Relishing the race for Finals football, defender Laura Pickett is embracing every moment playing for the Girls in Blue.
With four regular-season matches remaining, Jeff Hopkins’ team are right in the mix for a top-six league finish and a shot at the Club’s fourth Ninja A-League Championship.
And despite Victory, who ranked second last term, not finishing lower than fourth since 2018, the willingness to fight in the name of success is as strong as ever.
This continues when hosting Wellington Phoenix at The Home of The Matildas on Friday, February 20, kick-off 7pm AEDT – Victory’s penultimate home fixture.
Speaking to MelbourneVictory.com.au, Pickett explained how the concoction of internal competition and camaraderie is the team’s driving force.
“The vibe has always been really good; I think that’s one thing I really like about this Club. There’s always big personalities, and we all really get along. Even if we do have a tough loss, we come back to training, and everyone supports each other.
“We need to get that last competitive edge on the pitch, let the results show the work we’re putting in behind the scenes. It is such a tight league. Nothing’s off the cards, and we’re known for finishing strong and going on a run in the finals.”
Like many of her teammates, Pickett’s route into the professional arena was not straightforward, nor clear to see in her formative years.
Football, first of all, was a pastime enjoyed with her two younger brothers, whom she outfought and outlasted. On the field, she had to play with the boys at Doncaster Rovers whilst she waited for a girls team to form. When it did, she was playing four age groups up.
Nevertheless, a career in the game remained an abstract prospect.
“It’s one of those things where it almost feels unattainable when you don’t have a lot of local role models. I remember when Alex Chidiac signed overseas, and I was like, ‘That’s so cool’.”
“As I started progressing, I loved it so much, and I’m competitive. I really wanted to be a professional.”
After earning her stripes across more than a decade in the NPLW for Box Hill United, Pickett has spent the past five to six years at Victory.
“They started the Academy when I was 16 or 17, it was just once a week to start.
“I really enjoyed that training; it was more competitive with all the other girls my age who were selected, all the best players from the NPL.”
Then, when Hopkins reached out to Pickett, things accelerated further. She was invited to be a train-on player within the ALW setup, going on to complete 90 minutes on her senior debut in November 2024, and has since made 28 appearances.
“I was definitely a little bit starstruck, because obviously I hadn’t been in that environment before.
“The transition from NPL to A-League is insane. Physically, the toll on your body and the workload is just so different. You need to be so much stronger and fitter, and the speed of play is so much quicker.
“I was shocked after coming from the NPL after doing really well and being one of the fitter players, I had to be a bit humbled a bit.
“But it was a good challenge and experience. Especially when you are young, it teaches you a lot.”
