It’s not efficient and will tire you out quickly. So every time you go to cheer, allow a big breath in first.</p> <h2>4. Work out your vocal folds</h2> <p>Your voice is like a muscle – actually a <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK535342/">complex arrangement</a> of cartilage, muscle, ligaments and soft layers. If you stretch it before a workout, it will not only make the exercise easier but also aid recovery time.</p> <p>Your vocal folds are small bands of muscle in the larynx, and you can think of them like elastic. If unused, they can lose stretch and have less vibration capacity to produce sound.</p> <p>Simple exercises like humming and lip trilling can help keep the elasticity of your vocal folds. Start with <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1179/136132802805576436?journalCode=yslh19">humming</a> at a comfortable pitch and glide up and down your range.</p> <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Ddal_OAzkLQ?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe><figcaption><span class="caption">The vocal folds in action.</span></figcaption></figure> <h2>5. Put your whole self into it</h2> <p>Your <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnins.2016.00506/full">voice, body and emotions</a> are constantly taking cues from one another. If you allow your body to be expressive, your voice will follow. Let your fandom take over your whole body and come into your face too – gestures and facial expressions change the sound of your voice and can bring enormous energy to your roars.</p> <p>Fully commit and trust your body and voice. When we are completely connected to communication, huge breaths can fly in, sound travels up through the vocal folds and rings through the body, giving your voice enormous carrying power.</p> <p>If you try to make your voice low pitched when it wants to come out high, or you hold back from being loud when your voice wants to be heard, tension can come into your throat and lead to strain.</p> <h2>How to treat your voice after the match</h2> <p>You got excited. You overdid the shouting. Understandable! After a full match, you may feel some level of <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20840041/#:%7E:text=Vocal%20fatigue%20is%20defined%20by,component%20of%20other%20voice%20disorders.">vocal fatigue</a>. If your voice sounds rough, hoarse or scratchy with unpredictable pitch, you might have what speech pathologists and ear, nose and throat (ENT) specialists call <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK565881/">dysphonia</a>.</p> <p>As the Matildas jump in an ice bath, it’s your time to give your voice some TLC.</p> <p>Stretching, yawning, deep breathing and gentle <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK534632/">voice exercises</a> like humming and trills work for recovery as well as warming up. An exercise I use with actors after a show is gentle whimpering sounds (like a puppy) to soothe vocal folds. Although it’s not widely researched, actors love it.</p> <p>Again, <a href="https://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/taking-care-your-voice">hydration</a> is important for vocal hygiene, so drink up or <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0892199716304805">try a humidifier</a>. Special techniques like <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30408272/">singing through a straw</a> into a half-glass of water can help. Avoid whispering, which can <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16503476/">produce more strain</a> than talking naturally. <a href="https://www.enthealth.org/be_ent_smart/how-to-prevent-hoarseness-dysphonia/">Avoid</a> smoking or smoky spaces, excessive throat clearing and alcohol or caffeine that can dry out the throat and thicken mucus.</p> <p>With all the love behind the Matildas, they’ve got a chance of reaching the World Cup final. Even more reason to look after your voice and maintain match fitness. Go Matildas!<!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/211499/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/amy-hume-1393423">Amy Hume</a>, Lecturer In Theatre (Voice), Victorian College of the Arts, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-melbourne-722">The University of Melbourne</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/5-ways-to-protect-your-voice-while-barracking-for-the-matildas-and-how-to-treat-a-hoarse-voice-after-211499">original article</a>.</em></p>

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Connection, camaraderie and belonging: why the Matildas could be making you a sports fan for the very first time

