Given Danielle Brogan’s highly-competitive approach to the game, it is perhaps no surprise that her ‘retirement’ last only 18 months.
She’s back playing and back with Glory having signed on for the upcoming Westfield W-League season.
And the 29-year-old cannot wait to kick-start her second spell in the famous purple shirt.
“I had originally decided that I was hanging the boots up and just getting on with life and my career and everything,” she said.
“But I guess having that competitive nature and watching the girls go so close last year, you just never lose that desire to play and win.
“Unfortunately Ari [Romero] did her ACL, so a place became available in the squad and who wouldn’t want to play with Sam Kerr in the form that she’s in?
“I did have some people pinching me behind the scenes to get me back involved, so there were a few reasons behind my decision and I’m just really excited to be playing once more.”
Brogan admits that she found watching on as Bobby Despotovski’s side were pipped by Melbourne City in last year’s Grand Final a painful experience, but feels that the squad will benefit from the crushing disappointment they endured at nib Stadium that day.
“Looking at the squad last year,” she said, “you could probably count on the fingers of one hand the number of those girls who had experienced a Grand Final.
“Now the majority of the squad have that experience under their belts. They know how it feels to lose and that will help them going into this season.
“They know what it takes to get to the Grand Final and what you have to do to win it and that extra bit of extra experience can really help.
“I don’t encourage playing off emotion, but you never really forget a Grand Final defeat and you’re always striving to be better.
“The team looks like it’s coming together really well and obviously we’ve still got the internationals to come in.”
The all-time record W-League attendance at nib Stadium on that occasion was another indication of the progress made by the women’s game in this country.
And as someone who has been playing at a national level since her mid-teens, Brogan is well qualified to comment on just how far it’s come.
“It’s been 10 years since I first put on a W-League jersey and I played in the old women’s NSL before that,” she explained, “and the game has just developed in leaps and bounds.
“We used to have only a few hundred people interested in us when I was with Sydney FC even though we were the dominant club with all the money back then.
“Now we have events like last year’s Grand Final and the Matildas selling out in Penrith and Newcastle and I just wish I was ten years younger!
“But we’ve all done our bit to get women’s football to where it is and I hope that in the next ten years we’ll be selling W-League games out as well.
“It’s very satisfying seeing where it is now and where it’s going.”
Unfortunately for Brogan and most of her Glory teammates, the football landscape has not altered sufficiently to facilitate the club employing an entirely full-time professional squad.
But the hugely-likeable defender has at least managed to draw on some of her football experiences, albeit unwanted ones, to assist her in her day job.
“I work for a medical supply company called DJO Global and they’re very supportive of my football,” she said.
“I’m their physio territory manager in WA which means all my experience with injuries comes in very handy! I’ve got great product knowledge!”
Brogan is set to feature for Glory in Tuesday night’s clash with the WA State Team at Forrestfield and as far as the upcoming Westfield W-League season is concerned, she feels it will be super-tight.
“Melbourne City will, of course, be right up there again,” she predicted.
“Brisbane always seem to have what it takes and Sydney have a few surprise packages that are worth watching.
“I think it’s going to be one of the most even seasons we’ve had. All the clubs seem to have recruited well and the exposure has been good, so there are a lot of international players knocking on the doors of clubs wanting to come over and play.
“As for Glory, I think we’ll be pushing for that top spot.”
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