Representing the A-League All Stars Women side brings joy to the heart of Elise Kellond-Knight. It also presents the Matildas star with the chance to lock horns with a familiar face.
The historic May 24 showdown between the All Stars and Women’s Super League (WSL) powerhouse Arsenal in Melbourne will pit the Liberty A-League’s best against one of the biggest clubs in the world and a trio of Matildas – Steph Catley, Caitlin Foord and Kyra Cooney-Cross.
Melbourne Victory’s Kellond-Knight, who is in Joe Montemurro’s All Stars squad, could not pass up the opportunity to face one Australian in particular in what is the first ever A-League All Stars Women’s contest.
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“We’ve always fought for quality and to finally be able to put up a female All Stars team brings joy to my heart,” 113-time Australia international Kellond-Knight told aleagues.com.au.
“I’m really excited about it. And what an opportunity to play against Arsenal. We’ve got three Aussies.
“When I got asked to play, I was like, Oh, I’d never give up the opportunity to play against Kyra (Cooney-Cross) again, let’s go chase her in the midfield.
“I think it’d be really fun opportunity for us. And I just hope it’s a great spectacle for everyone that comes out for the game.”
Kellond-Knight went head-to-head with Cooney-Cross in the Liberty A-League before the 22-year-old left for Europe in 2022, across her stints with Melbourne City and Brisbane Roar prior to joining Melbourne Victory two years ago.
All three of Arsenal’s Aussie stars were made in the A-Leagues.
Catley enjoyed great success with Victory and City – winning a Championship at the former before claiming another three following her cross-town switch.
Foord won four pieces of silverware during her time with Sydney FC and Perth Glory in Australia, while Cooney-Cross was a Championship winner with Victory in 2020-21.
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“I think it’s gonna be a little bit of a surreal moment for us all because we do follow the WSL,” said Kellond-Knight.
“I personally watch them really closely and see how their performances are.
“I know their team’s absolutely stacked, they’ve got such high level players.
“For me, Arsenal’s female team is like a international team. It’s basically playing at a World Cup match, like all of them have World Cup experience, and they probably were all at the World Cup last year.
“So for me, it’s going to be a really top level game and something that we can all look forward to.”
On the All Stars side, there is Matildas experience everywhere – from Kellond-Knight, Cortnee Vine, Michelle Heyman and Tameka Yallop, to Alex Chidiac and Kyah Simon.
“I think this is gonna be the closest match so we can get to an international level game and everyone’s craving some atmosphere that we had from the World Cup last year,” Kellond-Knight said.
“I think this is the closest that we’re gonna get to it.”
There are nine Melbourne-based players in the All Stars squad, including Western United’s Grace Maher.
Maher starred in her first season with Western, playing as a centre-back in their run to third place and the Elimination Final.
She was also named Western’s Clubperson of the Season.
The 25-year-old, who attended the 2022 A-Leagues All Star Men’s showdown against Barcelona as a fan in Sydney, is relishing the chance to impress on the big stage at Marvel Stadium.
“This is such an important match for us to show ourselves against world class opposition. This is you can’t argue that you’re playing against amateurs here,” Maher told aleagues.com.au.
“These are the best of the best among them, or, you know, some of our Australians who are going to the Paris Olympics.
“I think that’s a really exciting opportunity for all the players that are going to step on the field. It won’t just be (Matildas head coach) Tony (Gustavsson) watching, we’ve got overseas (clubs), a looming transfer window coming up in Europe. So I think it’s a real opportunity. And I really hope that that launches a few careers into the future.”
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Maher has always been highly rated within youth international setups and the former Young Matilda is looking to make an impression on the Matildas boss ahead of what could be a changing of the guard post this year’s Olympic Games in Paris.
“I’ve come up with a lot of the players in the Young Matildas, a lot of my teammates have gone on to debut for the Matildas and it’s something that we all aspire to be,” she said.
“So while the Olympics is the the immediate future, I think this is a real good opportunity for us to put our hand up to, to be there for the next four to eight years, those next two cycles. So it’s very exciting.
“I think it also gives us a chance to play in front of huge crowds, which a lot of the Matildas are used to. And for me, this will be the biggest crowd I’ve ever played in front of and get that experience that what you would say is that international level.”
Leading the All Stars against Arsenal is a familiar face – Championship-winning head coach Montemurro.
Montemurro will lead an impressive coaching setup for the historic clash, with his assistant coaches being Central Coast Mariners’ head coach Emily Husband and Western United boss Kat Smith.
The former Arsenal boss led Melbourne Victory to a second-placed finish in 2014, then crossed town to take charge of Melbourne City, where he won a Premiership and back-to-back Championships, also becoming the first manager to go through a full season undefeated.
He has since won titles with Arsenal and most recently Juventus Women, including an historic treble in Italy.
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“(I’ve) never actually played under Joe, I’ve played against him a few times, but never played under him. So I’m really looking forward to that opportunity,” said Kellond-Knight.
“He definitely plays a style of football that I love and playing under a coach that plays a certain style that you can really get your teeth into, is something that I really value.
“I’m excited. I’m curious to see how he’s going to set the team up, what tactics we’re going to deploy on Arsenal but I guess that’s our secret and we’ll find out in a week.”
Maher added: “I’m was so excited to hear that Joe was going to take us and we get that whole week under him, not just the one game.
“Look, I’ve never had the privilege of being coached by him, just played against his teams and he was very successful in the A-League.
“All this hype and spin around the success that Ange Postecoglou has had in men’s football, but Joe was paving the way in women’s football far before that, and has gone on to coach Arsenal and Juventus. He has an incredible resume and it’s not a coincidence that he’s done that.”
“Really for the players, this is an opportunity that you don’t get for us to have such high calibre coaching with that experience of what it takes to be in one of the top leagues and clubs in the world.
“We’re really excited that we get to learn from him and while he didn’t coach in A-League the last few seasons, he was one of the best coaches when you championship with Melbourne City and coaching Melbourne Victory too. In our eyes, he is an All-Star coach for the A-Leagues.”
