You wouldn’t have guessed it based on the form she’s showing, but Rhoda Mulaudzi decided to trial in the Westfield W-League on a whim.
The South African forward would be most pleased with her decision, having notched three goals and one assist in five games, after weeks of fundraising for a self-funded trip to Australia paid dividends.
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Mulaudzi told w-league.com.au she had always dreamed of playing overseas but had never envisaged herself playing in the Westfield W-League.
“To be honest with you, I had a dream of playing overseas but didn’t know when or how it was going to happen.
“I wasn’t even in the national team, but through believing and working hard anything can happen, I managed to make it here,” said Mulaudzi.
“Also [the move eventuated] with the support I’ve been having from my friends and family, and the team for helping us out.“
Mulaudzi first entertained the thought of playing in Australia when a fan saw her playing in South Africa for the Mamelodi Sundowns.
He urged Mulaudzi and teammate Refiloe Jane to watch YouTube clips of the Westfield W-League and see if they believed they were up to the standard.
After a week of tossing and turning, the girls decided to have a trial.
Of course, moving from South Africa to Australia would present many a problem, not in the least a massive culture shock.
Mulaudzi was born in a village named Tshimbupfe Malonga, located in the Limpopo Province.
However, there would also be shocks on the field, as Mulaudzi noted the differences in training between Canberra United and the Mamelodi Sundowns.
“The level of play here is different to how we play in South Africa because we don’t have a professional league, we just play,” she said.
“But when you come here there’s a structure, everything is professional, individually I have to adapt to the system and the play and the structure the coach wants us to play.
“The first few two months it was a bit challenging for me because the training system was professional and not how I used to train at home.
“At home we used to train two times a week, and here you can see the level and intensity is high.
“You also have to be professional so I’m glad I’m adapting to the system and structure.”
