Commonwealth Bank Matildas squad named for Brazil home series

  • Commonwealth Bank Matildas return to Australian soil for the first time in almost 600 days
  • Mix of youth and experience included in 23-player squad to take on South American champions Brazil
  • Broadcast live and free on Network 10 and simulcast on 10 Play
Thin Banner AUS v BRA with CTA

Commonwealth Bank Matildas Head Coach Tony Gustavsson has locked in Australia’s 23-player squad to take on world number seven Brazil next week in Sydney. 

Australia will play host to Brazil on Saturday, 23 October and on Tuesday, 26 October at CommBank Stadium as they return to action on Australian soil.  The matches mark the first time an Australian senior national team has played at home in almost 600 days, with their last match against Vietnam in the Tokyo 2020 Women’s Football Tournament Qualifiers.

With the AFC Women’s Asian Cup in India less than 100 days from kick off, the two-match series is invaluable preparation as Gustavsson and the team continue to build towards the FIFA Women's World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023™.

“Preparation is number one,” Gustavsson said. “I said that going into the September camp when we played against Ireland, we changed from ‘performance mode’ from the Olympics to ‘preparation mode’ [ahead of India 2022 and Australia/New Zealand 2023].”


“That doesn’t mean that we are going to step on the field not trying to win – we are always going to try and win when we play every game – but we are not going to try and win at the expense of our preparations

“We can’t shy away from tough challenges and tough games. We need to look at this as a long run towards the World Cup in ‘23.”

The October window will feature the return of fan favourites including full back Ellie Carpenter, midfielder Emily van Egmond, and forwards Kyah Simon and Caitlin Foord, to the Commonwealth Bank Matildas’ squad.

Ellie Carpenter battles for the ball v Denmark


Midfielder Chloe Logarzo has been sidelined due to a long-term knee injury, while injury has also ruled Elise Kellond-Knight (knee), Hayley Raso (shoulder) and Emily Gielnik (toe) out of selection contention.

Several new national team players have retained their place in the squad including September’s debutantes Angie Beard, Charli Grant, and Clare Wheeler.  Meanwhile Western Sydney product and Commonwealth Bank Young Matildas forward Bryleeh Henry has received her first call up to the senior national team. 

“We need to be patient,” Gustavsson added. “We can’t expect a debutant coming into the camp to be ready the first time they come in, but we need to expose them to the Matildas’ environment to get them ready for ‘23 and to scout them in our environment, to see who bounds and thrives under that high international tempo that we have in the Matildas.”

“We are going to keep looking for new players, and either invite them to the training environment to see them there, or for some players that make a good impression in the training environment, also make sure that they get some game time.”

Westfield Matildas celebrate


“It is all about now who can reach their full potential come ‘23. It’s not just about who is the best, it is about who can become the best, so we are looking at ‘23 in all the decisions that we are making right now,” he said. 

Gustavsson, the Commonwealth Bank Matildas players and staff are currently in transit ahead of arrival in Australia early next week. 

Network 10 will broadcast the two-match series live and free, with coverage simulcast on 10 Play.    

Commonwealth Bank Matildas 23-player Squad | October 2021

Name

Position

Club

Caps (goals)

Junior Club / Member Fed

Mackenzie Arnold

Goalkeeper

West Ham United

27 (0)

Burleigh / Football QLD 

Angela Beard

Back

Fortuna Hjørring

1 (0)

Bethania Rams / Football QLD

Ellie Carpenter

Back

Lyon

50 (1)

Cowra and District / Football NSW

Steph Catley

Back

Arsenal WFC

92 (3)

East Bentleigh, SE Cougars / Football Victoria

Emma Checker

Back

Melbourne City 

8 (0)

Cumberland United Women’s / Football SA

Kyra Cooney-Cross

Midfielder

Melbourne Victory

10 (0)

Ballarat City / Football Victoria

Caitlin Foord

Forward

Arsenal WFC

92 (21)

Warilla Wanderers / Football NSW

Mary Fowler

Forward

Montpellier

16 (4)

Leichhardt / Football QLD

Charlotte Grant

Back

FC Rosengård

1 (0)

Cumberland United Women’s FC / Football SA

Bryleeh Henry

Forward

Western Sydney Wanderers

0 (0)

Penrith FC / Football NSW

Alanna Kennedy

Back

Manchester City

99 (8)

Campbelltown Cobras / Football NSW

Sam Kerr

Forward

Chelsea

100 (48)

Western Knights / Football West

Teagan Micah

Goalkeeper

FC Rosengård

7 (0)

Brisbane Blue, Brisbane Central / Football QLD

Courtney Nevin

Back

Melbourne Victory

4 (0)

Oakville Ravens / Football NSW

Clare Polkinghorne

Back

Vittsjö GIK

136 (11)

Wynnum Wolves, Capalaba / Football QLD

Jamilla Rankin

Back

Brisbane Roar

0 (0)

Eureka FC / Northern NSW

Karly Roestbakken

Back

LSK Kvinner

7 (0)

Monaro Panthers / Capital Football

Remy Siemsen

Forward

Sydney FC

0 (0)

Manly United / Football NSW

Kyah Simon

Forward

Tottenham Hotspur

101 (26)

Quakers Hill, Hills Brumbies / Football NSW

Emily van Egmond

Midfielder

Orlando Pride

108 (23)

Dudley-Redhead / Northern NSW Football

Clare Wheeler

Midfielder

Fortuna Hjørring

1 (0)

Adamstown Rosebud / Northern NSW Football

Lydia Williams

Goalkeeper

Arsenal WFC

92 (0)

Tuggeranong, Woden Valley / Capital Football 

Tameka Yallop

Midfielder

West Ham United

97 (11)

Mudgeeraba / Football Queensland