In the space of five days, Natasha Prior has become a CommBank Matildas debutant and an international goalscorer in her first two senior caps for her country.
Six years ago, the then-21-year-old would never have thought it possible to achieve those two significant feats, having retired from football due to a major concussion suffered while playing for Canberra United in the 2018-19 Ninja A-League season.
The blow that forced her retirement at the time was one suffered against Sydney FC in December, 2018 – the sixth concussion of Prior’s career at the time.
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Prior has since made a slow but steady return to the game, making incremental progress throughout the past six years.
But a call-up to the Matildas squad has since seen Prior’s progress accelerate, with her international debut and maiden Matildas goal coming within five days in friendlies against Brazil and Chinese Taipei.
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After scoring Australia’s first goal in a 3-1 win over Chinese Taipei at AAMI Park, Prior spoke about her unique road to the Matildas squad.
“I think I retired around the age of 21,” Prior explained.
“I had a pretty hard concussion. I went into full-time work, working at Deloitte in Canberra and then I transitioned to the Sydney team. Probably for about two years, I think, I had on-and-off stints playing at different clubs like Sydney FC.
“Then I think I took another break – it’s a bit jumbled in my head, the exact timeline – but then coming back last season properly to the Jets for a proper, full season and again this year, then obviously being called in (to the Matildas)
“It’s been a long journey, but it’s also happened quite quickly.”
Prior made 24 appearances for the Jets in the 2023-24 Ninja A-League campaign to catch the attention of Matildas interim head coach Tom Sermanni.
Having handed Prior the first senior call-up of her career, Sermanni gave the 26-year-old her international debut as a substitute against Brazil on Sunday before handing her a start against Chinese Taipei.
Assessing Prior’s performance across her first two games in green and gold, Sermanni likened the centre-back’s bright start with the Matildas to that of Clare Hunt, who only debuted in February, 2023 but has felt like a vital member of the squad ever since her very first game.
“She’s walked in the team a bit like Clare Hunt did a year and a half ago,” Sermanni said.
“She plays with composure, authority, she’s got good defensive strengths, she’s mobile and she’s very good on the ball. She’s actually got all the qualities her father never had as a player – and scored one more goal than he ever did.
“Before the game, I spoke to the players and said: ‘I want to see players come in this team and look like they belong’ – and I think she’s done that.”
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Prior scored the first of three Matildas goals against Chinese Taipei at AAMI Park on Friday night. Fellow Ninja A-League players Sharn Freier and Bryleeh Henry also bagged the first ‘A’ international goals of their careers on a night soured by a head injury to Chloe Logarzo.
Read the full match report here