<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/sarah-tillott-1462234">Sarah Tillott</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/southern-cross-university-1160">Southern Cross University</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/diarmuid-hurley-1462235">Diarmuid Hurley</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/southern-cross-university-1160">Southern Cross University</a></em></p> <p>With over seven million Australians hooked onto the world cup viewing, many who have never really been interested in sports have recently found themselves screaming at the TV, cheering in pubs and hugging complete strangers.</p> <p>Have you found yourself in this new legion of sports fans, and wondering how you got here?</p> <p>It is likely down to many factors. There is of course the incredible talent on display, the <a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/world-cup-2023-matildas-captain-sam-kerr-gives-prized-gameworn-top-to-young-fan/b9e35f75-6d11-4148-af3a-ac3cd0c95c0c">kindness</a> players are showing on and off the field, and women and girls relating to players <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-08-15/matildas-world-cup-sam-kerr-mary-fowler-inspire-diverse-fans/102713288">who look like them</a>.</p> <p>But it is also to do with the visibility and exposure of the game; the influence of our families and friends; the ways we are hardwired for connection; and the addictive nature of neurotransmitters.</p> <p>Like many Australians, we will be sure to not miss tonight’s game when Australia plays England in the semifinal – but first, here’s a look at all of these new emotions you may be experiencing.</p> <h2>The social contagion</h2> <p>With Australia as a host nation – and the incredible success of the Matildas – there has never been more visibility and focus on women’s football in Australia.</p> <p>Positive emotions and behaviours are contagious. Psychologists refer to “<a href="https://positivepsychology.com/emotional-contagion/">emotional contagion</a>” or “social contagion”, which describes how emotions, attitudes and behaviours spread through groups and crowds.</p> <p>In general, people just want to feel good! We enhance that feeling by forming positive social connections with other humans, sharing in a common experience, having a common goal and putting aside our differences.</p> <p>Being on the same side means we have something to share and celebrate in and, more importantly, someone to do it with.</p> <p>You’re likely feeling like you are part of something greater, and that has us all reaching for more by getting together to watch the next game.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">This. Is. Football. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/matildas?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#matildas</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/tilitsdone?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#tilitsdone</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FIFAWWC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FIFAWWC</a> <a href="https://t.co/guLoCdIGpv">pic.twitter.com/guLoCdIGpv</a></p> <p>— Mikey Mkoka-Nicholson (@Mikey_Nicholson) <a href="https://twitter.com/Mikey_Nicholson/status/1690322529024720896?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 12, 2023</a></p></blockquote> <p>Another reason you might find yourself getting behind the world cup is everyone loves a good story – and this competition has them in spades.</p> <p>This world cup has had its share of ups and downs: superstar Sam Kerr’s injury; the crushing low of defeat to Nigeria; the high of the must-win-game against Canada; the electric edge-of-your-seat drama of the penalty shootout against France.</p> <p>We all share in these highs and lows.</p> <p>Sports can help <a href="https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci11110513">create positive social cohesion</a> by bringing people together. There is something very comforting about winning or losing as a group - whatever the result, we aren’t doing it alone!</p> <p>Sports <a href="https://www.huffpost.com/entry/how-sport-can-break-down_b_7927724">breaks down barriers</a>, forms <a href="https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci11110513">pro-social bonds</a> and <a href="https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2018/02/north-and-south-korea-have-shown-us-the-unifying-power-of-sport/">helps people unite</a> through a common goal. We get lost and escape into a world of togetherness, which feels great!</p> <p>The ability to laugh, cry or hold hands with people (both strangers and friends) in nervous moments is felt deep in our body. It is undeniable, palpable and reinforces our connectivity. These heightened emotions fast track our sense of belonging to a group.</p> <p>Meanwhile, there is something very primitive going on deep in the brain that may explain this phenomenon.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Goosebumps.</p> <p>From all corners of the country 🫶🇦🇺<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Matildas?