Sydney FC’s latest signing, Allira Toby, who grew up in the Queensland town of Mount Morgan, has achieved much in her football career.
Key points:
- Toby wants to help increase the numbers of Indigenous footballers playing the game professionally
- She has returned to the W-League to play for Sydney FC after taking up an overseas contract
- Toby won a W-League championship with the Brisbane Roar in the 2017/18 season
Toby won a W-League grand final with the Brisbane Roar in the 2017/18 season and was twice awarded the club’s golden boot.
She was the only Indigenous player on the Roar’s W-League roster from 2016 to 2020.
“I am a proud Indigenous woman, Kanulu and Gangulu woman, Mount Morgan is where my entire family is,” Toby said.
Toby, a striker, said more needed to be done to improve pathways for Indigenous footballers.
With the 2023 Women’s World Cup on the horizon, Toby said the time to act was now.
“We’ve got so much quality and talent out there and it would be a shame not to explore that,” she said.
Matildas goalkeeper Lydia Williams is one of six Indigenous women to have represented Australia in football, but there is only half that number currently playing in the W-League.
“I am lucky that I get to play here (at Sydney FC) with Jada Whyman — she’s also a very proud Indigenous woman,” Toby said.
Toby said she had made it her mission to show young Indigenous people they could achieve their goals.
“It’s something I will want to do for the rest of my life, because our little kids deserve that chance and if I can help that then that’s all I want to do,” she said.
Long road to Sydney FC
Toby is back in Australia after a short stint with Portuguese club Famalicão.
“I got to play football in Spain, so that was fun and I met some really amazing people,” Toby said.
“It’s a shame that it didn’t work out.”
When coronavirus hit last year, Toby’s contract ended and she was stranded in Europe, before getting the call-up to Sydney FC in January for the 2021 season.
“It definitely wasn’t easy and definitely wasn’t what I was expecting from my first overseas contract,” she said.
While she was overseas, she lived with three teammates that did not speak English, nor did the rest of the team, the coach or staff.
“In the end it just wasn’t the right fit for me and coming back home to Australia was definitely exactly where I needed to be and I am glad that I am here,” Toby said.
Toby said she hoped being at home might work in her favour and she has the backing of her new coach.
“She’s exceptional, she’s been one of the best strikers in the W-League for six or seven years now,” Sydney FC coach Ante Juric said.
“She brings that experience, but most importantly she’s a great girl off the field.”
While Toby has made a name for herself as one of the best strikers in the W-League, she has set her sights on representing Australia.
“I definitely aspire to play for the Matildas, we’ve got a big few years coming up with Australian football,” she said.
Playing for the Matildas is an opportunity Juric thinks she is made for.
“She’s definitely good enough, 100 per cent,” he said.
“When she is at her best and at her fittest, she’s in the top two or three strikers Australia has.
“It’s just a matter of getting some luck, fitness and some goals and she will get an opportunity.”
With Sydney FC riding high on top of the W-League ladder, Toby has landed in the perfect spot to do just that.
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