Just days after the W-League season comes to a close, the Australia women’s national team is holding a training camp to prepare for next month’s Algarve Cup.
Sky Blue FC’s Sam Kerr, along with 24 other players, has been called into the three-day camp that starts today and will run into February 16. The NWSL is well represented with a total of seven players, including Kerr, being called into the camp.
This is the Matildas first camp since falling to Brazil in the 2016 Rio Olympics quarterfinal match. With the next World Cup a little over two years away, Alan Stajcic, head coach of the Matildas, is looking to the future and bringing in some new faces to compete with the veteran players.
“We are now heading into a new four year cycle. The last cycle ended after the Rio Olympics so this is the beginning of a new cycle up until after the Tokyo Games, so we’re looking at what kind of team we can take to qualify for the major tournaments, starting with the Asian Cup next year,” said Stajcic.
The squad is compiled of youth with three uncapped players and five players who are 18 years old and younger. Even though Kerr is only 23 years old, she is one of the more experienced players heading into camp with 46 caps and 8 international goals.
Kerr’s play for her two clubs this past year helped ensure she was called into camp. Her impressive 2016-2017 club campaign was highlighted with five goals in nine games for Sky Blue FC and her ten goals in fourteen matches for Perth Glory FC. She led Perth Glory to the Westfield W-League Grand Final for the second time in program history, although the Glory fell 2-0 to repeat champions Melbourne City. Kerr has been a staple in the Matildas roster since being a part of the team in 2009.
Kerr and her Aussie teammates will be vying for a spot into the later camp that will take place from February 19-21 and only feature 20 players. Those selected to the later camp will be on the roster for the Algarve Cup that will take place in Portugal from March 1-8.
Australian Women’s National Team Roster by Position
Goalkeepers (4): Mackenzie Arnold (Brisbane Roar FC), Casey Dumont (Western Sydney Wanderers FC), Jada Mathyssen-Whyman (Western Sydney Wanderers FC), Lydia Williams (Melbourne City/Houston Dash)
Defenders (8): Teigen Allen (Melbourne City), Steph Catley (Melbourne City/Orlando Pride), Ellie Carpenter (Western Sydney Wanderers FC), Emma Checker (Canberra United), Caitlin Cooper (Western Sydney Wanderers FC), Amy Harrison (Sydney FC), Alanna Kennedy (Orlando Pride/Sydney FC), Clare Polkinghorne (Brisbane Roar FC)
Midfielders (6): Alex Chidiac (Adelaide United), Caitlin Foord (Sydney FC), Katrina Gorry (Brisbane Roar FC), Chloe Logarzo (Newcastle Jets), Grace Maher (Canberra United), Gema Simon (Newcastle Jets)
Forwards (7): Lisa De Vanna (Canberra United/Orlando Pride), Jacynta Galabadaarachichi (Melbourne City), Emily Gielnik (Brisbane Roar FC), Michelle Heyman (Canberra United), Sam Kerr (Perth Glory/Sky Blue FC), Hayley Raso (Canberra United/Portland Thorns FC), Kyah Simon (Sydney FC)
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