Why Melbourne girl Steph Catley is so important to the Matildas

She “blew the boys off the pitch” as a kid but a former coach says her character — as much as her skills — is what makes Steph Catley part of the “golden generation” of football stars.

Steph Catley celebrates scoring Australia’s first goal during the FIFA Women's World Cup against Ireland. Picture: Getty Images

Steph Catley, wearing the captain’s armband calmly slotted home the penalty to ensure the Matildas got the three points in their opening game of the World Cup.

It was a high point in a career that started many years ago at the East Bentleigh Football Club where Catley would watch her brother train.

The club’s longtime treasurer, Kay Rimbaldo, used to watch Catley dribble a ball along the edge of the field while her brother was on the pitch for practice.

“Originally Steph used to just muck around on the sidelines while her brother trained,” she said.

“She would be doing all these tricks and all the mums used to be in awe of her.

“She’d dribble the ball down the side of the field and then flip it up and flip it over doing zigzags already and she was only about six years of age, she was actually quite amazing.

“One of the mums that was on the boys’ team said to the coach, ‘why don’t you let this little girl come on and train with the boys?”

Steph Catley as a child with her dad and brother. Picture: Instagram

Boys’ coach Eric Harbis, who sadly passed away before seeing much of Catley’s career, took a chance on the young girl and Catley never looked back.

“Eric said ‘come on, jump in and train with us’ and she just blew the boys off the pitch. She was just so good,” Ms Rimbaldo said.

“Eric then invited her to join the team full-time, so she was actually a member of the boys team even though we had started getting girls teams together back then.

“Even with the girls teams forming, the boys still wanted Steph with them and they actually went four years undefeated.”

Eric’s son, Anthony Harbis was a part of those boys teams that included Catley — which is something he likes to tell others about.

“Playing with Steph is my claim to fame from back in the day, she was a superstar on the pitch,” he said.

As a young player, Steph was known as a superstar on the pitch. Picture: Instagram

“Every time we’d rock up to play on the Saturdays or Sundays, the other teams would be looking at us like ‘these guys have got a girl in their team’ we’re gonna smash her.

“Then the match would start and she would be one of the most talented people out there, just running rings around all the boys on the other team.

“They’d be scratching their heads, like, ‘how is this happening? What’s going on?’”

After a stellar junior career with East Bentleigh, Catley headed to Sandringham in 2007 to play in their girls side for a couple of years before her professional career got started at Melbourne Victory in 2009.

Catley would ‘run rings around all the other boys on the team’. Picture: Instagram

In 2014, Joe Montemurro was hired as coach of the Victory, where he first met Catley, and a special relationship was born.

Currently the head coach of Juventus’ women’s side, Montemurro has long been a part of Catleys career, forming more of “a friendship ‘’ than a coach/player relationship over the years.

This has led to Montemurro and Catley pairing up a number of times following their time at Victory including at Melbourne City in 2015 where they won a championship together and Arsenal in 2020 where Catley still plays now.

This was not by accident according to Montemurro who said he always wants Catley as part of his teams and not just for her footballing ability.

Steph Catley with her family. Picture: Instagram

“Every opportunity that I had to bring her along, I did, she was always part of the planning of my team and the way I wanted to play,” he said.

“She suited the style and I think more importantly, putting aside all the football stuff, you just want to have her around the group.

“Her positivity, her selflessness and I suppose compassion are things you want in every team. So, it’s as much about her character as her football.”

It’s these characteristics that make Catley so important to the Matildas and their current charge for World Cup glory, Montemurro said.

“The biggest thing for me is that she’s been on the journey with this group of, if you want to call it the ‘golden generation’ for a long time,” he said.

“I think if there’s one person that the whole group can really rely on it’s Steph.

“That’s really special I think to have been there all along, just done the business on the park but more importantly just been the glue between the girls.”

Catley competes with Sofie Bredgaard of Denmark for the ball. Picture: Getty Images

As the Matildas get ready to face France in the quarterfinals this Saturday, Melbourne will be right behind the girls and Catley, who we should be very proud of according to Montemurro.

“She’s quite special, she loves Melbourne, she loves Victoria,” he said.

“For her to be doing what she’s doing on the world stage doesn’t surprise me and we should be so proud of her and of where she comes from as a Melbourne girl.”

Ms Rimbaldo is one Victorian who is proud of Catley and everything she is achieving with the Matildas.

Steph Catley celebrates with teammates. Picture: AFP

“I’m with a local Facebook group, with about 17,000 members and I am one of the admins there,” she said.

“I’m posting things in the morning like ‘our Steph is playing tonight’ and during the game, I’m posting ‘Steph is magnificent’ and all these things.

“We’re all watching it at home and my son who’s 25 has to say to me she’s not the only player on the pitch Mum.

“We are just so proud of her and we’re so pleased that she nominated East Bentleigh as her grassroots club.

“She is the best and best ambassador soccer could have in Victoria, and even Australia. We are proud as punch.”