Dual international Ellyse Perry has opted to play in the Twenty20 dead rubber instead of the W-League grand final.
Perry was on Friday named by Sydney FC to play in the W-League decider at Melbourne’s AAMI Park.
However, the Southern Stars’ three-match T20 series against India wraps up on the same day at the SCG.
It’s understood Perry spoke with Sky Blues mentor Daniel Barrett after her side’s 10-wicket loss at the MCG on Friday, confirming she would stay with the national team.
Australia skipper Meg Lanning had no problems with Perry’s code-clash conundrum, calling it great for women’s sport.
“That’s up to Ellyse and Cricket Australia and her club to decide,” Lanning said.
“It’s great for women’s sport. It’s great that she’s such a good player at both.
“I’ve got no problem with it.”
Sydney FC were surprise qualifiers for the showpiece match, defeating favourites Canberra United last Sunday in the semi-final without Perry.
It’s not the first time Perry, 25, has faced this dilemma.
Perry left Canberra United four years ago after the W-League club asked for her total commitment to football.
In 2013, the multi-sport wonder chose a W-League semi-final with new side Sydney FC over a state T20 final with NSW.
In 2015, Perry chose against the immersive training camps, designed to prepare national football side, the Matildas, for the Women’s World Cup in Canada.
Instead, she toured England with the Southern Stars, taking more wickets and making more runs than any other woman to be named player of the series.
Perry resumed dual duties this summer, playing a string of matches for Sydney around the Women’s Big Bash League.
The W-League grand final concludes the domestic football season, while the Southern Stars tour New Zealand in February then head to India for the women’s T20 World Cup.
Earlier this week, Perry won the Belinda Clark award, the highest individual Australian women’s cricket honour.
Punter
Guest
I think Sarah Walsh, ex Matilda, said it perfectly, it doesn't depend on what sport or sports, if it's club v country, you pick country every time. Maybe next time Perry is picked to play for the Matildas (country) & she has conflicting schedule against a WBBL for Sydney Sixers (club), she will choose football.
albatross
Roar Pro
Roy's missus reckons I'm not too bad either.
AR
Guest
"But, she’s now lost her spot in the team." What nonsense are you talking? Perry was named in the Sydney FC team for the grand final. She chose cricket.
c
Guest
My wife reckons I am pretty good roy what about yours mate
FIUL
Guest
BREAKING John Stensholt at the Fin Review has just announced that Channel 7 will broadcast all the Women's National Team's qualifying matches for Rio 2016 - starting in late February. Terrific news to push football into the mainstream media. Not sure if this is a one-off deal since Ch7 owns the TV rights to the 2016 Olympics? Wonder if they'll go after the Men's team next? Qualifiers are held by AFC/World Sports Group. I think Midfielder mentioned there are advanced discussions for the next stage of 2018 Qualifiers to be on commercial FTA Tv.
Roy
Guest
It's a pity that you're not . . . Brad Pitt ?
Bakkies
Guest
Her husband Matt Toomua is moving to Leicester to play Rugby at the end of the year so she may end up getting a contract in the Women's Premier League or the English women's cricket competitions.
Vic tory
Guest
The AFL have the International series against the part timers from Ireland.
Lionheart
Guest
Ashleigh Barry is another switcher, but not football. She's a pro tennis player, formerly a junior champion who won junior Wimbledon a couple of years ago, who switched to cricket and played in the Women's BBL. I seems cricket is a bot easier to adapt to.
Mister Football
Roar Guru
No glee from me at all - I'd love to have someone like her involved in the new Womens Football League in 2017.
Lionheart
Guest
Let's say Perry is among the best and chooses football only. So she's a Matilda earning what? $35K pa min after recent agreement? Then there's her club contract, at two clubs if she does what other top internationals do, my guess maybe another $40K min. Then there's sponsors and other commercial opportunities on both a national and international scale, especially in World Cup, Asia Cup and other major tournament years. Promising future, reasonable living. It's good that women's sport is growing in commercial value, but it's not hard to see, at least on an international level, where the growth will be. Women's AFL will be a filler on Fox's Australian AFL channel, little else.
Horto Magiko
Roar Rookie
Ban her from football. But seriously, not a good look for football. Her flip-flopping, or more accurately, her dissing of football, does the games image no good....as illustrated by AR and MFs uncontainable glee.
Bondy
Guest
Aren't you a little busy?. Eddie's got some new rules for AFL to become exciting ( all season) I thought you'd be all over the " new ideas "....
Brainstrust
Guest
Its a bit of a joke people talking about how hard it is to juggle two sports when ELysse Perry had to work a job on top of that. Cricket Australia is very rich and can affiord to pay their women better, they have waited till they got mega rich before putting in a very modest amount of money into the womens. AFL has been rolling in money for years, and have ignored women for years. They would only be doing this to guarantee they are not cut out of government funding by not having a womens side of the game. Football AUstralia are the opposite they are spending money they don't have on a womens competition and national womens teams.
FIUL
Guest
Pretty sure the highest paid basketball players in the world who played in the NBA all drooled at the prospect of representing their country in the Olympics. Same with high-paid golfers & tennis players. In one Australian sport, the players get no chance of playing for their country so they consider being named in a fictional Australian team that never plays a game to be the pinnacle of their personal career.
Mister Football
Roar Guru
Bondy I know people often reflect that view, more than often coming from people who have never had to worry about trying to earn a living from sport. I think people are motivated by many things, what you suggest might be one of them, other motivations might have a more financial orientation, shall we say. Others still will find it enormously attractive being able to play a sport they love AND earn income from it. Now that's win-win.
FIUL
Guest
Huh? She's started 40% of the season for SydFC & played the full 90 minutes in all those matches during the H&A rounds. But, she's now lost her spot in the team. I don't see your point?
Bondy
Guest
The great appeal to sport is National Representation not hopefully picking up 20 k playing Aussie rules ... ....
Bondy
Guest
Perry has played several games for Sydney FC during this season, she's not played cricket all summer without football and they Syd FC haven't begged her to come play the Final ...
JonJax
Guest
MF , carefull your slip is showing!