Players, particularly those in the A-League, gave up so much to conclude the season. Time away from families, financial forfeits, exposure to health risks, quarantine measures and the ongoing mental health challenges, revealed via global research, were endured.

The W-League season concluded with a Grand Final in front of an empty stadium – and a lingering doubt over the competition’s long-term future that only accelerated as the year progressed. Australia’s female and male footballers no longer have certainty over what their domestic futures will look like in the short term.

Our National Teams, inspired by a once in a generation opportunity to feature at the Olympics and the unique challenge of the 2020 Copa America, had their international calendar thrown into disarray. The journey to Qatar has become only more challenging now for our Socceroos, and despite the joy of securing the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, the Matildas have been without a match since March.

Players had to adapt to a new situation where their immediate futures, their livelihoods and their very profession was exposed by an unprecedented existential threat.

Globally, citizens around the world have suffered as a result of COVID-19. The pandemic has drastically altered the very fabric of everyday life. However, the personal challenges and sacrifices our players have endured and the impact of COVID-19 on our sport should not be diminished.

Having witnessed and experienced this impact first hand, both on the pitch as a player and in the board room as PFA President, I have an overwhelming sense of pride in the way in which our athletes handled such a serious and significant set of circumstances.

PFA members connected with each other to find a way to navigate the situation as a collective. Individual circumstances, as difficult as they were, became secondary to preserving the game and the previous hard-fought wins that had elevated the profession in Australia.

Players gave back to their communities through charitable causes. They sought help through the PFA. They used the opportunity to further their development off the pitch. Despite giving up so much and risking the most, they showed the courage necessary to move the game forward at its greatest time of need. They took to the pitch and delivered a memorable end to the season – memorable not simply for the unique nature of the disruption, but for the standard of play and exciting finals series.

Importantly, the players never took for granted the position they occupy within the game. They were able to rationalise the situation and act with courage and solidarity for one another and maintain a strong sense of purpose and belief in Australian football.

Their actions ensured that future generations of players will continue to enjoy the standards and progress our generation have fought so hard to embed and establish.

Whatever challenges lie ahead for Australia’s professional footballers as we rebuild and recover from this seismic impact, we can remain confident that the players and the PFA will be driven by a common purpose and inspired by an unshakable belief in our game.