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Matildas</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FIFAWWC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FIFAWWC</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TilitsDone?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TilitsDone</a> <a href="https://t.co/ERIusC7HEZ">pic.twitter.com/ERIusC7HEZ</a></p> <p>— CommBank Matildas (@TheMatildas) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheMatildas/status/1690657319527600128?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 13, 2023</a></p></blockquote> <p>Our brains <a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/why-we-are-wired-to-connect/">are wired</a> to work in groups or tribes. Historically, working together towards a common goal improved our ability to survive.</p> <p>In a contemporary setting, when we belong to groups we unite through the notion of achieving a common vision. The “self” blends with the social. We evaluate our environment and look for links of commonality to achieve social harmony.</p> <p>This comes back to the notion of feeling good. When you are sharing a sporting event – watching together or talking about it after – you are sharing a safe space you can relate, engage and belong to.</p> <h2>Shared experiences</h2> <p>The reality of what sports can do to unite and change the way we connect is palpable through this world cup.</p> <p>We are all sharing a common experience which enables us to talk to complete strangers at the bus stop, on the train and when we are ordering our coffees at the local café.</p> <p>This shared experience enables us the confidence to strike up new conversations: sharing our pride, our fears and our emotions.</p> <p>We fast track our connections with people through sharing our vulnerabilities. Connections that could generally take years to form are happening in seconds. The moments to form those connections are more frequent as the success of our team continues.</p> <p>Matilda’s defender Claire Hunt <a href="https://www.matildas.com.au/video/230810huntpresser">spoke</a> of the collective belief the team has in their abilities. This collective belief has spread out from the team and their diehard supporters to become a source of national pride.</p> <h2>We belong</h2> <p>Sports creates a connection to something greater than yourself, an ability to ride the highs and lows of a team as you journey with them for the entire match!</p> <p>Notice the feeling of your heart beating through your chest (and that feedback coming through your smart watch as the high pulse rate alert is screaming at you!); feeling like you want to vomit and cry from the anticipation; the <a href="https://www.apa.org/monitor/oct05/mirror">tensing of your muscles</a> during every attempt at goal.</p> <p>Through Australia’s collective love, support and excitement behind the Matildas, we are in the process of forming our identity and becoming part of a family.</p> <p>We relate to people, we connect to people, we belong.</p> <p>These feelings have powerful effects on our wellbeing. Belonging <a href="https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/edit/10.4324/9780203148211-19/role-emotion-engagement-coping-development-motivational-resilience-ellen-skinner-jennifer-pitzer-heather-brule">enhances self-esteem</a>, improves <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/0146167213499186">psychological and behavioural functioning</a>, and improves <a href="https://psychology.org.au/for-members/publications/inpsych/2019/june/making-sense-of-belonging">the quality and meaning</a> of our lives.</p> <p>As our energy starts to rise, we begin to release <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/happy-hormone">positive endorphins</a> such as serotonin, dopamine and adrenaline. Dopamine <a href="https://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/dopamine-the-pathway-to-pleasure">enhances</a> our feelings of pleasure, satisfaction and motivation. Adrenaline <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/adrenaline-junkie">makes you feel alive</a>. These neurotransmitters increase our sense of wellbeing.</p> <p>They are addictive and we are left feeling that we want more.</p> <p>Even as a newly minted fan, you are now part of the Matilda’s family and they’re counting on the Aussie social contagion to push through those cramping muscles, tired bodies and sweaty palms.</p> <p>You are about to be a part of history and those neurotransmitters won’t want to miss it for the world!<!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/211526/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/sarah-tillott-1462234">Sarah Tillott</a>, Senior Lecturer, Faculty of Health, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/southern-cross-university-1160">Southern Cross University</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/diarmuid-hurley-1462235">Diarmuid Hurley</a>, Lecturer, Faculty of Health, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/southern-cross-university-1160">Southern Cross University</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/connection-camaraderie-and-belonging-why-the-matildas-could-be-making-you-a-sports-fan-for-the-very-first-time-211526">original article</a>.</em></p>

