For Southern United goalkeeper Lauren Paterson, it has led to her next move: signing with the Adelaide City Football Club’s first team for the state league season.
Playing in Australia has always been Paterson’s dream and a "passing comment" from former Southern United import Millie Scott — who hails from Adelaide and played alongside Paterson in the National League in 2024 — encouraged the Adelaide coaching staff to scout the Kiwi.
They reviewed some game footage before contacting Paterson with an offer to cross the Ditch.
"It’s pretty exciting," Paterson said.
"I’ve been looking at moving to Australia for as long as I can remember, just because it’s always been good for football.
"The team set-up is pretty good and I’ve already got some friends in there as well, so it’s exciting."
Paterson was always open to a chance to develop her game and felt Australia was the right stepping stone.
"I just feel like in Australia there are just so many more opportunities.
"It’s just so much bigger there with lots of other teams.
"The A-League is something I aspire towards and we only have one women’s A-League team in New Zealand, so it’s just the next step, really."
Paterson, 21, started playing premier football for Mosgiel when she was 14, later spending time at Dunedin Technical, Green Island and Dunedin City Royals.
Playing with and against top-level players had been the highlight.
"Honestly, just the whole thing.
"I think it really just started when I was young playing in the prems and I was playing against all the older girls that now I’ve played with who are my friends.
"It’s just crazy to look back on it.
"Playing for Green Island and being 16 in the division, just getting so much work, which would usually, I don’t know, ruin people’s confidence as a goalkeeper, was actually probably the most fun part about it.
"I feel like it just helped me improve so much just playing against way older players."
She came through the representative pathway in the region, playing for Southern United’s under-18 side and spending the past few seasons playing for the senior women’s team.
Making the National League final in 2023 would always rate as one of her top memories.
"That was a huge standout, especially because I just came into that team as the second keeper not really having played for the women’s team before and then just making my way halfway through the season into the first keeper.
"Then we made the final and that’s pretty awesome."
Paterson leaves on Sunday.
