Shipard hails women's quiet achievers

Shipard, who has played in two FIFA World Cups and an AFC Asian Cup for the Matildas, plays her club football for Canberra United.

On Saturday afternoon Shipard and her teammates, who have not lost a match all season, will face champion Brisbane Roar in the W-League grand final.

The match at McKellar Park in Canberra has created plenty of interest in the print and electronic media and should draw a healthy crowd but this comes as no real surprise to Shipard.

While men's football has always tried to force its way into the media's calculations, often claiming bias and hidden agendas, women's football has preferred to adopt a softly-softly approach of advertising itself through its achievements on the field at home and abroad.

"Australian sport is ruled by AFL and NRL but we have let our football do all the talking in terms of selling our game," Shipard, 24, said.

"Women's football at club and national level in Australia is gaining momentum and we should keep building on that.

"I think we are now well supported in terms of women's sport throughout Australia although of course we would like more coverage in newspapers and what not.

"The support we have had from television is pretty incredible and the online content gives us a chance to connect with fans through the social networks."

Shipard, who told The Canberra Times in midweek that she has been suffering from an eating disorder for almost a decade, said United's players were quietly confident of securing the title although they will have to beat a tough bogey team to do so.

"We have been told to enjoy the week leading up to the match and not think too much about the game," Shipard said.

"We've had a pretty good season and we are playing at home so I guess from an outsider's point of view we are seen as the slight favourites.

"To be honest I don't think we are going out there thinking that way although we have momentum going into the match.

"It is true that we do not have the best record against Brisbane but at the end of the day it won't be about previous matches.

"So we are going out there to enjoy a good game, hopefully in front of a good crowd."

This is the fourth W-League season since its inception in 2008.

The previous champions were Queensland Roar, Sydney FC and Brisbane Roar.