The Matildas have suffered another injury scare, with defender Charlotte Grant a victim of delayed concussion.
But as Grant watched on from the side of the field at the Queensland Sport and Athletics Centre, Matildas captain Sam Kerr spent time on an exercise bike as she continues her bid to overcome a calf injury in time for next Monday’s round of 16 clash with Denmark.
Grant was involved in a heavy clash after coming on in the dying stages of Australia’s 4-0 FIFA Women’s World Cup win over Canada last Monday night.
Concussion symptoms have since emerged, with Grant confined to the sidelines on Friday during the Matildas’ training session in Brisbane.
However, a Matildas spokeswoman said Grant would be available for selection for Monday’s match in Sydney, having met the requirement for concussion protocols.
Grant is the third Matildas player to suffer from concussion during the tournament, with Mary Fowler and Aivi Luik having been concussed on the training paddock last week.
Kerr, who is yet to play in the tournament, wasn’t expected to join the rest of the squad for the regular session as part of her separate training program.
Matildas defender Clare Polkinghorne said of Kerr: “She‘s been superb through it all.
“She always puts the team before herself, so right from the beginning, she‘s been our biggest supporter and always helping out where she can.
“While she hasn‘t been able to help on the field yet, she’s definitely still a massive part of this team and it has definitely helped us get to where we are.
“We’re really looking forward to having her back.”
Midfielder Cortnee Vine also wasn’t training with the main squad, instead running laps of the field as part of her load management.