Socceroos ready for dark arts duel with Saudis

With the World Cup in touching distance, the Socceroos are ready to tackle whatever obstacles Saudi Arabia throw at them - and respond with some dark arts of their own.
After a heroic 1-0 win over Japan put Australia on the brink of direct qualification for next year's finals in North America, Tony Popovic's charges flew to Jeddah on Friday.
Australia face familiar foes Saudi Arabia, who beat Bahrain 2-0, on Tuesday night (Wednesday AEST) knowing anything other than losing by five goals will seal qualification.
The Saudis (13 points, 0 goal difference) have everything to gain - hoping to leapfrog Australia (16 points, +8 goal difference) into the second automatic qualification spot behind Japan.
Midfielder Connor Metcalfe is prepared for any curveballs coming the Socceroos' way.
"I'm expecting delays at the airport. I'm expecting a really bad pitch to train on. I'm expecting loads of, I don't know, bus delays before the game," he said.
"I'm just expecting they're probably just going to throw everything at us because they know what they need to do, and they're just going to make it as difficult as possible."
A hostile environment awaits at the King Abdullah Sports City Stadium, but Metcalfe is adamant Australia are ready to play their part in frustrating the parochial crowd.
"I think we're gonna have to play a little bit of their game as well," he said.
"Whether we waste time and delay the game as much as we can.
"Because it's going to be like that. There's going to be a lot of diving, a lot of acting.
"But it's just block the noise out, focus on ourselves and do the best we can."
Above all, Metcalfe says the players have to "stick together".
"You can't get affected by any of it, because if you get affected by any of their little games or noise or whatever it is, then it's just going to affect the game, and they're going to get that little advantage over you," he said.
A training camp in Abu Dhabi has Australia prepared for the sweltering conditions that await.
"We know what we're gonna be up against. We've played them before," Metcalfe said.
"We played them in Jeddah before as well, and it's gonna be a tough game in the conditions as well.
"It's probably gonna be close to 40 degrees, with 50,000 fans screaming, so it's gonna be difficult, but I think we're all mentally prepared for it.
"And of course, we want to beat them on their home turf as well, in front of all their fans."
St. Pauli midfielder Metcalfe, 25, is ready to make an impact, after starting against Japan in his first game back since a series of injuries.
"It's been a long, long journey, tough ride, but it was amazing being back out there," he said.
"Just being involved in a win as well in front of a home crowd was a special feeling. Just love it."
With the World Cup in touching distance, the Socceroos are ready to tackle whatever obstacles Saudi Arabia throw at them - and respond with some dark arts of their own.
After a heroic 1-0 win over Japan put Australia on the brink of direct qualification for next year's finals in North America, Tony Popovic's charges flew to Jeddah on Friday.
Australia face familiar foes Saudi Arabia, who beat Bahrain 2-0, on Tuesday night (Wednesday AEST) knowing anything other than losing by five goals will seal qualification.
The Saudis (13 points, 0 goal difference) have everything to gain - hoping to leapfrog Australia (16 points, +8 goal difference) into the second automatic qualification spot behind Japan.
Midfielder Connor Metcalfe is prepared for any curveballs coming the Socceroos' way.
"I'm expecting delays at the airport. I'm expecting a really bad pitch to train on. I'm expecting loads of, I don't know, bus delays before the game," he said.
"I'm just expecting they're probably just going to throw everything at us because they know what they need to do, and they're just going to make it as difficult as possible."
A hostile environment awaits at the King Abdullah Sports City Stadium, but Metcalfe is adamant Australia are ready to play their part in frustrating the parochial crowd.
"I think we're gonna have to play a little bit of their game as well," he said.
"Whether we waste time and delay the game as much as we can.
"Because it's going to be like that. There's going to be a lot of diving, a lot of acting.
"But it's just block the noise out, focus on ourselves and do the best we can."
Above all, Metcalfe says the players have to "stick together".
"You can't get affected by any of it, because if you get affected by any of their little games or noise or whatever it is, then it's just going to affect the game, and they're going to get that little advantage over you," he said.
A training camp in Abu Dhabi has Australia prepared for the sweltering conditions that await.
"We know what we're gonna be up against. We've played them before," Metcalfe said.
"We played them in Jeddah before as well, and it's gonna be a tough game in the conditions as well.
"It's probably gonna be close to 40 degrees, with 50,000 fans screaming, so it's gonna be difficult, but I think we're all mentally prepared for it.
"And of course, we want to beat them on their home turf as well, in front of all their fans."
St. Pauli midfielder Metcalfe, 25, is ready to make an impact, after starting against Japan in his first game back since a series of injuries.
"It's been a long, long journey, tough ride, but it was amazing being back out there," he said.
"Just being involved in a win as well in front of a home crowd was a special feeling. Just love it."
With the World Cup in touching distance, the Socceroos are ready to tackle whatever obstacles Saudi Arabia throw at them - and respond with some dark arts of their own.
After a heroic 1-0 win over Japan put Australia on the brink of direct qualification for next year's finals in North America, Tony Popovic's charges flew to Jeddah on Friday.
Australia face familiar foes Saudi Arabia, who beat Bahrain 2-0, on Tuesday night (Wednesday AEST) knowing anything other than losing by five goals will seal qualification.
The Saudis (13 points, 0 goal difference) have everything to gain - hoping to leapfrog Australia (16 points, +8 goal difference) into the second automatic qualification spot behind Japan.
Midfielder Connor Metcalfe is prepared for any curveballs coming the Socceroos' way.
"I'm expecting delays at the airport. I'm expecting a really bad pitch to train on. I'm expecting loads of, I don't know, bus delays before the game," he said.
"I'm just expecting they're probably just going to throw everything at us because they know what they need to do, and they're just going to make it as difficult as possible."
A hostile environment awaits at the King Abdullah Sports City Stadium, but Metcalfe is adamant Australia are ready to play their part in frustrating the parochial crowd.
"I think we're gonna have to play a little bit of their game as well," he said.
"Whether we waste time and delay the game as much as we can.
"Because it's going to be like that. There's going to be a lot of diving, a lot of acting.
"But it's just block the noise out, focus on ourselves and do the best we can."
Above all, Metcalfe says the players have to "stick together".
"You can't get affected by any of it, because if you get affected by any of their little games or noise or whatever it is, then it's just going to affect the game, and they're going to get that little advantage over you," he said.
A training camp in Abu Dhabi has Australia prepared for the sweltering conditions that await.
"We know what we're gonna be up against. We've played them before," Metcalfe said.
"We played them in Jeddah before as well, and it's gonna be a tough game in the conditions as well.
"It's probably gonna be close to 40 degrees, with 50,000 fans screaming, so it's gonna be difficult, but I think we're all mentally prepared for it.
"And of course, we want to beat them on their home turf as well, in front of all their fans."
St. Pauli midfielder Metcalfe, 25, is ready to make an impact, after starting against Japan in his first game back since a series of injuries.
"It's been a long, long journey, tough ride, but it was amazing being back out there," he said.
"Just being involved in a win as well in front of a home crowd was a special feeling. Just love it."

