Matildas defender Natasha Prior at Merewether Beach on March 24, 2025. Women's squad gets announced ahead of international friendly in Newcastle.
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00:00You've had some incredible achievements in your career now, we claim you as a Novocastrian,
00:04what will it mean to run out for McDonald Jones Stadium in the red and gold?
00:09Yeah I think I said in an interview before that regardless of the jersey that you wear,
00:14whether it's the Newcastle or the Tours, it feels pretty special to play for McDonald
00:17Jones.
00:19Anytime the fans pull together it feels very special.
00:23I think basically that, it doesn't matter to me which jersey it is, it feels pretty
00:28special to be able to play football here in Newcastle.
00:30And McDonald Jones has a proud history of attracting big crowds for Matilda's games,
00:35do you feel like you are also, I guess, the proof for all the young girls in the Hunter
00:40and who travel further afield that they can make it all the way through to our national
00:44stage?
00:45I mean I hope so, it's very complimentary but yeah I think with the A-League being quite
00:52a strong league I think it shows that if you put in the work and you put in the hours you
00:57can kind of achieve whatever you set your mind to, whether that's football or whatever
01:01your endeavours are.
01:03I think my case is the same as any other players, putting in the hours to get a good result.
01:08And a key focus, what we've heard, is building towards the Asia Cup, you've got two more
01:12opportunities yourself, how eager are you to make the most and try and take more steps
01:17towards that campaign?
01:19No very eager, I was with my parents on the weekend and mum's message to me was go in,
01:25play strong and keep your spot basically.
01:28And I think the two upcoming games are just another chance for me to try and prove myself.
01:33And the Jets have had a fair bit of form of late, a disappointing result on the weekend
01:37but are playing some brilliant football.
01:39Do you take a lot of confidence and momentum out of club land into this national camp?
01:43I do yeah, I think we were only what 16 wins away from Melbourne City's record now, so
01:48pretty close.
01:49But no it was a good three games for us and I think we still played quite confidently
01:54and that's a Melbourne victory and unfortunately didn't get the win.
01:57But yeah I think training, training's a good environment, the games are a good environment
02:02and it definitely sets me up to go in confidently into the games for two hours for sure.
02:07How do you go in terms of joining a new team, different people, I know you've played with
02:11a lot of the infamous players before but just getting out of that club headspace and into
02:15these national representatives?
02:17Yeah no it's a good question, it's definitely, I guess it is a switch of mentality a little
02:22bit, you don't get to step away when you're in camp.
02:27But I think the support staff we have around us really help manage that and I guess it's
02:33just something you've got to do, you've got to switch on, stay focused for the whole time
02:36you're in camp.
02:38Do you still, I don't know, get excited to play alongside some of these incredible players
02:42or are you afraid to play yourself?
02:44There's a mindset of Ellie Hunt, Emily Boehner, Golden Griffiths here, it's fun to be in
02:48all that sort of thing.
02:50Yeah I don't think that stuff's really sunk in for me yet, it still feels, when we're
02:55in a team talk I'm looking around going like oh my god, around players that I looked up
02:59to for so long.
03:01So I think it's my third camp and I feel settled but I'm still at a pinch me kind of state
03:08for sure.
03:09I suppose on that with camp number three, have you sort of grown a little bit of confidence
03:14each time and then again probably coming into this one?
03:18Yeah I think each time you get selected, whether it's you get the message that you're in camp
03:23that's obviously a little confidence boost and then it really depends on how you play
03:27in camp.
03:28I'm hoping obviously to go in and have some good games, you just kind of build from there
03:33and then even training itself as well, each training session you build.
03:37Yeah sure.
03:38Will Merriweather Beach be on the tour guide list for some of the girls when you visit?
03:42Hopefully it's sunny.
03:45I love all the Newcastle beaches, my favourite is probably Bar Beach down there.
03:51But no definitely I think we've got a bit of time in the schedule to go to a couple
03:55of the beaches there.
03:57And in terms of the next two games or friendlies, are you hoping to get as many minutes as you
04:02possibly can out there?
04:03Yeah I mean I'll leave that with Tom, hopefully I can train well and like Tom mentioned try
04:09and make my way into the starting squad.
04:12But any minutes of this stage I'm thankful for.
04:15Thanks.
04:16Thanks.