After starring for Australia at the 2007 World Cup in China, reality bit hard when the Matildas star had to go back to work in a petrol station to pay the bills.

Almost a decade on, a new two-year pay deal sees W-League players guaranteed a minimum $10,000 for the coming season and $12,200 for the 2018/19 campaign with the average rising from $6,909 to $15,500 for the 14-match season, plus finals.

Ahead of the 10th W-League season, De Vanna, one of the original players from the competition’s inception, lauded the progress the game has made.

“I had to settle raffle tickets and Freddo Frogs to get to where I am to today,” said the new Sydney FC signing.

“When I was playing in Perth, the jerseys we wore were very baggy and were mostly boys' clothes.

“We played out in the back of a field that didn’t have lines so to be able to come to a good facility where there is a good pitch and a women’s cut is fantastic.

“Seeing how hard my pathway was and to see the young Matildas and the girls that are coming through the National Training Centres and the opportunities they’ve got, it’s such a different world.

“The quality has improved and the competition has become more professional. Hopefully with that we get more depth in the competition so it’s a good pathway for the Matildas.”

During her 126 caps and 46 goals for Australia, De Vanna won an Asian Cup, played at three World Cup and two Olympics.

But she insists the difficult road travelled has been the secret to her success and longevity.

“That’s made me resilient,’” she said. “I don’t have any regrets because it built character because of the hardship I had to go through my career.

“Hopefully the girls will appreciate what they’ve got and know it hasn’t just been me but other pioneers of the game that created that pathway for them.

“Now they have to take it to the next level. But as good as the pay and the playing conditions has got for them, it’s also going to be harder because of the depth of players that we have who can take that contract from them.”

One the seminal moments for De Vanna has been the Matildas' stunning performances in beating Brazil in the recent two game series where sell-out crowds took the Australian team to their hearts.

“I didn’t understand when people used to say the home advantage,” she said.

“But when I played in-front of 15,000 -17,000 fans, you actually felt that support and energy.

“You just felt that extra boost and you went to an extra level when we took on the Brazilian team because we had that support.

 “I have never experienced that and I have been playing in the team for a very long time and to be able to hear that national anthem and have 15,00 people sing it with you... it’s something that you can’t put an emotion on.”