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Watching women's sport not just for women: Experts talk on levelling the playing field

ABC News

38 minutes ago

ABC News

Watching women's sport not just for women: Experts talk on levelling the playing field

In 2023, a nation held its breath as the Matildas took on England in the FIFA Women's World Cup semifinal. What followed wasn't just a gripping match, it became the most-watched television broadcast in Australian history. A post-tournament social impact report from Football Australia revealed that 44 per cent of the audience comprised men and boys. For the first time, a women's football game outperformed every other program ever aired in the country, breaking the myth that women's sport only appeals to women. Former Matilda and lawyer Moya Dodd says we have come a long way in the past decade. "Ten years ago, no one would have believed it," she told ABC International Development's Women in News and Sport, at the recent RCB Innovation Lab Sports Summit in India. Women's sport has been marketed primarily to women, and that marketing often focuses on empowerment rather than excellence. But Dodd said the skill, determination, and passion on display deserves universal respect, regardless of the gender of those on the field. She said boys were already growing up idolising athletes like Sam Kerr, the same way they do male stars. "When young boys see professionalised women's sport, they accept it as normal," Dodd said. "They'll happily wear a jersey with Sam Kerr's name on it. "There is no social stigma." In India, the Women's Premier League (WPL) is emerging as a game-changer. The second season in 2024 reached more than 103 million TV viewers, with digital platforms like JioCinema drawing millions more. Brands are investing big: Viacom18 signed a $117 million deal for WPL rights, one of the most lucrative ever for a women's league. But framing isn't the only challenge. Dodd said structural barriers persisted across leadership, infrastructure, and media. "Sport was built by men, for men, and run by men," Dodd said. "You can't just retrofit women into those systems. You need to redesign them." Sarah Walsh, head of women's football at Football Australia, and a former Matildas player, said the Matildas' rise was made possible by constitutional changes in 2018 that brought more women into decision-making roles. "We wouldn't have had the success we did, equal pay deals, post-World Cup legacy funding, without women in the room deciding where the money goes," she told WINS. Dodd said although there had been ground made, there were other areas that needed to evolve. "Storytelling is still skewed toward men's sport," Dodd said. "We need commentary and coverage that welcomes new audiences, not one that constantly compares women's sport to men's." She stressed that female voices in broadcast and journalism played a vital role in shaping public perception. Both Dodd and Walsh indicated that with the right leadership, inclusive policies, and a reframing of how women's sport was presented, there was significant opportunity for growth and equity. They both believe growth on the field translates to growing the game off it. Walsh said infrastructure remained a silent but critical barrier to participation, with a number of community football facilities still not female friendly. "You're not going to retain girls if they simply can't get dressed," Walsh said. Meanwhile, teenage dropout rates among girls are high due to issues ranging from lack of safety to body image concerns. Major events like the Women's World Cup helped boost participation by 20 per cent, but retention is still a hurdle. Recent trends in viewership and sponsorship suggest that interest in women's sport is not limited by gender. It delivers economic, cultural, and social returns. With the Matildas' semi-final appearance in 2023 and the growing viewership of WPL, sponsorships have increased, new demographics are being reached, and male audiences are growing across markets. "Women's sport brings audiences that have come to celebrate inclusion and a sense of social purpose. And this audience includes people of all genders and ages," Dodd said. Dodd and Walsh believe these developments raise a broader question — no longer whether women's sport has a place, but whether existing structures are prepared to meet the growing potential. Veechika Durga Pingali is a freelance journalist based in Bengaluru, India, with experience in both journalism and public relations. She has a degree in Journalism and Mass Communication and enjoys writing about gender, media and sports. Veechika is part of ABC International Development's Women in News and Sport Initiative, funded by the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade through the Team Up program.