Matildas put faith in golden generation

Sep 18, 2017 - 2:24 AM Woman-of-the-moment Sam Kerr is hoping the current band of Matildas can form a golden generation to fire Australia to sustained success.

Kerr is part of a nucleus of players born within two years currently filling key posts under coach Alen Stajcic.

In addition to the superstar Western Australian forward, there's Steph Catley, Caitlin Foord, Alanna Kennedy and Emily van Egmond.

Each is aged between 22 and 24.

Each of the five were starting selections against Brazil in Penrith on Saturday.

And each already have 50 caps each, showing their international pedigree.

"We've all grown up together and I hope we all play together for the next 10 years," Kerr told AAP.

The group will have another chance to show their quality against Brazil in their second friendly in Newcastle on Tuesday night.

Kerr can remember meeting each of her teammates in underage national team camps aged just 14.

"I remember the first camp with Steph Catley came in and I was like 'wow this girl is good'," she said.

"There are six, seven of us that have been together through under 17s and even Kyah (Simon) and KK (Elise Kellond Knight) who we played with in under 20s.

"We're very close and we've all had the same goal for so many years."

There are another clutch of players outside Stajcic's starting team that could easily fit into the same bracket.

Chloe Logarzo (22 years old, 16 caps), Hayley Raso (23, 21), Teigan Allen (23, 39) and goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold (23, 14) will all make their claims for regular appearances in the lead up to the 2019 World Cup.

Kerr says no matter who's in the team, she and her colleagues will enforce the strong culture that was handed down by her Matildas forebears.

"Sometimes national teams can be a bit competitive and there can be a bit of bad blood. We don't have any of that," she said.

"We're close and there's a family feel and that's what I love.

"It's a culture thing. We're Aussies. We're pretty relaxed. We love to support people.

"Living in America it's a bit different, they can get a bit feisty.

"Here we're a bit more relaxed and we understand we want the best for this team no matter what even if it means sitting out every now and then.

"This feeling, not many teams can have it and it's great to have it."

Source: AAP