Caring

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First state to lock in Matilda's public holiday promise

<p>New South Wales premier Chris Minns has backed Anthony Albanese's proposal to implement a public holiday if The Matildas win the FIFA Women's World Cup.</p> <p>The Prime Minister flagged the idea of a public holiday if the Australian women's team claim the victory, however, the actual decision for the day off will come down to each individual state. </p> <p>NSW Premier Chris Minns has thrown his support behind the idea, and has even put forward the idea of a "ticker tape parade" through the Sydney CBD.</p> <p>"If the Matildas win the semi-final and then win the World Cup final, then yes we will pursue a public holiday in NSW, not just to celebrate the victory but also to have a massive civic celebration and allow the Matildas to celebrate with the people of Sydney what will be an amazing, like, life-changing and unbelievable event in the state's history," Minns told 2GB's Ben Fordham on Monday morning.</p> <p>He said the government was currently working on "contingency plans" in the event of the Matilda's victory.</p> <p>Minns went on to say that any celebrations would happen the week of the winning game, and not the Monday after. </p> <p>Despite the surge of support for the Matildas throughout the tournament, some businesses have opposed the idea of a public holiday, saying they can't afford the expense. </p> <p>"If we did do it in Sydney for a big public holiday, and a massive ticker tape parade, can you imagine the kind of energy and economic excitement," Minns said.</p> <p>The Matildas will be taking on England in the semi-final game on Wednesday night, with the winner going into the final against either Spain or Sweden. </p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

News

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"I was heartbroken": Why Sam Kerr had to hide her gender

<p>Sam Kerr is known as one of the greatest strikers in women's football. And now, with the Matlidas on the way to the World Cup semifinals, we are learning more and more about the challenges Kerr faced as a junior Aussie Rules player in South Fremantle, WA</p> <p>Kerr, who grew up in East Fremantle, south of Perth, did not have an easy start to what would be an exceptional football career, as she initially started playing for the boys' team when she was around five or six.</p> <p>Kerr, was the only girl who played junior Australian rules football for South Fremantle, but that didn't deter her from fulfilling her dreams.</p> <p>“I knew I’d be the only girl on the team but that didn’t worry me at all,” she wrote in her new book My Journey to the World Cup.</p> <p>Kerr said that her teammates assumed she was a boy because she had “short hair and blonde tips”, but didn't do anything to correct them as she was comfortable with it.</p> <p>So she decided to keep her gender a secret.</p> <p>"I didn’t want them to treat me any differently just because I was a girl," she said.</p> <p>“I remember one of the boys crying when he found out.</p> <p>“But as good as I was out on the field, and as much as I loved playing the game, the physical differences between the guys and me eventually became too pronounced and the play was too rough," she added.</p> <p>“One day, I came home from a game with yet another black eye and bloody lip, and that’s when my dad and brother both said, ‘Nup, this isn’t happening anymore’.</p> <p>“I was getting battered around so much out on the field that it was getting to be a big problem. Dad and my coach both sat me down then and said it was getting far too dangerous for me to continue to play," she said.</p> <p>Kerr revealed that she was devastated that she wasn't allowed to play football anymore because there were no girls' teams in her area for her to join.</p> <p>“They said they were sorry, but that I wasn’t allowed to play football any more. I understood the reasons why, but I was heartbroken.</p> <p>"Back then, there were no girls’ teams in my area for me to join, and to know that I’d never play a sport that I loved so much ever again was devastating.”</p> <p>By the age of 12, she switched to association football, but a year later she was spotted by Perth Glory striker Bobby Despotovski who has fascinated by her raw talent and athleticism.</p> <p>By the age of 15 she made her professional soccer debut and earned her maiden Matildas cap and the rest is history.</p> <p><em>Images: Ryan Pierse Getty Images/ Nine</em></p>

Family & Pets

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From handing out their own flyers, to sell-out games: how the Matildas won over a nation

