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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
National
Ben Smee

As the Matildas chase glory in Brisbane, girls nearby are turned away from their overcrowded local club

A soccer match under way at Bowman Park in Brisbane
Young Bardon Latrobe players at Bowman Park in Brisbane’s inner-west, where women have been playing football for more than 100 years. Photograph: Sev Buttigieg

By the end of winter, Bowman Park has turned to dust. Local footballers joke about the “Bardon bobble” that plagues the ground each year after heavy boot traffic has shredded the autumn’s green grass.

Women have been playing football here in Brisbane’s inner-west for more than 100 years. Inside the clubhouse is a photograph of Australia’s first ever women’s side, the 1921 Latrobe Ladies.

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