Above: Matildas head coach Joe Montemurro speaks to the media at the MD-1 press conference. Image: Football Australia.
By Monica Clarke (9/10/26).
Matildas head coach Joe Montemurro and goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold spoke about the squad and World Cup preparations ahead of their Germany and Haiti matches in Europe in the upcoming week.
Australia are playing three teams of very different styles in the upcoming matches against Germany, Haiti and Colombia.
“We strategically started looking at our build up for the World Cup straight after the Asian Cup,” Montemurro said.
“In the next 4 games we’re gonna get a real tool box of ideas that we need to be exposed to and more importantly that we’ve seen before and we can use to make sure that we’re prepared in June,” Montemurro said.
Montemurro shared his excitement in bringing new players into the team in the lead up to the 2027 World Cup, not just starting players but players that can come on and hold a win and players that can be game changers off the bench. Hana Lowry, Tori Tumeth and Courtney Newbon are the new faces in camp.
“It’s great that we can, against one of the best teams in the world, trial those ideas and have a look at some players that potentially could be in our squad in June,” Montemurro said.
“We’ve noticed that the levels and the standards, especially from a technical perspective, have been very very important and very very high,” Montemurro said. “No one comes into camp not understanding that the standards for us from a technical, a physical and even a mental perspective has to be of a high standard. We’re only seeing positive things.”
“You’ve got a Dani Galić who’s going fantastic; Alana Murphy, she’s been brilliant at Forest; Hana Lowry at Vålerenga who’s really really come a long way,” Montemurro said. “They’re names which I want you to remember because I really do believe that they’re gonna be the next generation of midfielders. Look I’m getting goosebumps just thinking about the amount of midfielders, and talented midfielders that we have in Australia and I think that needs to be a starting point for us.”
Montemurro said Kyra Cooney-Cross, Mary Fowler, Clare Hunt and Katrina Gorry missing the international camp brought about the opportunity for these fresher faces to get experience.
“Part of the process of building for June isn’t just putting our best team out there and playing all the time,” Montemurro said. “It’s also about the mental freshness, it’s also about the approach from a strategic scenario to understand that they need to juggle their clubs also. For us it’s all been positive in terms of our squad.”
Mackenzie Arnold is the most experienced goalkeeper in the squad by a mile, without keepers like Lydia Williams and Teagan Micah who have been alongside her in the past.
“Chloe’s (Lincoln) been absolutely unreal, the way she’s come in and the way she’s developed already as well,” Arnold said. “She’s honestly gone from strength to strength in such a short time so it’s been really cool to see. Even Courtney coming in, we’ve only had a couple of sessions but from what I’ve seen she’s a really good goalkeeper so it’s really exciting and I think a really good opportunity for the young ones coming through. It’s nice to see their growth and their potential as well.”
“I wouldn’t say we really take any game as a friendly to be honest,” Arnold said. “I think every game is really important, especially around this time leading into the World Cup. Germany is a top side and same with Haiti.”
Arnold states some of the expectations the team has, as well as expectations she has as a goalkeeper: “They’re a very aggressive team, they’re a high pressing team, as a goalkeeper I’m definitely gonna have a lot more of the ball with my feet. Everyone knows what a high quality team they are and I think it’s going to be very good and very important for us to come up against a team like that.”
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