On the day Football Federation Australia launched its '13-14 W-League season, former Matildas captain MELISSA BARBIERI "has revealed she is selling the majority of her personal memorabilia to raise enough money to be able play in the competition," according to Dominic Bossi of the SYDNEY MORNING HERALD. Barbieri "was not issued with a Matildas contract after spending more than a year away from the game due to the birth of her first child." While she "understands why she was overlooked, the decision has left her with less money for playing." The 80-time Australian int'l spent the past three weeks "auctioning the most sentimental items collected throughout her career, as well as others donated by A-League and Socceroos players, to help raise funds for herself and other struggling female footballers hoping to forge careers." Barbieri: ''It's not just the W-League, it's women's sport and we need something to happen in Australia for women's sport. We've got some great athletes out there but, unfortunately, a lot of them are struggling. It's been frustrating for the last 12 years, it's nothing new, I just came up with a new way of helping myself out. I was thinking of things that I could do and I'm like why not fund raise?'' (SMH, 11/5).
