After making her debut for the Jets as an 18-year-old in their first ever W-League game just over a decade ago, Simon has featured in every season of the W-League since. Aside from one season in Melbourne, her name has been synonymous with her hometown club, and she has witnessed a wide array of changes at the Jets during this time.

"In Newcastle, it’s become a lot more professional. Our facilities are a lot better, the club is one club now, run under the same banner as the men and the youth, which is awesome because Newcastle is such a small town, it’s a really nice feeling to be under the one banner and it really feels like that too. We have everything in place to perform, take away money, and we pretty much have everything the men are getting".

Simon captains the Jets against Canberra

And while the league has taken massive strides forward in regard to player payments in recent seasons, Simon confesses that in the early days, she played for little more than the love of the game.

"I think I’ve played two or three years for nothing [when the W-League began] and maybe two other years for about $1,000 for the season. I’ve always had to work to make ends meet while playing football, but at the end of the day you do what you have to do to do what you love".

Simon currently juggles football with her work as a teacher's aide, and whilst her current employers have always accommodated her football pursuits, this has not always been the case as she chased her footballing dreams.

“We still have to work and play football to make ends meet, that’s for sure. It’s hard combining the two. It's definitely hard to find work that is accommodating with your football schedule."

"Now that the PFA has got some stuff in place that supports the players, it’s a lot easier, but I wouldn’t say it’s where it needs to be just yet, but it’s definitely well on its way."

Having learnt many lessons throughout her football journey to date, perhaps Simon’s greatest lesson is that sometimes you just need to remember why you started playing football in the beginning; for the love of the game.

"I've definitely learnt over the years that you can't control everything, and you never know what's going to happen.

“Having that mindset and just playing football because I love it, because I want to do it and because I enjoy it, I think that has definitely changed how I play football".

Gema Simon and her Newcastle Jets take on Western Sydney Wanderers this Saturday at Marconi Stadium, 7:30pm kick-off.