AHEAD of her third season in the A-League Women, Bathurst product Cushla Rue has a big goal for the new campaign.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
Rue is set to start her second season at the Western Sydney Wanderers, after making her A-League Women debut for Wellington Phoenix back in 2021-22.
She's struggled for game time in her three seasons in Australia's top-level women's football competition, but she's hoping the work she's put in during the off-season will help her cement a regular starting spot.
![Bathurst talent Cushla Rue in training with the Western Sydney Wanderers during the off-season. Picture by Patrick McFadden/Western Sydney Wanderers Bathurst talent Cushla Rue in training with the Western Sydney Wanderers during the off-season. Picture by Patrick McFadden/Western Sydney Wanderers](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/33jmgggMux4cQ6bJ2r3hFg4/0967f613-66e8-41f2-9b5e-d91c2a0c84b7.jpg/r101_1485_2884_3345_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
"Coming into pre-season, I wanted to be one of the fittest in the squad," she said.
"Off the back of last season, I got a few more minutes.
"I think I just want to carry my confidence in NPL and things like that into the season.
"I want some more game time and hopefully I can secure spot in the starting XI."
Wanderers will open their season against local rivals Sydney FC, with a big crowd expected at the Sydney Football Stadium, which could potentially break the record attendance for a standalone A-League Women's match.
"I think the first game of the season is always exciting and the fact it's at Allianz, I think we'll draw in a pretty big crowd and I think they're expecting 15,000, which is exciting," she said.
![Cushla Rue in action for Western Sydney Wanderers at a pre-season trial match at Forbes last month. Picture by Patrick McFadden/Western Sydney Wanderers Cushla Rue in action for Western Sydney Wanderers at a pre-season trial match at Forbes last month. Picture by Patrick McFadden/Western Sydney Wanderers](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/33jmgggMux4cQ6bJ2r3hFg4/bb04e917-8084-45c1-b158-4708ad006ec3.jpg/r608_535_5253_3356_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
"I think the support off the back of the World Cup, I think there's a few more members for the women's game this season.
"I'm hoping we'll go into the match confident and with a winning mentality and give them a run for their money."
It's been a slightly disruptive off-season for Rue's Wanderers.
Not only did they lose inspirational skipper and Grenfell native Clare Hunt to French giants Paris Saint-Germain, manager Kat Smith resigned only last week and was replaced by Robbie Hooker.
It's not an ideal lead-up to the season opener but Rue said the transition between managers has been smooth.
"We didn't know it was coming," she said.
![Cushla Rue at a the Wanderers pre-season photo shootout. Picture by Patrick McFadden/Western Sydney Wanderers Cushla Rue at a the Wanderers pre-season photo shootout. Picture by Patrick McFadden/Western Sydney Wanderers](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/33jmgggMux4cQ6bJ2r3hFg4/e942c218-f4d2-488b-877f-7dac89483494.jpg/r0_0_3648_5472_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
"The transition has been really good though and it hasn't affected the squad too much."
And with a Wanderers home match in Bathurst looming next month, Rue is hopeful she can play a part in the game in her local town.
"I would hopefully play a part in that game," she said.
"It's very exciting to bring it out to a country town, to have like rural kids be able to come watch.
"I think it'll just promote football out west."
Kick-off in the Sydney derby is at 7.45pm.
Reading this on mobile web? Download our news app. It's faster, easier to read and we'll send you alerts for breaking news as it happens. Download in the Apple Store or Google Play.