As Bryleeh Henry prepares to make her first Liberty A-League Finals appearance, the Melbourne City teenager has been inspired by the Australia-based players making waves with the Matildas, writes KEEPUP’s Sacha Pisani.
For Melbourne City’s Bryleeh Henry, the magnitude of the Matildas’ mammoth upset of European champions England hit home in more ways than one.
It wasn’t just the fact A-Leagues legend Sam Kerr and Australia took down the fourth-ranked nation in women’s football 2-0 on Wednesday (AEST) and snapped their 30-match unbeaten streak, it was a triumph that had the fingerprints of the Liberty A-League all over it.
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In the eyes of highly rated teenager Henry, watching Western Sydney Wanderers captain Clare Hunt at the spine of a Matildas defence that blanked the Lionesses in London, and Cortnee Vine become one of the first name’s on Tony Gustavsson’s team sheet while playing in the domestic competition ahead of this year’s FIFA Women’s World Cup, proved one thing.
“Sometimes I think the game and things like that get overshadowed by people thinking that you have to be overseas and not in Australia to make it up there,” the 19-year-old told KEEPUP when asked if seeing the Liberty A-League contingent at international level provided encouragement.
“But the proof is right there – (City teammate) Holly McNamara, Courtnee Vine and Clare Hunt. They’re excelling.
“Clare’s in the starting team. She’s come straight from the Wanderers who aren’t even necessarily doing that well in the league but if you’re performing, it shows they’re watching and anything can happen.”
Henry is no stranger to the big stage, having represented and scored for Australia at last year’s Under-20 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Costa Rica.
But this weekend will be the first time she has played in the Liberty A-League Finals Series as City host defending champions Melbourne Victory in an Elimination Final.
It is an occasion the talented Australian is relishing, with Dario Vidosic’s City plotting to snap a three-game winless streak against their rivals, having gone down to Victory in the 2021-22 finals.
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“A bit of excitement and nerves,” she said, while insisting City are paying no attention to their recent form against the titleholders. “We have a mix of young and experienced players. There’s a group of us, myself included, who have never played finals.
“The one thing I really wanted to do this season was really to make finals. It’s so exciting. This week has been the same.
“I don’t focus too much on the game, no matter what the game is. Just treat it like any other game because when I overcomplicate things that’s where I start to get into my head too much. Going into the game, I don’t really get nervous until the end of the warm-up.
“Finals is where all the best teams are in, everyone tunes in to watch so it’s a really good chance to show yourself as an individual and a team.”
Henry is one City’s young guns and she has flourished in her first season away from home in Melbourne, where the winner of Saturday’s Semi Final at Casey Fields will await the loser of Sunday’s other Semi Final between premiers Sydney FC and Western United.
It has been a career-best campaign for the former Western Sydney Wanderers forward, who has scored four goals in 2022-23. It is a tally that surpassed her combined tally of three goals at Wanderland in 2020-21 and 2021-22.
“I’m very happy with how I’ve gone down here, especially at the start of season with three goals in three games,” Henry said.
“I wanted to come down here and score more goals. That’s what I’m thinking about every time I go onto the field. To be able to do that, have a career-best season, I’m happy with that. Hopefully I can keep building on that. That’s my main goal – keep growing as a player.”
She has also supplied three assists this season, which is tied for the most with teenage sensation Daniela Galic at City.
“Whatever way I can contribute to the team winning, assists or goals they are both the same for me. I would love to assist and score as many goals as possible,” Henry added.
Henry has made headlines this term but she first gained attention with a brace against her current club – City – while playing for the Wanderers in 2020. She was just 17 at the time.
Able to play as a lone forward or on the wing, the versatile talent has continued to impress, with the Matildas’ superstar captain proving a “big, big inspiration.”
“Look at what she (Kerr) is doing for women’s football and she is from Australia,” said Henry, who has also tried to model her game around Arsenal great Vivianne Miedema, while former Manchester United and England captain David Beckham was one of her favourite players growing up.
“She started in the A-Leagues and now she is one of the best players in the world. She has won the Golden Boot in all these countries.”
