Stalwart happy to do what’s ‘best’ for the Matildas

Polkinghorne, 34, has featured in each of the three matches Australia has played in the tournament, but all of her appearances have come off the bench.

The Queenslander had seemed destined to be the Matildas’ first-choice central defender in the tournament until she suffered a serious foot injury in April with her Swedish club side Vittsjo GIK.

Despite still being named in Australia’s World Cup squad, Polkinghorne wasn’t fit enough to start in Australia’s tournament warm-up clash against France on July 14.

It opened the door for the returning Alanna Kennedy to partner emerging star Clare Hunt in the heart of the Matildas’ defence.

And such were the performances of Kennedy and Hunt in Australia’s 1-0 win over the French in Melbourne, Matildas coach Tony Gustavsson has kept them together for the tournament, at the expense of the unlucky Polkinghorne.

However, the veteran centre-back isn’t complaining ahead of the Matildas’ round-of-16 battle with Denmark in Sydney on Monday night.

“That’s sport – anything can happen,” Polkinghorne said.

“I picked up an injury, which probably wasn’t the ideal time but it wasn’t the end of my World Cup dreams either, so, in that sense, it was good timing.

“It didn’t rule me out. It gave me enough time to get back. For me, my focus was making the squad and making myself in the best position possible to help the team out.

“Look, you’re at a home World Cup, and I’d rather be here than then watching.”

Polkinghorne, who has made 160 appearances for the Matildas and is playing at a World Cup for the fifth time, said she was happy for new sensation Hunt and Manchester City’s Kennedy.

“Clare, from her first game, she’s just slotted in like she’s been there for years, so I’m not surprised in the slightest with how she’s handled the World Cup, and playing alongside Alanna, they’re both fantastic players and really feed off each other’s energy,” she said.

“For me, it’s a pretty good thing to sit back and watch them do what they do. It’s pretty good for me to come on when we’re 3-0 up.

“Whatever is best for the team. I’m ready to do that job.”

Polkinghorne said the Matildas were ready to at the very least go a step further than they did at the World Cup four years ago when they were knocked out in the round-of-16 stage by Norway in a penalty shoot-out.

“We’re in a position now where we’ve got four more years of experience, and that showed (in Australia’s 4-0 win) against Canada that we can play good mature football, and when we need to step on it we can,” she said.

“Just that added experience of players playing in top leagues and big competitions around the world has really benefited us, and the four years of added maturity is really going to take us far.”

Originally published as Matildas great Clare Polkinghorne is happy to be at another World Cup despite losing her place in Australia’s starting team