<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/fiona-crawford-128832">Fiona Crawford</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/queensland-university-of-technology-847">Queensland University of Technology</a></em></p> <p>As the Matildas prepare for their 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup sudden-death quarter final against France, they have become the hottest sporting property in the country. For example, formerly uninterested major media just days ago <a href="https://sport.optus.com.au/news/womens-world-cup-2023/os61076/matildas-record-shirt-sales-helicopter-fifa-womens-world-cup-2023">hired a helicopter</a> to spy on one of the team’s training sessions.</p> <p>The expensive, paparazzi-style move was designed to gather exclusive footage of the team, particularly of injured Matildas captain Sam Kerr.</p> <p>That conservative media was going to such lengths to gain footage of the team speaks volumes of the starkly different landscape the current Matildas are operating in, and the evolution of a team that’s gone from few resources and relatively anonymity to equal pay and national treasure status.</p> <h2>No longer an afterthought</h2> <p>More people watched the <a href="https://7news.com.au/sport/fifa-womens-world-cup/matildas-set-new-tv-ratings-record-while-sinking-denmark-in-fifa-womens-world-cup-c-11520596">Matildas’ Round of 16 match against Denmark</a> on Channel Seven, the highest rating show of the year to date, than watched the men’s NRL and AFL grand finals last year.</p> <p>Channel Seven is also <a href="https://www.news.com.au/sport/football/channel-7s-extraordinary-matildas-decision-for-world-cup-quarterfinal/news-story/ddd00fa51e40971c940f720be2ad9f0d">delaying Saturday’s news bulletin</a> to broadcast the Matildas’ quarter final, while the AFL will be broadcasting the match in the stadium before the men’s West Coast Eagles versus Fremantle derby.</p> <p>This is all particularly interesting given <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-05-03/fifa-boss-threatens-women-world-cup-blackout/102295974">FIFA had to castigate broadcasters for undervaluing the broadcast rights</a> in the tournament lead-up.</p> <p>What’s more, Matildas jerseys are <a href="https://www.footballaustralia.com.au/news/football-australia-celebrates-landmark-fifa-womens-world-cup-and-record-breaking-success">outselling the Socceroos’ jerseys by two to one</a>. It’s worth remembering they were unavailable to buy until recent years because manufacturers didn’t deem there to be a market for them.</p> <p>More than 1.7 million tickets have been sold, exceeding FIFA’s stretch target of 1.5 million. And the total crowd figure record of 1,353,506 set in 2015 <a href="https://www.reuters.com/sports/soccer/womens-world-cup-attendance-record-exceeded-last-16-2023-08-06">had been surpassed</a> with 12 games to spare.</p> <p>That’s a far cry from the Matildas’ early years, when players had to produce and hand out flyers to try to attract people to watch their games, or phone television stations and beg them to broadcast matches. When the team travelled to the 2003 world cup, not a single journalist turned up to the airport press conference.</p> <p>It’s also quite the contrast from the traditional media coverage approach that relegates women’s sport to an afterthought. A <a href="https://news.usc.edu/183765/womens-sports-tv-news-coverage-sportscenter-online-usc-study">30-year study</a> of women’s sports coverage, published in 2021, determined major media generally adopt a “one and done” approach: a box-ticking exercise, providing a token women’s sports story before a succession of in-depth men’s sports stories.</p> <h2>So, how did we get here?</h2> <p>It was 1988 when the intrepid Matildas ventured out to their inaugural “world cup” – a pilot tournament FIFA only staged after <a href="https://www.france24.com/en/20190626-ellen-wille-mother-women-football-norway-fifa-world-cup-france">concerted pressure</a> from other organising bodies and women footballers themselves.</p> <p>There were some significant changes considered or implemented – ones that would not have been tabled for the men’s game. Matches were truncated from 90 to 80 minutes; there was some patronising discussion of whether women would play with a <a href="https://www.booktopia.com.au/fifa-women-s-world-cup-official-history-fifa/book/9781787393530.html">smaller ball</a>; and with the tournament absent any true FIFA badging, the players had to pay $850 each for the privilege of participating. They pulled that fee together by fundraising through lamington drives, car washes, and casino nights.</p> <p>Still, the Australian team quickly made history by <a href="https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=466728760806708">defeating Brazil</a> in an upset victory in the tournament’s first match, setting the tone for an upwards trajectory.</p> <p>However, the 1995, 1999, and 2003 tournaments were not, by the Matildas’ own standards, considered breakout successes. A harsh red card for Sonia Gegenhuber in the team’s first group-stage match against Denmark in 1995 cruelled the team’s chances from the outset. And 1999 saw <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-07-26/meet-alicia-ferguson-cook-matilda-wwc-record-fastest-red-card/102272428">Alicia Ferguson awarded the fastest red card in history</a> for an ill-timed tackle two minutes into the game against China.