A rejuvenated and in-form Mary Fowler has been named to return to the Matildas set-up after opting to withdraw from the side’s most recent international window.
Fowler was rested from November’s friendlies on home soil due to fatigue but is welcomed back to the fold for the SheBelieves Cup tournament in the USA later this month.
The extra time off appears to have done the 21-year-old Fowler a world of good, with the Manchester City striker netting three goals and registering four assists across her five games since the turn of the year.
As well as Fowler’s return, interim coach Tom Sermanni has brought the experienced midfield duo of Clare Wheeler and Katrina Gorry back into his squad.
Melbourne City forward Holly McNamara has also earned a recall after a success return to club football in the A-League Women (ALW) following anterior cruciate ligament surgery.
There is one debutant in Sermanni’s squad with Brisbane Roar winger Laini Freier in line to win her first cap.
Freier has seven goals in 10 ALW games so far this season.
Australia will play Japan in their tournament opener on February 21 (AEDT) before facing the USA and Colombia later in the competition.
23-PLAYER MATILDAS SQUAD:
Goalkeepers: Mackenzie Arnold, Chloe Lincoln, Teagan Micah
Defenders: Ellie Carpenter, Steph Catley, Charlotte Grant, Winonah Heatley, Clare Hunt, Alanna Kennedy, Natasha Prior
Midfielders: Kyra Cooney-Cross, Daniela Galic, Katrina Gorry, Emily van Egmond, Clare Wheeler, Tameeka Yallop
Attackers: Caitlin Foord, Mary Fowler, Laini Freier, Michelle Heyman, Holly McNamara, Hayley Raso, Kaitlyn Torpey.
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