Small steps, big wins for inspiration Hana
Saturday 8 March 2025 is International Women's Day when female achievements around the globe are celebrated. To mark this year’s event, Football West spoke with an inspirational young West Aussie who is facing the challenges of injury and rehabilitation head on.
Three months ago, Hana Lowry was on top of the world. The Sydney FC midfielder had just received a dream call-up for the full Australia squad and was heavily tipped to become the first West Australian to make her Matildas debut since a 15-year-old Sam Kerr burst on to the scene in 2009.
Then a day before she was due to join up with her new teammates, Lowry mirrored Kerr in unwanted fashion as she suffered a ruptured ACL in a game with Melbourne City. The setback curtailed her season and put her international ambitions on hold.
It was a devastating blow for a player whose talent and appetite for hard work have taken her from the junior ranks of Cockburn City and the Hyundai Football West NTC Program to the A-League, first with Perth Glory and then Sydney FC.
Now, after heading home to Perth for surgery and Christmas with her family, Lowry has returned to Sydney to step up her recovery.
“It was pretty hard, especially as it happened a day before I was going into camp. It was tough to try and accept what had happened,” said the 21-year-old who was called up alongside fellow West Aussie Morgan Aquino last November.
“In fact, it was really difficult right up to the surgery after the injury. I had to decide whether to stay in Sydney or go home to Perth and have the operation. I decided to go back to Perth, and I’m glad I made that decision.
“It was important to have the emotional support but also have people there for the practical stuff. It would also have been hard to stay around while the girls were playing and I couldn’t help them. But now I’m mentally ready to be back.”
ACL injuries are not uncommon in women’s football, with superstar Kerr, Matildas youngster Amy Sayer and England captain Leah Williamson just some of the top players to have suffered serious knee injuries.
One consolation is that Perth Glory’s 2023/24 Most Glorious Player did not have to look far for support.
“It was helpful that a couple of girls in the team, Nat (Tobin) and Kirsty (Fenton), also Bella (Wallhead) and Caitlin Doeglas in Perth, have had similar injuries so I could speak to them about it,” she said. “Someone who has experienced the injury and knows what you are going through, that can help you.”
Lowry was in WA last week when the schedule for the 2026 AFC Women’s Asian Cup was announced. Perth will host nine games, including the opening fixture involving the Matildas.
“It was very exciting to watch the recent AFC announcement, especially when you remember the impact the 2023 Women’s World Cup had in Perth,” said Lowry, who played at the U20 Women's World Cup three years ago.
“It was great to receive the call-up [for the Matildas], it’s been a big dream of mine for a long time and I was really excited. I felt I was ready for the next step and even though the injury happened, it was nice to know I was on their radar.
“After the injury, I spoke with the Matildas medical staff and coaches, which was great for me.
“But I’m focusing on simply getting back and playing with confidence. There’s no rush and the advice to younger players is to take the full 12 months which I’ll probably do."
She added: “It’s hard when you’ve been playing football and making progress. You want to do more in the gym, but you just have to refocus your mind. So what others might see as small things, I now see as big accomplishments. Plus, I should be back running soon, and there’ll be plenty of physio, gym and pool to do.
“It’s a challenge but mentally I’m ready for it.
"I want to thank everyone who has helped me and give a special shout-out to ‘Hutcho’, Chris Hutchinson who is a physio with Glory. He’s been great and was constantly in touch with the Sydney medical team.”
