Winonah Heatley expressed that it was “indescribable” to make her senior debut in the team’s 2-1 victory over Germany.
The 23-year-old from Cairns became CommBank Matilda #230 during the second half, when she was substituted onto the field in an ‘A’ International for the first time.
“It’s pretty indescribable,” she said after the game.
“Anyone who knows me knows that this is the one thing that I’ve always known that I wanted to do with my life. I’m just grateful and happy.”
It was assistant coach Jean-Paul de Marigny who gave her final words of encouragement before she stepped onto the pitch as a Matilda.
“He just told us that we deserve to be here, remember that, and go play how we play,” she recalled.
“When you’re standing on the sideline with a packed crowd – a foreign crowd as well – it’s pretty intimidating. So to get the belief from the coaches is really important.”
The result was the CommBank Matildas first victory over Germany in 19 years. To make her debut on such a historic night made it all the more special for Heatley.
“Being able to come away with the win today was really special,” she said.
“Just regardless of the result, being able to be out with the girls was surreal.”
She explained that she had been prepared for the physicality of the game by her experiences at club level and was ready to do what was needed for the team.
“Coming in with a 1-1 score line, you just want to be defensively solid, try and not concede any more goals,” she said.
“Part of my game that comes from my club is putting your body and the line and doing everything to keep the ball out of the net.”
Heatley said it was an incredibly encouraging result, given the circumstances of starting a new cycle.
“With a new coach, a new structure, it’s always going to be a bit testing, but I think it just shows the quality we have and how we can play,” she said.
“Hopefully that brings more confidence to play how we can against top teams.”
The next international window will be a special one for Heatley, with the potential for her to play in front of family and friends in two states that hold a lot of meaning.
Her first professional club was the Roar, in Brisbane – where the CommBank Matildas will play first – and her second was Melbourne City, where they will take on Chinese Taipei later in the window.
“To be able to play in both of those cities is really exciting,” she said.
“Hopefully, I can be there.”