</p> <p>The Matildas’ sustained upward course arguably began in 2007. The World Cup that year was the first womens’ tournament for which SBS broadcast all the games. It also became the first time the Matildas <a href="https://www.matildas.com.au/news/day-westfield-matildas-made-history-2007-fifa-womens-world-cup">progressed to the knockout rounds</a>.</p> <p>Although laundry and internet costs weren’t yet covered, that era also marked the beginning of the players receiving (albeit nominal) daily allowances and playing contracts of up to approximately A$10,000. Administrators were able to leverage that 2007 success into the establishment of the W-League (now renamed the A-League Women’s), the domestic semi-professional football league that helped the Matildas become the first Australian team (women’s or men’s) <a href="https://www.matildas.com.au/news/westfield-matildas-win-afc-asian-cup">to win the Asian Cup</a>. It’s also a development pathway for the current Matildas.</p> <p>2011 marked the emergence of the Matildas’ “golden generation”, with then-youthful players Caitlin Foord and Sam Kerr attending their first Women’s World Cup.</p> <p>All the focus has been on Kerr in recent years, but at the time, Foord was tipped to be the player to watch, and was named the tournament’s best young player.</p> <h2>Striking for pay parity</h2> <p>To understand the groundbreaking success the Matildas are now experiencing, we must look at the lonely stand they took across the road from governing body Football Federation Australia’s office in 2015.</p> <p>They were off contract, unpaid, and without medical insurance. Now lapsed, they had been on contracts of around A$22,000 a year: in the ballpark of Australia’s poverty line.</p> <p>So the Matildas went on strike for two months to draw attention to the imperiled nature of their footballing careers, which demanded full-time, elite-athlete commitment and results, but with part-time, amateur pay.</p> <p>The headlines that followed encapsulated the exasperation many felt (and still feel) at the inequity women athletes experience. This included the <a href="https://junkee.com/the-matildas-have-gone-on-strike-because-oh-my-god-can-we-just-pay-them-properly/65061">Junkee headline "</a>The Matildas Have Gone on Strike Because, Oh My God Can We Just Pay Them Properly?"</p> <p>The Matildas achieved <a href="https://www.matildas.com.au/news/historic-cba-close-footballs-gender-pay-gap">pay parity</a> with the Socceroos in 2019, but the groundwork for that achievement was laid with that 2015 strike.</p> <p>The year 2017 also marked an important moment in the team’s evolution. It was when the team <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2017/sep/12/matildas-break-new-ground-as-fans-scramble-for-tickets-on-resale-market">sold out Penrith Stadium</a> with a then-record crowd of about 17,000.</p> <p>The crowd figure signalled there was an engaged audience and market there – it had just been under-catered for.</p> <p>Fast forward to 2019. Off-pitch distractions imperilled the Matildas’ group-stage world cup results. The team was steered through the tournament by temporarily installed coach Ante Milicic, after incumbent coach Alen Stajcic had been sacked for reasons still not entirely clear.</p> <p>With the rise of European nations that had invested heavily in women’s football, Australian football had stood still. The Matildas’ opening loss against debutantes Italy put the team under pressure. However, the players then produced the “Miracle of Montpellier”, winning 3-2 against superstars Brazil to salvage their tournament – before being bundled out by Norway on penalties in the round of 16.</p> <p>This year, the media’s initial focus was on Kerr’s troublesome calf and then late substitution decisions by coach Tony Gustavsson. Under pressure following a shock loss to minnows Nigeria, the Matildas recorded a resounding 4–0 victory over reigning Olympic champions Canada.</p> <p>Now, in a few pressure-filled hours, Australia’s most successful football team have the potential to make history: to progress to the semi finals for the first time ever.</p> <p>A win would see Matildas’ media coverage and fandom enter uncharted, euphoric territory. But with record crowds, viewership, and merchandise sales, and with several of their players now household names, in many ways the Matildas will already have won before they even set foot on the pitch.<!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/211338/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/fiona-crawford-128832">Fiona Crawford</a>, Adjunct Lecturer at the Centre for Justice, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/queensland-university-of-technology-847">Queensland University of Technology</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/from-handing-out-their-own-flyers-to-sell-out-games-how-the-matildas-won-over-a-nation-211338">original article</a>.</em></p>

