Dylan Holmes: "We’ve never been in a better position to grow the A-League Women"

About the author
Ready for Takeoff is PFA Australia’s development programme for the A-League Women which aims to deliver a fully professional and globally competitive women’s league in Australia. Adelaide United vice-captain Dylan Holmes is an executive member of the Ready for Takeoff committee and one of the players at the forefront of driving the changes needed to realise the league’s full potential. 

By Dylan Holmes

Football is the lowest paid professional women’s sport in Australia.

I had to read that one again when I first saw it in our research, but it’s true. Despite the global nature of the game and its soaring economy, the last five or six years have seen us go from setting the example to falling behind. 

It’s been great to see the progression of women’s sports across the country, but it emphasises the huge, untapped potential for our own game – and it’s time we started taking real steps towards realising it. 

Ready for Takeoff is the blueprint for the change that we, as players, know is within our grasp. It outlines the very tangible ways that we can optimise all aspects of the A-League Women (ALW). 

Hosting the Women’s Asian Cup in March will provide an incredible launch platform for our vision, and it’s an opportunity that we’re ready to grab with both hands – not only to maximise momentum from the tournament, but to maintain it.

The FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2023 saw a huge increase in participation numbers at a community level and we also saw this reflected in the ALW attendances. However, there wasn’t a structure or plan to build upon the interest generated, and we’ve already seen it drop off.

The Matildas have really captivated the nation; they fill stadiums and generate a genuine passion for the women’s game. But up until now, we haven’t been able to connect that sentiment at a domestic level.

It’s been inspiring to see the success of other leagues around the world, especially the NWSL and the WSL. But at the same time, it’s frustrating when we in Australia aren’t part of that growth. There’s so much potential in this league and interest in the national team. If the investments and the right decisions are made, then I have every confidence it can be one of the greatest in the region.

There’s been progression: we’ve gone from a league that played 10 games a season to one where the most active teams are competing in up to 24 matches. However, the lack of full contracts has had a huge effect on both the players and the league’s economy.

From a player’s perspective, we’ve got full-time expectations but part-time benefits. Players are expected to dedicate themselves to the game at a professional level but often experience three or four months with no source of income. I’m in awe of how many players who make it work: rushing off after training to work a second or a third job while being totally dedicated to the game. We need to capitalise on this commitment by allowing players to devote their full energy to playing football with the necessary recovery time. It’s an investment that would massively improve the output and quality of the league.

From the league’s perspective, 12-month contracts would allow our clubs to be more active in the transfer market, which is growing exponentially year-on-year. Australia has a history of developing great players, and it seems crazy not to capitalise on this in the same way other leagues are doing. It's one of the aspects of the vision I’m most excited about because I see so much potential for us, both as players and a league, and it’s very much within our grasp.

I've been a delegate for the players’ union for almost seven years now, and in 2024 I joined the executive committee. I’m passionate about the work that I do with the union and being part of building a better environment for my peers across the league. The PFA has been central in taking the player’s vision and laying out the steps that need to be taken to make it a reality. It’s been a phenomenal effort on their part. I’m so proud to be a part of an organisation that has the same values and vision as the players.

Ready For Takeoff has captured our passion for the A-League Women and balanced it with exhaustive research, analysis and context – putting all our aspirations within very reasonable reach. We understand the women’s game and how people connect with it in Australia better than ever before, and we’ve never been in a better position to grow it.

There are so many incredible women in this league, achieving phenomenal things both on and off the pitch, and our fans really seem to connect with them in a meaningful way. Our research shows this is a unique factor of the women’s game and I would love to see us encourage it by actively telling player stories and reaching more fans.

I was one of those young girls that came to games, followed the team and dreamt of being a professional footballer. I love that I can now share my experiences with the generation that followed, having come so far myself.

I’ve been an Adelaide United fan since my family moved to Australia when I was 10, and I’ve been involved in all the club’s highs and lows. As the women’s game began to grow, I started to get involved as a fan and then got closer to the sport through training until I signed my first contract at 17 years old.

Where we are now is miles away from where we were then. Having grown with this club as both a fan and a player, I know we can take it so much further. The changes aren’t just going to happen; they’ll come from the league, the clubs, the players and the fans – all of us together. We have an incredible community here that is ready to go above and beyond to see the A-League be the best it can be. Ready for Takeoff is the tool we need to guide us.