A new Stan Originals documentary, Trailblazers, has shed light on the pay dispute that rocked women’s football Down Under nearly a decade ago.
In 2015, Matildas players refused to tour the United States and confronted the sport’s administrators, Football Federation Australia, in hopes of a new Collective Bargaining Agreement.
Contracts then were worth a meagre $21,000 per year before match payments, less than minimum wage.
The Stan Original documentary ‘Trailblazers’ is now streaming, only on Stan.
The FFA refused to meet with the players and ultimately nerfed the tour that had already sold tens of thousands of tickets.
The players demanded equal pay to bring them in line with the Socceroos, as well as an increase in spending on travel and accommodation, and development opportunities for players.
Sam Kerr of the Matildas celebrates with team mates after scoring a goal during the international women’s friendly match between the Australian Matildas and Vietnam in 2015. Matt King via Getty Images
Ultimately, a new CBA was agreed between the players and the FFA and the strike ended two months after it began.
The new documentary details the mood among the players at the time, which was one of fear that they may never represent Australia again.
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“There was a lot of conversation and a lot of thought to what steps we took. And, to be honest, striking was the last option,” said Sam Kerr.
“At the time, it was really daunting and scary. A lot of us felt like that would be the last time we would maybe play for the national team — they’d hold that against us.
“We had spoken to other nations as well like the US. They had our back and supported us.”
Allana Kennedy added, “I think one of our fears was that people thought we should be grateful. We should be happy that we can wear the jersey and we never want that to be questioned because our love for our country is above everything.”
Katrina Gorry said it was “time to stand up for ourselves” and that the female players felt they deserved to be paid as much as their male counterparts.
The then-Matildas coach Tom Sermanni (1994-1997 and 2005-2012) said it was a shame players had to resort to such drastic measures.
“My first instinct was I was disappointed,” said Sermanni.
“I wasn’t disappointed in the players, per se. I was just disappointed that an agreement didn’t get made.
“Those were, at that time, two of the biggest games of the year. You’re playing against the US in the US. Number one in the world. Just won the World Cup.”
Sam Kerr features in the new Stan Originals documentary Trailblazers. Stan
Former Socceroos player Craig Foster recounted a similar experience with the Australian men’s team in the late ’90s.
He said the attitude towards the Matildas players, however, was not positive.
“I was involved in the first real male strike, or the threatening of such anyway, back in 1997 when as the Socceroos we came together and said ‘We need to strike a new bargain with the national governing body’,” he explained.
“Most of the fans were sympathetic. [But] 2015 was quite different. When Australia’s champion women footballers decided that they needed to make a stand, much of the administration felt as though they should be grateful to have the shirt and why should they have a share of player-generated revenue anyway?”
Trailblazers showcases the incredible rise of women’s football and the team’s journey to success, featuring legends of Australian women’s football and current Matildas stars including inaugural captain Julie Dolan, Steph Catley, Mary Fowler, and Ellie Carpenter.