CommBank Matildas Head Coach Joe Montemurro said that his first camp in charge of the team has been a positive one, having had the opportunity to meet and work with many of the players for the first time.
He was speaking in Perth alongside CommBank Matilda Ellie Carpenter ahead of the first game of the international window, against Slovenia on Thursday evening.
“The preparations have been good,” he said.
“It's more about integrating, and getting to know the mechanisms and the systems and how a national team works. But we’ve been great in the first couple of days, in terms of formulating the processes and, more importantly, meeting a lot of the players, which has been fantastic. The first couple of days have been really positive.”
Carpenter agreed, expressing that she was excited for the future with Montemurro in charge.
“You can see already - by day three - we've implemented a new style of play, a new rhythm,” she said.
“It's really important to nail those down in the first couple of days, to really set up the next couple of years here with Joe and the team.
“These next two weeks are going to be really important for the team to try to apply that in these four games. And I'm really excited for the future.”
Montemurro is working with an extended squad for this four-game window, and said that it has allowed him to spread his messages across a broader playing group.
“We've got players coming in at all different levels that have played, or haven't played,” he explained.
“It’s important to integrate the ones that need a little bit more time. They're off-season, or out of season. So it could be that we use it as a training scenario to get them ready at certain points.
“We'll look at a few different ways of approach, and the more [players] we can get on the pitch, and the more we can get the messages out there on the pitch, it will be important.”
Carpenter said that being able to work with a larger group was exciting.
“If you look at this group, we've seen a lot of new debutants come in the last three or four years,” she said.
“With a new coach coming in, it creates a very challenging environment. It creates an environment where people are pushing for those Asian Cup spots next year. This camp is a great test for those players, and an opportunity for them to showcase why they want to be in Matilda.”
Montemurro gave an update on Sam Kerr, who is training individually in Perth during this international window.
“It's fundamentally a situation where she's now building her physical capacity, and we'll monitor that,” he said.
“The important thing is, we're working with Chelsea to make sure that she's right for pre-season, and she gets some games under her belt.
“It is an individual process, but it's great to have her around the group.”
He explained that these games are a good way to determine where the team is ahead of the AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026™.
“It’s a good benchmark. It’s a good gauge for us,” he said.
“It is the official start of our build-up for the Asian Cup. Yes, I am looking at a lot of players. Yes, I am trying to instil some language. Yes, I am trying to instil some new ideas. But the approach to the game is still the same."
“We're playing at home, we are in our country. The attitude has to be that it's a big game. It's a game that we want to win. It's a game that we want to make sure that we do the right things. To get that mentality leading into a big tournament.”
COMMBANK MATILDAS | JUNE/JULY 2025 | MATCH SCHEDULE
Series One
CommBank Matildas v Slovenia
Date: Thursday, 26 June 2025
Kick-off: 7.00pm WST / 9.00pm AEST
Venue: HBF Park, Perth
TV Broadcast: Network 10, 10 Play and Paramount+
Radio Broadcast: ABC Listen App
Tickets: Buy Tickets
CommBank Matildas v Slovenia
Date: Sunday, 29 June 2025
Kick-off: 6.00pm WST / 8.00pm AEST
Venue: HBF Park, Perth
TV Broadcast: Paramount+ exclusive
Radio Broadcast: ABC Listen App
Tickets: Buy Tickets
Series Two
CommBank Matildas v Panama
Date: Saturday, 5 July 2025
Kick-off: 2.30pm WST / 4.30pm AEST
Venue: Hands Oval, Bunbury
TV Broadcast: Paramount+ exclusive
Radio Broadcast: ABC Listen App
Tickets: Buy Tickets
CommBank Matildas v Panama
Date: Tuesday, 8 July 2025
Kick-off: 6.00pm WST / 8.00pm AEST
Venue: HBF Park, Perth
TV Broadcast: Paramount+ exclusive
Radio Broadcast: ABC Listen App
Tickets: Buy Tickets