TV

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Matildas smash TV viewer records for the first time in a decade

<p>On Saturday night, many households around the nation joined together and held their breath as The Matildas took on France in an epic showdown for the FIFA Women’s World Cup.</p> <p>The game had an audience of millions around the country, as people watched the nail-biting event live and free on Channel 7 and 7plus to set all kinds of staggering TV records. </p> <p>Australia has been swept up in the fever of the Women's World Cup, with each game boasting more and more fans, with millions of people, including the not-so sports inclined, showing up in a display of solidarity for women's sport. </p> <p>Many accommodations were made for the match against France, the Channel 7 pushing their nightly news broadcast, and countless live streaming sites set up around the country for sports fans to gather together and watch the showdown in real time. </p> <p>As a result, Seven has revealed that the game delivered “the highest rating TV sport program of the past decade”.</p> <p>The last time the Matildas stepped out, for the 2-0 win over Denmark, their TV numbers eclipsed last year’s AFL and NRL grand finals, and all of this year’s State of Origin battles in rugby league and reality TV shows.</p> <p>Now, Seven’s “preliminary data” shows that the epic battle with France was watched by a whopping 7.2 million people (on both Seven and 7plus) with an estimated average audience during the game of 4.17 million.</p> <p>The game’s adjusted average audience of 4.17 million included a national broadcast audience of 3.69 million viewers on Seven (2.62 million in the capital cities) plus 472,000 viewers on 7plus.</p> <p>“It is the No.1 TV program of the year,” Seven said in a statement.</p> <p>“The 472,000 viewers on 7plus makes the Matildas v France game the biggest streaming event ever seen in Australia.”</p> <p>Overall, Seven’s coverage of the World Cup has now reached 11.9 million broadcast viewers plus another 2.3 million on 7plus.</p> <p>Seven’s Melbourne director and head of sport, Lewis Martin, said, “Australia partied yesterday as the Matildas did us proud. The nation gathered around the screens of Seven to cheer on our latest sporting heroes, in an amazing, shared experience that only Seven can deliver.</p> <p>“The FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 has brought Australia together in a way we haven’t seen for years."</p> <p>Australia beat France in the epic battle on Saturday, after The Matildas had the nation on the collective edge of their seats before dominating in a tense 7-6 penalty shootout. </p> <p>The Matildas will now take on England in the semi-finals on Wednesday night, in a match that is sure to break TV viewing records all over again. </p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

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Scariest moment of Matilda's victory over Denmark

