CAPTAIN AND SUPERSTAR PLAYER

There can be little doubt that Jean Campbell was one of the first superstars of the Australian women’s game. Jean was a player and an elected member of the Queensland Ladies Football Association Executive during the early 1920s. 

At just 16, not only was she the captain one of Australia’s first representative sides (North Brisbane), but she also played a key role in organising Australia’s first women’s match (a difficult process given prejudice at the time). Jean had been selected for Captaincy following her performances during training (at the Brisbane Gymnasium) and across the series of practice matches leading up to the big public match.

Australia’s first women’s match took place at the Gabba in Brisbane and drew a crowd of 10,000. Jean stood out as one of the strongest players. During the match, she was called on to take a spot kick after a handball in the penalty area.  

“The crowd yelled, ‘Give it to Jean,’ and when Miss Campbell came forward, smiling, to take the kick, there was much cheering. Miss Campbell made no mistake about netting the ball, and she deserved the ovation which the effort evoked.”

Jean’s goal helped North Brisbane win the match that day and cemented her place as a star player at the time. You can read more about Jean Campbell at Beyond90.