Behind the Matildas - Episode 4

So we're currently on the little last bit of our flight, maybe 30 minutes to go. I think we're flying over probably Canberra at the moment, heading into Sydney. So it's very exciting. And yeah, we're nearly, we're nearly home. Just like surprised to understand we're landing now as well. Yeah, so they're saying like, we're just about to land. Honestly, I can't believe it. So when we touch the ground, I think I might cry a little bit. It's been a long time since I've been home, seen my family and yeah, I guess played in front of Australian crowd. So a year in what? Six, eight months. So a very long time here. And it's been over nearly like 600 days since we've played at home. So can't wait to play in front of fans and my family and it's going to be a great 10 days. It's very emotional. It feels so nice to be back on Australian soil. For me personally, it's been 19 months since our last game here actually. So I can't even explain how nice it was to see Sydney Harbour. For me, which was more sad was we flew over and I could see Wollongong. So obviously where I live being so close, but still so far, that was pretty sad. But yeah, no, it was also a nice feeling just to be able to see it again. It's huge to play here in front of home fans. I think it's the games that you look forward to. Obviously having friends, family and yeah, just a home crowd. It's a nice feeling. And it's been a very long time. Brazil's always a very tough game for us. And, you know, it's always normally a game where, you know, it's normally a knockout stage or something of a tournament. So we have, you know, a lot of history with Brazil. So I think to get one over them on home soil will be nice. Today, one day better. Good job, everyone. Make sure you do the recovery. I can't wait. I think the game's going to be awesome. And, you know, we're all so excited, obviously, for our families to come out, but especially the Australian public to be able to come out. It's been, what, 18 months since a home game. So, yeah, we're just as excited as everyone else. Yeah, it's super important. Every game from here on out is really important. Obviously, the Asia Cup is a clear focus at the moment. It's just right around the corner. And then, you know, we've obviously got the 2023 World Cup as well. That's always in the back of our minds. So every FIFA window, every game that we get is an opportunity to get ourselves better. And I know the girls are just excited to do so. So to have the young ones come in to get the experience is obviously what you want. They've proven themselves to be here. And that's fantastic. And, you know, hopefully coming into this environment, it's challenging and it's competition up for grabs. Australia v. Brazil. Never, ever run up the mills. The last time we saw the Matildas play at home was in March last year, when they were qualifying for the Olympics. It hasn't been without difficulties. And yet, you're, of course, via security bubbles, travelling with a pandemic. Yeah, it's honestly so exciting. It feels like the first time we're going to play in front of a big crowd. So we're super excited and we're nervous. We want to put on a good show. And the fans greet the Matildas after that long, long wait. How good is it to have them back? So great to have the Matildas back here on home soil. And Sankur is there across the face. And Elkinghorn to jab it over the line and put Matildas in front. They're five weeks. Number 217, Remy Simpson and Bryony Henry. Who becomes Matilda number 218. Great moments for the two debutants. It feels so good to be back home after such a long time away. I meant to play in front of fans and the crowd really brought the energy for us tonight. So thank you to everyone who came tonight. You can see so close, but yet so far. And it does talk about the hurdles they have to overcome. They haven't seen their families for such a long time. We obviously had three caps today. Bryony and Remy. Yeah, just congratulations. I think hopefully in this week you felt really welcomed and felt what a great team this is and felt a part of it. And hopefully tonight you got a taste for it and left you wanting more. You know, there's girls like Lance that played 100 games tonight. And yeah, welcome to the club. Congratulations. Special achievement tonight for Lana. Congratulations. And we love you. Yeah, that was OK. Tonight was really special for me. And I just want to thank you all for the support that you've given me over the last nine years of my time as a Matilda. Yeah, I just love this team so much. So I'm so honoured and grateful to be able to have worn the jersey a hundred times. And I hope that I can wear it a hundred more, I don't know, maybe. I don't know if I do, but... This week's been amazing. I mean, it's been 16 long months since we've been on home soil for a lot of us. To see family again after the game, even though it was from afar, was just really nice. And, you know, I guess brought tears to a lot of our eyes. It was good to get out on the park for the final session before tomorrow's game. We're in good spirits as a team from the last game, but we know that we have a second one against Brazil, which is going to be tough. They're going to come out firing. So it was good to get back on the park and get a touch for the ball, as well as get some of those heavy legs out from the last game. Gets a short turnaround. So we had a bit of a recovery day yesterday. Today we could get back on the park and fine tune some things going into tomorrow. So a good result for us in the last game. But we know that there's some things that we can work on and hopefully we can do that tomorrow in the game and get a better result. Three. Thanks, everyone. You can feel it already here, building. It's feeling like it's going to be a repeat in terms of atmosphere. That's for sure. It was a really special night on Saturday and the energy in here was unreal. It just shows how much an Australian crowd can lift us. Australia-Brazil take two.