by Immy Sanders (30/12/23).
Above: The Australia team lining up before their Olympic Qualifier with Chinese Taipei in Perth on 1st November. Nine of the 11 players shown either currently or have played in the WSL Photo: Kris Goman for Impetus.
Across July and August this year the Matildas co-hosted a home World Cup, where 32 nations competed – the largest number the tournament has ever seen. During the tournament, the Matildas took the Australian nation by storm with the team’s home and away kits flying off the shelves and completely selling out before their semi-final against England. As they progressed in the competition they displayed tremendous skill, dedication, teamwork, but most of all passion and pride.
As Matildas lead up to matches built so did their audience, this saw the team break multiple TV records and create one very important one for Australian history. The semi-final against England saw the team break Australia’s all-time sporting TV viewing record previously held by Cathy Freeman’s historic gold medal run in the 2000 Olympic Games.
The match saw over 11.5 million Australian viewers tune in and watch to help support the Tillies. Multiple more public venues were opened around Australia to allow fans to watch the match and get behind their team. From this tournament, the Matildas impacted the nation, changed the football culture forever, and affected how Australians view women in sport.
Now six months on, the team have just sold out their 12th consecutive home match when Uzbekistan come to the 53,000-capacity Marvel Stadium in Melbourne for the final round of Olympic qualifying. The Matildas have not only influenced football in Australia, but many showcase the ‘Tillies Effect’ weekly in the WSL.
Twelve Australians currently play across eight teams in the Barclays WSL. Arsenal has Caitlin Foord, Kyra Cooney-Cross, and Steph Catley, Brighton and Hove Albion have Charlize Rule on their books, Sam Kerr is at Chelsea, Everton has Clare Wheeler, Courtney Nevin, and Remy Seimsen are at Leicester City, Liverpool has Tegan Micah, Manchester City has Alanna Kennedy and Mary Fowler and West Ham are captained by Mackenzie Arnold. As the winter transfer window looms, it is expected that more Matildas may make the move over to the Women’s Super League.
The impact the Australians have in the WSL extends far beyond the pitch, as their presence has increased the global visibility of the League. With Australian fans tuning in weekly to watch their favourite national team players in action during their WSL matches with many fans also purchasing their favourite player’s club kit and even some travelling to England to watch them play.
Matildas captain Sam Kerr joined Chelsea ahead of the second half of the 2019/20 WSL season, and ever since then she has impacted the team’s performance and helped them secure the league title for a fourth consecutive year. In just under four years the Western Australian has made over 100 appearances for the club scoring over 80 goals in the process.
Kerr has a habit has scoring last-minute goals for Chelsea helping the team secure three points, or a comeback to draw the game time and time again. Across her time in South London, the East Fremantle-born star has helped Chelsea win four WSL titles, three FA Cups, and two Conti Cups. Kerr has also featured for her club throughout the UEFA Women’s Champions League, making appearances in the final against Barcelona in May 2021 and the Semi-Final against the same Catalan giants in April this year.
Kerr’s national teammate Caitlin Foord has also been on formidable form in the WSL so far this season. In 10 appearances, Foord has two assists and two goals to her name, as well as the handful of chances created and attacking opportunities for Arsenal.
In the 22/23 season, Foord played 19 WSL matches for the Gunners and finished with six goal assists and six goals. Foord’s fellow national teammates Steph Catley and Kyra Cooney-Cross also bring quality and tremendous skills to Arsenal. Catley and Foord often play the full ninety minutes and create many attacking opportunities moving down the pitch through linking well down the left-hand side.
In Arsenal’s match against Manchester City at Meadow Park, Foord assisted Catley to score the match opener. In the post-match interview, Catley revealed that during the match, she and Foord know where the other one is instinctively.
The North London club’s new summer signing Cooney-Cross, has played an increasing role across the WSL and Conti Cup, and has produced stellar performances earning her the WSL Player of the Month award for November. The trio encapsulates Arsenal’s values and constantly demonstrate desire, teamwork, and a high level of versatility which they all show on the international stage for the Matildas.
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