‘That’s just bullying’: New-look Matildas send off Clare Polkinghorne in brutal bloodbath
The Matildas have sent off one of the nation’s legends in the perfect way, capping 2024 with merciless massacre in Geelong.
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The Matildas have capped both 2024 and the career of its most capped player Clare Polkinghorne in the most brutal way possible, trouncing Chinese Taipei 6-0 in front of over 30,000 fans in Geelong.
Polkinghorne’s 169th and final match for the Matildas couldn’t have gone much better in what turned into a showcase of the next generation to finish what had been a mixed year at best with a win.
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The Matildas were never really troubled by Chinese Taipei as they finished off their 2024 season with the thumping victory.
In the team’s first match at Kardinia Park in seven years, the Aussies put on a show for the Geelong faithful who turned out in droves.
After a 3-1 win earlier in the week, Polkinghorne was given a fond farewell after a nearly 20-year career in the green-and-gold, which began as a 17-year-old.
Coach Tom Sirmanni also blooded both 19-year-old goalkeeper Chloe Lincoln and Laura Hughes in their first games for Australia after Bryleeh Henry and Leah Davidson made their starting debuts in the midfield.
Davidson, who plays for Melbourne City in the A-League Women’s slotted her maiden Matildas goal six minutes into the match when she headed in an Emily van Egmond cross.
From there it was all Matildas, dominating possession and scoring three goals either side of half time through six different scorers.
With 72 per cent of possession and 23 shots (nine on target) to just three from Chinese Taipei — none of which troubled the goalkeepers — it was essentially a victory lap for the Matildas to close out the year.
After a disastrous Olympic campaign, it’s a positive way to finish the season.
While Australia had lost two friendlies last week to Brazil, at least the side could send Polkinghorne out a winner.
Speaking on 10 after the game, it was clear Polkinghorne was leaving the Matildas set up in a great place.
“I’m just really proud of tonight’s performance, especially a lot of young players come in and making their first starts, making their debut, scoring their first goals,” she said.
“I think last two games in particular being really good for the next generation of players coming through and for me to finish on a night where we kept a clean sheet and scored six goals, I am really proud of everyone and it is a really nice way to finish off.”
Polkinghorne said the hardest part about saying goodbye was not being around the other players and staff day in and day out.
But she suggested she could look into coaching in the future.
Post-match, Yallop said Polkinghorne had enjoyed a “stellar career” and it would be strange not to have her in the squad in the future.
“She’s left an amazing legacy,” Yallop said.
“I think it was fun out there today, we played some great football.
“We didn’t take a backwards step which was important.”
While the match was missing some of Australia’s biggest stars, the fans were liking what they saw from the next generation of Matildas.
One fan wrote: “The new girls are so good they send shivers down my spine.”
Another commented: “Not 6 extra minutes and the matildas are winning 6-0 … that’s just bullying.”
A third said: “The future of the Matildas is so bright.”
A fourth added: “Love the young Matildas who have had an opportunity in the last 4 friendly matches in Australia. Their energy & constantly chasing the ball is so refreshing. Put that with our experienced players & it augurs well for the Matildas’ future.”
The Matildas will next play in the SheBelieves Cup in the US in February.
With Ben Cameron, NewsWire
Originally published as ‘That’s just bullying’: New-look Matildas send off Clare Polkinghorne in brutal bloodbath
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