Mary Fowler's break from the Matildas reflects the increased intensity and demands of women's football, says experienced teammate Tameka Yallop. On Sunday, Fowler withdrew from Australia's squad for upcoming home friendlies against Brazil and Taiwan, with Football Australia citing her need to recover from mental and physical fatigue. The Manchester City starlet noted in a statement that "playing with an increasingly demanding schedule has been both exciting but at times also challenging".
Fowler, 21, will instead spend the November-December international break resting with family. Her absence follows Cortnee Vine's decision to take a break from football for mental health reasons, with the winger struggling amid her rapid rise to the Matildas' high-profile Women's World Cup hero. "It's almost a luxury to see where the game is at right now and how much the sport is growing," Yallop said.
"That's a real positive thing, but it also does bring a lot of demand as well, and you see it in men's football too. "So it's not something that's new, but it is something to be aware of and take care of each other like that, and to know when to, I guess, take the time for yourself as well. "So we'll miss Mary this camp, and Viney, but it's kind of a good thing with how big women's football is.
" Yallop backed Fowler's call to prioritise her wellbeing. "It is (important) to make sure that players aren't getting sort of overloaded," she said. "We're getting more and more games and more and more v.
