Page 45 - Islands Business September 2023

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FOWLER: MORE THAN A STAR MATILDA

By Kevin McQuillan

Matilda’s forward Mary Fowler says she's a better player for
her first Women's World Cup experience.
"I have definitely improved. I've been fortunate to play so
many minutes at this tournament," Fowler told reporters after
Australia’s 2-0 third-place play-off loss to Sweden.
"It is a World Cup so it is the best level you can get.”
The Matildas are the first Australian soccer team to ever
make it to the semi-finals of a World Cup, their loss to Sweden
watched by more than 11 million Australians and setting a
television viewing record.
It was a game watched with enthusiasm in Papua New
Guinea, drawing huge attention in Fiji and across other parts
of the Pacific.
Mary Boio Fowler is one of five children born to an Irish Mary Fowler (left) in action. Photo: Patrick Hamilton/AFP
father and a Papua New Guinean mother. Her mother, Nido, picked in that squad, and I was like, ‘Oh, what do I do with
is from Kira Kira, a village in the PNG capital of Port Moresby, myself now?’ That was my one sporting dream, to be an
where her parents first met. Her father, Kevin, was born in Olympian.”
Ireland. She is aware of her growth into more of a team player.
Fowler could have played for either Ireland or Papua New “At the last World Cup, I was young and I was very
Guinea in the 2023 World Cup but chose to play for her confident. It's a very thin line between confidence and
country of birth. arrogance and I was a striker back then, all the time, scoring
“But I do feel very connected to both my parents’ goals.
backgrounds, and I don’t see myself as just an Australian. “I feel a lot more comfortable out there because I'm more
I see myself as Papuan and Irish too,” she told FIFA+, the comfortable with myself. When I had it in my mind that I had
International Football Federation’s free streaming service. to be the best in the world, it just meant that every single
Fowler had a hectic build-up to the semi-finals, replacing one of my teammates, was my competitor.
Sam Kerr in the starting line-up for the opening match against “Instead of being like, ‘I could pass you the ball and you’d
Ireland. She was ruled out of the game against Nigeria due to 100% score a goal’, it was like, ‘No, I'm going to shoot from
concussion, but started in all the following matches against here because I need the stat’. Whereas now, it’s so much
Canada, Denmark, France, England and Sweden. nicer to just want to win with the team,” she said.
Fowler scored her debut World Cup goal in Australia’s 4-0 From 2019, she spent two seasons with French side
thrashing of the Canadians and scored a decisive penalty in Montpellier before signing a four-year deal with Premier
the thrilling quarter-final victory over the French. After the League team, Manchester City, in June 2022—reportedly one
match, captain Sam Kerr was effusive: “She’s one of the most of the most expensive transfers.
amazing players in our team. She’s 20 years old, she has a
head on her like she’s 30, and been around for 100 years.” PNG reaction
There’s been widespread support in PNG for Fowler during
Early years the tournament.
Fowler had turned to soccer early, and by 10, she was “Thank you for making PNG proud and putting PNG Nation
playing for the Queensland State Under-12 team. The family into the world of sport,” wrote one fan Mila C Nash on
then moved to the Netherlands for three years where she, Instagram.
her brother, Caoimhin (Kevin), and sister, Ciara signed with “More so, by inspiring the young PNG girls and boys to get
BVV Barendrecht, and Leichardt FC. She learnt to speak Dutch into sports activity. More power and keep up being proud PNG.
fluently. The Fowlers moved back to Australia when Mary was God bless.”
14 and a year later she made her international debut for the Another Instagram user said they had never been interested
Matildas against Brazil at the 2018 Tournament of Nations. She in football until now.
made her W-League debut for Adelaide United in the 2019–20 “The whole of PNG is proud of you,” wrote Kole Kupul.
season and was selected for the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2019 “This Rugby league tragic with no interest in soccer until now.
squad (but didn’t play) and then for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, What an awesome role model for our young girls.”
when she scored a decisive goal against Great Britain in the Fowler proudly acknowledged those sentiments in an
quarterfinals. Instagram post.
“[When I started playing soccer] I said to myself, I’m not “Touches my heart...so proud to be Papuan,” she wrote.
going to finish until I make it to an Olympic’s. But then I was “Sending love to you all.”

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