Natasha Prior

Natasha Prior

Personal information
Full name	Natasha Prior
Date of birth	(1998-01-20) 20 January 1998 (age 26)
Place of birth	Leicester, England
Height	1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Position(s)	Defender
Team information
Current team	Newcastle Jets
Number	4
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2017–18	Newcastle Jets	11	(0)
2018–19	Canberra United	3	(0)
2021–22	Sydney FC	6	(0)
2023	APIA Leichhardt	22	(2)
2023–	Newcastle Jets	31	(1)
International career^‡
2024–	Australia	3	(2)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 8 January 2025 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 17 December 2024

Natasha Prior (born 20 January 1998) is an Australian professional soccer player who plays as a centre-back for Newcastle Jets in the A-League Women and the Australia national team.

She was born in Leicester, England, and raised in Australia.[1]

Club career

Prior debuted in the 2017–18 W-league season for the Newcastle Jets before transferring to Canberra for the 2018–19 season.[2]

In the fifth round of the 2018–19 season, Prior clashed heavily with Savannah McCaskill and was stretchered from the field.[3] While the initial hopes that the injury was only a mild concussion, it was later revealed to be more severe than that, and Prior was forced to sit out the remainder of the season.[4][5] As a result of this concussion, which was her fifth in less than six seasons, Prior made the decision to retire at the age of 21, saying "I didn’t really want to have dementia at the age of 30," citing an implied pressure to return earlier than recommended from concussion injuries.[6]

Prior returned to football in 2021, signing with Sydney FC.

On 30 September 2023, Prior signed with the Newcastle Jets.[7]

International career

In November 2024, Prior received her first senior call up to the Australian national team.[8] She made her debut in a 1–2 loss against Brazil on 1 December, coming on as a substitute at half time.[9]

International goals

As of match played 7 December 2024

Scores and results list Australia's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Prior goal.

List of international goals scored by Natasha Prior

No.	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1	4 December 2024	AAMI Park, Melbourne, Australia	Chinese Taipei	1–0	3–1	Friendly
2	7 December 2024	Kardinia Park, Geelong, Australia		5–0	6–0

References

1. "Natasha Prior – Soccer player profile & career statistics – Global Sports Archive". globalsportsarchive.com. Retrieved 18 November 2019.
2. "Canberra sign Jets duo". The Women's Game. Retrieved 18 November 2019.
3. "Canberra win marred by Prior injury". The World Game. Retrieved 18 November 2019.
4. Tiernan, Eamonn (24 December 2018). "Canberra defender Natasha Prior out for season with severe concussion". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 18 November 2019.
5. "Injury News: Natasha Prior ruled out for remainder of season". Canberra United. 24 December 2018. Retrieved 18 November 2019.
6. Female athletes have higher concussion rates, prolonged recovery times, 2 October 2019, retrieved 18 November 2019
7. "Newcastle Jets sign Natasha Prior". Newcastle Jets. 30 September 2023. Retrieved 16 November 2024.
8. "CommBank Matildas 36 player squad called up for Brazil and Chinese Taipei internationals". Matildas. Football Australia. 15 November 2024.
9. "Natasha Prior reveals inspiration behind professional football return after debut". Matildas. Football Australia. 2 December 2024. Retrieved 8 December 2024.