From Grenfell to Paris: Clare Hunt's Next Big Move in Football

It’s a mild weekday morning in Sydney’s inner suburbs, and Clare Hunt is stuck in traffic. Whilst I’m completely unperturbed by the slight delay, she’s sending live updates about her arrival time, such is her considerate nature. “Coffee, please,” are amongst her first words as she sits down with a big smile, and perhaps a tinge of relief. To say it’s been a big six months for her would be an understatement.

“The other day, I was just sitting at the park and there’s little kids kicking footballs in Matildas jerseys on a Wednesday afternoon after school. It’s really cool to just sit back and see kids inspired.” It’s been anything but a straightforward journey for Clare, but she’s filled with gratitude from her experiences. “I wish I had more time to sit down and understand and acknowledge it,” she says of her year so far.

A torn ACL in 2018 was just the beginning of a seemingly endless spate of injuries. Multiple surgeries on both knees, her shoulder, her ankle… There were setbacks spanning over many years, and yet she never felt like that was the end. In many ways, her approach to life mirrors many of the characteristics she displays on the pitch. She is composed and mature well beyond her years.

“I felt like I had potential, I felt like I could do it. I just felt like my body didn’t allow me to do it at that point in time.” She tells me that she could’ve done all the rehab or prehab in the world and it wouldn’t have stopped her falling at the wrong angle or being on the wrong end of a bad tackle. Clare prefers to focus on the things that she can control.

Her patience and persistence was rewarded in February with a national team call up. Knowing all too well what it was like sitting on the sideline, she took the pressure off by telling herself to simply enjoy the experience. She became Matilda #224 when she was substituted on at halftime in a match against Czechia. It proved to be a memorable night - so much so that coach Tony Gustavsson said he hadn’t seen a performance like it during his tenure. 

Her rapid ascension is astonishing, but Clare admits she hasn’t yet taken the time to truly understand it. “My last game of the World Cup was my 50th game of professional football. Over a quarter of my professional games have been with the national team.” It’s an extraordinary statistic, and so we start to talk about some of her highlights.

The World Cup win against Canada in Melbourne was her favourite one so far. “It was one of the best crowds I’ve played in front of. The way we just knew we had to win, there was no other option. I think that was also the turning point in people understanding what we’re about.” Having only played in tournaments in Australia thus far, seeing the way more experienced teammates responded to the World Cup on home soil helped her understand just how special it was. 

Part of understanding that included seeing the ease at which family and friends were integrated into the experience. “For me, the biggest reassuring factor in that whole circumstance is when I’m overwhelmed with nervousness and the magnitude of the event, I still get to stand there during the anthem and look at my family and feel connected to them.” Her gratitude for her family’s support in her journey extends far beyond her recent success, however. 

Growing up on a farm in Grenfell, NSW, trips to training and matches often involved hours in the car in each direction. For years, her parents dropped everything to support her dream. Her appreciation for them is unmistakable - they gave her every opportunity to discover what she wanted in life. Even in the face of everything that has happened to her this year, she’s as grounded and as humble as can be. Try and compliment her, and you’ll get a sheepish thank you or perhaps a ‘don’t be ridiculous’ thrown back at you. “I feel like I’ve grown so much in six months. I feel like a different person. I also feel like the next six months will make me feel like even more of a different person.” 

Never one to shy away from the opportunities presented to her, Clare’s next move is one that she tells me “seems like a big one.” Off the back of her impressive World Cup performance, French giants Paris Saint-Germain came calling. Her humble attempt to downplay what is unquestionably a significant move is amusing, yet not at all surprising. 

It’s her first overseas move, and she knows it will have its challenges. “I know I’ll look back on it and think I’m glad I decided to do something hard. I would regret not doing it.” As we’re talking, her phone buzzes and she tells me her visa has been approved. She quickly calls her parents, who were on their way back to the country. “Wow!” is the first word that comes back through the phone. They don’t hesitate in turning the car around to get back to Sydney. 

In France, Matildas and Lyon defender Ellie Carpenter has already reassured Clare that they’re only a couple of hours away from each other should she need anything. The two first played with each other when they were 11 and 10 respectively, long before they shared the pitch in the green and gold. Ellie hails from Cowra, just east of Grenfell - a region that has produced two of the best players in Australia. “It’s weird, it’s pretty special… it’s come full circle,” says Clare, almost in disbelief. 

Clare Hunt hasn’t been afforded the luxury of time to sit and savour in these moments just yet. “I think one day it’ll just click for me and I’ll go, hey, you did that.” Now, only weeks on from the tournament, she’s preparing for a life changing move. I ask her if she speaks any French, and she tells me she’s been on Duolingo. “I can say the boy and the cat,” she laughs, before declaring “I’ll be okay!” There’s no doubt about that at all.