Matildas squad for November friendlies: Six ALW players named, veteran poised for long-awaited return

Experienced midfielder Elise Kellond-Knight will look to end a near-500 day absence from Matildas duty after being called up for the upcoming camp ahead of two November friendlies. 

Kellond-Knight, who has 113 Matildas caps, was last included in a Matildas squad for a warm-up match for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games against Japan on July 14, 2021.

The 32-year-old will have spent 487 days out of action for the green and gold when the first of two Matildas friendlies kicks off against Sweden at AAMI Park on November 12. Tony Gustavsson’s 24-player squad will then travel to Gosford to take on Thailand at Central Coast Stadium on Tuesday, November 15.

Elise Kellond-Knight.

Of the 24 players selected, six are currently preparing to take part in the 2022-23 Liberty A-League season: Brisbane Roar’s Larissa Crummer and Katrina Gorry, Western United’s Chloe Logarzo, Sydney FC pair Cortnee Vine and Jada Whyman and Melbourne Victory midfielder Alex Chidiac. 

The uncapped Whyman comes into her second Matildas camp of 2022 in place of the injured Mackenzie Arnold. Ellie Carpenter (knee), Kyah Simon (knee), Emily Gielnik (calf), Tameka Yallop (ankle) join Arnold on the sidelines.

The November camp promises to be a significant one for defender Clare Polkinghorne, who is set to earn her 150th Matildas cap with her next appearance in green and gold – a feat only achieved by two past players: Cheryl Salisbury (151) and Lisa De Vanna (150).

“Coming together for the first time since we learned of our FIFA Women’s World Cup opponents brings a different and sharper focus to the next set of games,” said Matildas head coach Gustavsson. “As always, in selecting the squad we’ve kept a close eye on their performances in club land. There’s a few more players available which is great news as they come back from injury having recorded some good game time.”

“We said all the way back ahead of our September camp that we wanted to keep our squad a little more consistent these last camps going into the FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia and New Zealand 2023TM. For this camp you see a core group of players returning for a third camp in a row since September, and a few players coming back in and its well-deserved for those who have come back.

“We saw in October that some things are starting to come together, and this is a chance to continue measuring ourselves against the second-best team in the world who beat France in October. They’re in good form as well so it’s a huge opportunity for us to see what we need to keep improving.

“The second game against Thailand, we get a great opportunity to compare where are we now versus when we played Thailand at the 2022 AFC Women’s Asian Cup. These are two good games, played in two fantastic venues and cities, to evaluate where we are in our journey.”

COMMBANK MATILDAS SQUAD | NOVEMBER FIFA INTERNATIONAL WINDOW

NAME POSITION CLUB CAPS (GOALS) JUNIOR CLUB / MEMBER FEDERATION
Steph CATLEY Back Arsenal WFC 104 (3) East Bentleigh, SE Cougars / Football  Victoria
Alex CHIDIAC Midfielder Melbourne Victory on loan  from Racing Louisville FC 21 (1) Croydon Kings/ Football South  Australia 
Kyra COONEY-CROSS Midfielder Hammarby IF 20 (0) Ballarat City / Football Victoria
Larissa CRUMMER Forward Brisbane Roar 28 (4) Peninsula Power / Football QLD
Caitlin FOORD Forward Arsenal WFC 104 (25) Warilla Wanderers / Football NSW
Mary FOWLER Forward Manchester City 30 (8) Leichhardt / Football QLD
Katrina GORRY Midfielder Vittsjö GIK 86 (16) Mt Gravatt Hawks / Football QLD
Charlotte GRANT Back Vittsjö GIK on loan from  FC Rosengård 11 (0) Cumberland United Women’s FC /  Football South Australia
Elise KELLOND-KNIGHT Midfielder Hammarby IF 113 (2) Runaway Bay / Football QLD
Alanna KENNEDY Back Manchester City 108 (8) Campbelltown Cobras / Football  NSW
Sam KERR Forward Chelsea WFC 114 (59) Western Knights / Football West
Chloe LOGARZO Midfielder Kansas City Current 55 (8) Carlingford Redbacks / Football  NSW
Aivi LUIK Back BK Hacken 40 (1) Palm Beach SC / Football QLD
Matilda McNAMARA Back AGF Fodbold Women 0 (0) Adelaide City FC / Football South  Australia
Teagan MICAH Goalkeeper FC Rosengård 12 (0) Brisbane Blue, Brisbane Central /  Football QLD
Courtney NEVIN Back Hammarby IF 16 (0) Oakville Ravens / Football NSW
Clare POLKINGHORNE Back Vittsjö GIK 149 (14) Wynnum Wolves, Capalaba /  Football QLD
Hayley RASO Forward Manchester City 64 (9) Banora Point / Football QLD
Amy SAYER Midfielder Stanford University 6 (0) Northbridge FC / Football NSW
Emily VAN EGMOND Midfielder San Diego Wave FC 122 (30) Dudley-Redhead / Northern NSW  Football
Cortnee VINEForwardSydney FC / Sydney Olympic9 (2)Peninsula Power FC / Football QLD
Clare WHEELERMidfielderEverton WFC11 (0)Adamstown Rosebud / Northern NSW Football
Jada WHYMANGoalkeeperSydney FC0 (0)Macarthur Rams / Football NSW
Lydia WILLIAMSGoalkeeperParis Saint-Germain102 (0)Tuggeranong, Woden Valley / Capital Football