Matildas star Caitlin Foord proving stabalising force as Sydney FC eye Brisbane scalp in W-League finals

All season she’s been Sydney FC’s destroyer-in-chief, now Matildas star Caitlin Foord has a mind to give Brisbane Roar a quick death on Sunday en route to the W-League grand final.

Caitlin Foord has been in red-hot form for Sydney FC this season.

All season she’s been Sydney FC’s destroyer-in-chief, now Caitlin Foord has a mind to give Brisbane Roar a quick death en route to the W-League grand final.

Previously a victim of injuries and her own versatility, the Matildas star is reaping the benefits of positional stability on the right side of the Sky Blues’ attack.

The fruits of that security make for eye-watering reading.

Foord’s statistics this campaign read nine goals from 12 games and 31 chances created, figures only eclipsed by Perth Glory’s Sam Kerr.

Caitlin Foord has a great goalscoring record against Brisbane this season.

Add in four assists and it’s no surprise the 24-year-old is winning her recent battle for confidence ahead of Sunday’s semi-final at Dolphin Stadium in Redcliffe, playing a Roar side against whom she’s scored the majority of those goals.

“Over the years I’ve kind of been a bit of here, there and everywhere,” Foord said.

“I think I’ve only just finally found my position and filled my spot back up front, and it’s given me time to focus on an actual position, not kind of thinking about where am I going to be playing next?

“I started (questioning) my ability coming into the season and the year before that. That was something that was new to me, so to find the way to overcome that did take some time and was very challenging.

“I think that’s just come game by game, and it’s something I’ve really been working on.

“Also when you’re away from the game, and now having this injury twice on both feet, there was a lot of doubt in my mind if I was even going to be able to play again … it was just all negative thoughts that I had to overcome.”

Caitlin Foord is loving life with a more stable role.

Foord’s stint in Japan at Vegalta Sendai Ladies was a contributing factor, an experience she thoroughly enjoyed but also struggled with the language barrier and a style of play that didn’t suit her strengths.

The “downhill spiral” has taken time to rebuild but she’s never felt better.

And the motivation is there – Foord’s latest serious foot injury, sustained in last season’s semi-final, ruled her out of that grand-final loss to Melbourne City.

And there’s good reason to believe 2016 Asian women’s footballer of the year will be Sydney’s most potent weapon on Sunday evening, a few hours after Melbourne Victory and the Glory face off in the other semi.

Five of Foord’s nine goals this season have been against the Roar, including a brace in a 3-1 win three weeks ago and a hat-trick in December’s 5-1 thrashing.

It’s positive reading for Ante Juric’s side but Foord knows this finals series is wide open, after the tightest season on record with just five points separating the top six on the ladder.

Caitlin Foord has 14 goals from 67 games for the Matildas.

“We have had some good wins this season against Brisbane, but again finals is a whole different ball game,” she said.

“Everyone steps up and it’s always a closer game and everything’s on the line in these games … it’s just always finals has a bigger buzz around it.”