MARQUEE sporting events can always leave an impression on the public and gives some organisations a great platform to develop further.
Think the Olympic Games or any form of World Cup contest.
It’s the latter which could play a big role in 2023 as Australia and New Zealand will co-host the FIFA Women’s World Cup from July 20 to August 20.
The Matildas are well in contention to win on home soil and the hype that can build from the tournament could be huge for the women’s world game.
Recently I caught up with Nichols Point goal keeper Christine Cottrell for a story in an upcoming edition of the Daily.
Following a few minutes of friendly banter as Liverpool and Everton supporters respectively, we got on to the topic of how the women’s game is developing in Australia.
Christine is adamant it’s on the way up, and this year’s World Cup could be an even bigger boon.
The English-born player believes there has been huge growth of the world game for women in recent years, from increased coverage and awareness of the WSL in England to the amalgamation of the A-Leagues, men’s and women’s competitions, under the one banner.
“I think having the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand is going to be great for women’s football,” Christine said.
“I went down to Melbourne to see the Matildas play in a friendly and the ground was packed.
“I grew up watching Liverpool play and unlike the men’s games, the atmosphere was totally different, it’s so friendly and family-orientated, a lot less testosterone flying around.
“And in my opinion, Australia have the best player in the world at the moment in Sam Kerr. Whether you can find 10 others on a similar level will be interesting.”
Christine does believe that women’s football is already a growing force in Australia, and even in Sunraysia.
As a player who competed at high levels in Melbourne before relocating to Mildura, she should know.
“The standard of competition here is reasonably high, especially considering the smaller pool of players compared to the city,” she said.
“I think if we had to play some Melbourne teams all of the teams in the league would give them a run for their money.”
It all bodes well for the future of women’s football, and let’s hope it also translates to Sunraysia. I have a good feeling about it. MAX EFFORT, MAX RESULTS
NEVER send a man to do a boy’s job.
That may have been the instruction at Chaffey Park last Saturday as Mildura West youngster Max Fleri saved the day, moving from thorns to blooming roses.
Late in the Merbein First Division innings, Shane “Maxi” Trinick sent the ball out of the ground for six with the pill disappearing into the front garden of a home adjacent to the ground.
What was initially a fruitless search by players and umpires to locate the leather was turned on its head when young Max, a substitute fielder at the time, swooped in like Superman to retrieve the ball and get play underway again.
It was confirmed to the Daily that after the adults couldn’t locate the ball Max declared: “I’m going to go and find the ball”, and he did!
Well done to you, mate, hopefully the enthusiasm remains for a long time yet.THIEVERY
Unfortunately, at this stage there’s still been no word on the missing cricket gear of Mildura Settlers’ Harvey Ault and Mildura West’s Charlie Walker.
In case you missed it earlier this week, the Englishmen, who are playing as imports for their respective clubs this summer, had over $6000 of combined cricket gear stolen from outside their house mid-last week after their car was broken into.
Despite reports to the police and social media sharing, no one has come forward about the stolen gear. I am shattered for the lads.
A big pat on the back to those in the community who have lent their support to the boys.
The duo will likely need to buy themselves a full new kit once they touch down on English soil ahead of their season which starts in April.
Ault’s kit is supplied by Spyder Bats, a UK company, with the black bag and all the gear inside having the same branding.
Walker owns a dark blue Millichamp and Hall bag with the majority of gear inside baring Gray Nicolls branding.
Any sightings of the gear should be reported to Mildura Police.
