Lydia Williams has risen from the dusty town of Katanning and the frosty fields of Tuggeranong to become the Matildas' longest serving player.
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The Australian goalkeeper is poised for her 16th season with the national team after being selected for internationals against Germany and the Netherlands over the next week.
Williams earned her first call-up as a 17-year-old in 2005, tallying 88 caps in the time since. Lisa De Vanna earned her debut in 2004 but does not feature in the Matildas squad.
Instead Australia's squad comprises entirely of players plying their trade overseas, with Arsenal shot stopper Williams hoping consistency will be vital in games against Germany on Sunday and the Netherlands on Wednesday.
"I think it's more the advantage that we have is that we've known each other for such a long time and played together," Williams said.
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"Gaining that knowledge back and playing together will be pretty quick. But it's how quickly can we transfer the information that we learn in meetings onto the pitch.
"It's been something that we've done before. I mean, we're all transient, playing all over the world so we have to do it.
"The most important thing is to go out there and play the style of football that we want to and be proud of our performance."
The Matildas face Germany at the Brita-Arena Wiesbaden on Sunday from 12.05am, before turning their attention to a date with the Netherlands in Nijmegen on Wednesday at 2.30am.
Caden Helmers
Caden Helmers is a sports writer for The Canberra Times.
Caden Helmers is a sports writer for The Canberra Times.
