It could have been a carbon copy of that poker-faced press conference. Except this time Sam Kerr was not pretending to the country that she hadn’t just injured her calf and wouldn’t be playing the next day’s 2023 World Cup opener against Ireland.
The Matildas captain’s home Asian Cup eve press conference was the same as her now-infamous one almost three years ago, in the sense that she told a room of press she was excited, loved playing in front of packed stadiums, and it was important to be in the moment and have fun.
Sam Kerr and Kaitlyn Torpey have fun during the warm-up drill at Matildas training on Saturday.Credit: Getty Images
She spoke with the same understated tone, played down the same “Sam Kerr legacy” piece, and acknowledged the growth of the tournament and women’s football in general.
Then she was asked if the Matildas of today would beat the Matildas of 2023 fame.
“It’s a very similar team, I think. I’m trying to think who’s different. There’s a couple of different players,” Kerr started, before Joe Montemurro politely pointed out that he was not Tony Gustavsson. “Different coach,” she continued. “And I’m not injured.”
Kerr concluded that Australia v Australia would be close, but that the class of 2026 might benefit from the extra three players allowed in an Asian Cup squad and thus go “maybe one better”.
Tony Gustavsson and Sam Kerr give their best poker faces during their infamous pre-2023 World Cup press conference.Credit: Nine
And, because one thing leads to another, the differences between this pretty generic press conference and the last became very clear, very fast. A few, she encapsulated in one answer.
“Obviously the last [home] tournament didn’t go the way I wanted personally, but on a team level it was an amazing tournament,” Kerr said. “So I feel like I’m just really lucky to be here again at a major tournament on home soil.
“Most people in their career don’t get to play one home tournament, so the fact we get two opportunities is an incredible honour. I’m just really looking forward to being in a tournament and not talking about my left calf, talking about the football and being back to playing – and I’ve had a long journey from my ACL return.”
One pretty big one she managed (again) to avoid altogether, via a shrewd TV grab-worthy answer to a question clearly referencing her London court case without spelling it out.
“A lot’s happened off the field for you as well between the World Cup and now,” the journalist prodded. “Can you talk a bit about how challenging that has been mentally, especially given you’re all in the spotlight, and you couldn’t really hide what was going on?”
Kerr didn’t miss a beat.
“The thing for me that I look back on the most is Jagger,” she answered, referring to her nine-month-old son. “I think it’s been an incredible year for me, and although there’s been a lot of downsides with my knee and stuff, having a child gives you the greatest gift in life. So I feel like I’ve had really good friends, really good family, a lot of support from football around me.”
Sam Kerr is regaining confidence and fitness just in time for the Asian Cup.Credit: Getty Images
On Jagger, born last May with wife Kristie Mewis, Kerr was rapt Sunday’s tournament opener against the Philippines doubled as the “first time being a mum playing in Perth, so that’s special”. There was talk about the Perth local’s return to WA – a geographical difference between now and then.
Kerr had “crossed every finger and toe for the World Cup to be in Perth, but didn’t come true. The next best thing is the Asian Cup. Not only is the Asian Cup, one of the biggest trophies for us is the [2027] World Cup qualification.”
And of course, there’s also been the ACL and that infinite rehab with all those setbacks. Australia’s preeminent striker is finally injury-free and fast regaining confidence after some recent goals for Chelsea.
“Don’t want to say I’m at 100 per cent yet,” she said. “I haven’t had one of those games yet where I felt completely myself, but I think about 85 per cent and above. It’s been a long journey, but I think after missing out on the Olympics my main goal was to be here at the Asian Cup, so it’s all been worth it.”
And finally, the full circle narrative. Of the Matildas’ only remaining member of the squad who won the 2010 Asian Cup – the last major trophy. Of a 16-year-old backflipping striker scoring her first international goals in some of her first caps, having debuted the year before.
“That makes me sad that I’m the last one standing,” Kerr said. “That to this day is one of the best moments in my football and career. I had the most fun ever at that tournament. I didn’t expect to play. I went on, I had a really big impact and people think I played multiple minutes there because I scored in the final. I remember I sat on the bench for the first two games. So you never know when your opportunity will come and you just have to take it with both hands.
“I know how much this team wants to win something together. I know how much every player wants to win something for the Matildas. But I think for me, just reflecting back on the tournament, going in as a dark course helped us as a national team.
“Now with the pressure that I guess the Matildas carry, I think we’ve just tried to not talk about it. Not talk about winning, just talk about one game at a time. That’s what we did back in 2010. I think that will help take the pressure off ourselves. I know how much everyone wants to win this tournament, of course, but we don’t want to get too far ahead of ourselves. There’s a lot of great teams in our path and we just have to take it one game at a time.”
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