<p>Sam Kerr, the captain of the Matildas, finally made her long-awaited debut in this Women's World Cup during the recent match against Denmark, when she took to the field as a substitute at the 79-minute mark, contributing to Australia's 2-0 victory and securing a spot in the quarterfinals.</p> <p>After weeks of speculation about her fitness, Kerr's left calf muscle has dominated conversations across the nation – making her presence on the pitch a relief to many who had been closely following her situation.</p> <p>During her brief appearance on the field, and following her arrival that saw the 75,874-strong crowd on its feet, there were very positive signs of her competitive readiness – before a heart-stopping moment of tension arose when she slipped on the slick turf and experienced what appeared to be a groin issue.</p> <p>Kerr addressed the incident in the post-match conference, saying: “I just slipped. I have terrible groins and just fell over like a normal thing. I think it’s just on a microscope because I’ve been injured the last three weeks. But it’s nothing.”</p> <p>However, her unexpected fall could not help but catch the attention of coach Tony Gustavsson in that terrifying moment, who expressed his concern through wildly animated gestures as he attempted to determine what had gone wrong. However, he later confirmed that Kerr had assured him she was capable of continuing to play.</p> <p>During the press conference, the Gustavsson coach was asked to share his emotions when Kerr encountered the mishap, while refraining from using strong language. In response, after a moment of laughter, he said, “I know I can tend to swear too much at times when I get passionate, but today I’ll try to stay away from that. I got very nervous. I didn’t see the slip until she was on the floor. But when I saw that obviously you go: ‘Oh!’</p> <p>“And then straight away communicate with her: ‘How are you doing, you need to come off? You good?’</p> <p>“She wanted to stay on so hopefully that means she’s OK.”</p> <p>Kerr had been adhering to a rigorous training regimen since suffering the injury just two days before the tournament's commencement. After the match, she revealed that the physiotherapists were meticulous in overseeing her recovery, even prohibiting her from participating in warm-down runs with her teammates.</p> <p>Reports also suggest that the training staff advised Kerr against engaging in running and jumping during the post-game celebrations with her team.</p> <p>When asked about Australia's upcoming match as the tournament deepens, she responded, “I don’t even know when it is. I have a plan, the physios have a plan – I asked them if I could run after (the match) and they said no!</p> <p>“So I’m sure I’ll be following their plan like I have the past few weeks.”</p> <p><em>Images: Getty / Channel 7</em></p>

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Matildas bet on Albo’s public holiday promise

<p dir="ltr">When Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese first floated the idea of a public holiday for soccer success with the Socceroos and the Men’s World Cup, fans all over were eager for the chance to celebrate. </p> <p dir="ltr">And now, with the Women’s World Cup approaching, all eyes have turned to the Matildas as they strive for victory, with some asking if the public holiday promise extends to the nation’s beloved women’s team, too. </p> <p dir="ltr">And while speaking to <em>The Daily Aus</em>, Albanese had the answer that many were hoping for. However, the promise came with just one major condition - the Matildas had to secure victory.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It’s up to each state and territory to designate public holidays,” he said. “But rest assured - should the Matildas win the World Cup on home soil, I reckon there will be a race by Premiers to declare a public holiday.”</p> <p dir="ltr">And the Matildas were quick to prove themselves up to the challenge, responding to a social media recap on the situation to write “Bet”, along with a handshake emoji. </p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CtdjeCDLo7h/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CtdjeCDLo7h/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by The Daily Aus (TDA) (@thedailyaus)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">Passionate supporters - of both soccer and a day off - were thrilled to see it, with many agreeing that the Matildas were in with a real shot at the trophy, and as a result, the nation with the promised holiday. </p> <p dir="ltr">“When he said that he knew there was no way the men’s team would win in a million years,” one user wrote. “The women’s team however have one of the best chances of winning…suck it up boys!”</p> <p dir="ltr">Another agreed, writing that the Matildas “have more of a chance of winning too let’s face it.”</p> <p dir="ltr">“Give us a public holiday!” another chimed in. </p> <p dir="ltr">However, some had their concerns, mostly when it came to the hospitality and small business workers who wouldn’t reap the same rewards from the day. </p> <p dir="ltr">“I want them to win as much as anyone but as a business with 100 clients another public holiday for them to pay to their staff will hurt.....super is rising, awards are rising,” one said. “Give small businesses a break they employ the most people yet are forgotten!!!”</p> <p dir="ltr">“Too many PH already,” another complained. “Full time hospitality workers need a life too.”</p> <p dir="ltr">And for one user, it was a mixed affair, as they shared that “he possibly said it as the men’s team had no chance, but the Matilda’s!!! Yes! Although rather see Melbs Cup dropped in Vic &amp; we pick up a day dedicated to celebrate our Indigenous people &amp; history.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Getty</em></p>

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