Nine times out of ten, the fairytale does not come true. The minnow gets thumped by the big team, the side with a point to prove falls at the first hurdle, and the small club on an undefeated run loses when the going gets tough.

But there was to be no disappointment for fans of Australian W-League team Canberra United when they met Brisbane Roar in the Grand Final last Saturday.

Having gone the whole season unbeaten, this was the biggest potential banana skin Canberra would face. This was a Brisbane team that had won two of the previous three grand finals, had only lost once to Canberra in eight previous encounters, and finished the regular season only three points behind United.

Despite their impressive history, the Roar was swept aside by the local team in front of a record crowd of 2,512. Although Canberra didn’t dominate the game, and indeed with the encounter finishing at three-two the scoreboard suggests it was a tight affair, once Michelle Heyman slotted home United’s first goal their victory never really seemed in doubt.

A second strike from W-League golden boot winner Heyman and a clinical finish from Ashleigh Sykes overcame a determined Roar fight back. In front of a sell out crowd and with reasonably widespread media attention, the W-League final was a grand success.

The Football Federation Australia bigwigs were all in attendance, as were a number of other sporting stars, and most encouragingly a large number of very passionate Canberra and Brisbane fans. After a great season from Canberra and a number of the other teams, and with the Australian women’s national team – the Matildas – finally started to sink into the national conscience, things are looking brighter for the sport.

Not all is well in women’s football at the moment though, as yesterday it was announced that the United States competition, the WPS league, would not go ahead in 2012. Litigation against a former club owner has left the league with no choice but to miss a year, with hopes the competition will restart in 2013.

This incident is just the latest in the ongoing saga of the WPS, but it will have a profound impact on all the clubs and players. While some teams have raised the prospect of playing in another league until the WPS recommences, it is unlikely all five clubs will be able to continue as normal until next year.

Undoubtedly the group to lose the most out of any new arrangement is the players, with many facing the prospect of having to find a European club rapidly. As the transfer window for most overseas clubs will close in the next few weeks, players who miss out could be forced to find another job while waiting for the WPS to resume.

Even if they can secure a move, many will receive lower wages at their new team, as the WPS is one of the highest paying female football leagues in the world. Even then, their pay packets pale into comparison with their male counterparts.

Canberra United’s total player salary this season was less than Real Madrid superstar Cristiano Ronaldo earns in a day. As inequitable as that may be, it is probably a subject for another day.

In comparison to the player strikes in Spain and Italy at the beginning of the current season, this stoppage has received little media attention. Yet sadly, the consequences are much more dire.

From a personal perspective, reporting on women’s football is always a joy. The stories are amazing and the players endure so much more than the average sportsperson. Many work fulltime jobs along with training four times a week and playing on the weekend.

I’ve already noted the incredible exploits of Ellyse Perry in a previous blog, but as way of a quick recap, she is only 21 yet has already represented Australia in both cricket and football.

The Canberra United star was the youngest Australian, male or female, to make their international cricket debut, and has scored in the Women’s World Cup. You really cannot beat that!

In the past several years I have experienced firsthand the benefits of reporting intermittently on women’s football. The players are almost universally warmer to the media, happy to respond in great detail to questions asked, as opposed to the bland answers many male footballers proffer.

That’s not a slight on the modern male footballer; an overwhelming majority of the players I have interviews have been thoughtful, kind and happy to talk. But ultimately, they are heavily media trained and used to the constant attention, and as such some become almost disinterested.

To demonstrate this point, I often mention my interview with Perry last year before the Women’s World Cup. While I have met many caring and cheerful male footballers, I have never before been thanked profusely for an interview, as Perry did.

Usually in fact it is the other way round, with the journalist thanking the subject for their time and answers. But no, this highly talented young sportswoman was thanking me for speaking to her.

Without being patronising, women’s football has come a long way, yet still has a long way to go. The title winning Canberra United side only consisted of three professional footballers, the rest all had other occupations, and this fact highlights the gulf between them and their male counterparts.

Yet with so many amazing players, managers and administrators out there, all with a love, passion and dedication for the game that is almost unreal, you would be a brave person to bet against the rise of women’s football.