Melbourne Victory coach Dave Edmondson has revealed that winger Ashley Brown is ready to return to action, but will not risk her in the away match against Perth Glory this weekend.
Brown has completed her rehabilitation following an ACL injury sustained in Round 2 last season against Brisbane Roar, and has been looking sharp in training over the last couple of weeks.
She would have been ready for some game time this weekend, but with a long flight to Perth the club were unwilling to risk the knee flaring up.
“She’s very close [to returning],” Edmondson said.
“To be honest she’s been on fire last couple of weeks in training and if we weren’t playing Perth away this week she would probably be in the team this week as well.
“We had a trial game last week and she was one of the best performers on the pitch so it’s exciting that she’s so close.
“Just the added complications of flights and being sat on a plane for that length of time probably just means that we’ll wait an extra week for that.”
Joining Brown on the sidelines in Melbourne are No. 1 goalkeeper Bri Davey, who sustained a glute injury while away on Matildas duty, and Emily Hulbert who came down with glandular fever.
Bulleen Lions custodian Melissa Maizels has been pencilled in as an injury replacement, with Davey’s understudy Cassandra Dimovski set to start against Perth.
Edmondson was hopeful Davey’s injury won’t take long to heal, as he looks to put his strongest line-up on the park.
“I’ve got an eleven in my head that I think is the strongest,” he said.
“Whether we’re able to put that on the pitch or not is different.
“Emily Hulbert at the start of the year showed some real qualities but now she’s unavailable.
“Bri Davey is the number one keeper you expect to be playing but again she picks up an injury.
“You always have a strongest eleven and it depends how often we get that out on the pitch and I’m sure that’s no different to most coaches in the league or any league around the world.”
In some good news, Stephanie Catley, Emma Checker and Lisa De Vanna have returned from the national set up without any problems, and should be fit for the trip to Perth.
Edmondson hopes that Checker’s last minute call-up will give her a boost in confidence, and believes Catley will be right to start despite playing two games in the last week.
“[Checker] did not play in the two games [against China] but is obviously on a high from being called back into the Matildas so hopefully that will give her a boost,” he said.
“Anyone who’s watched Steph play knows how fit she is and how professional she is in her management of herself so again we’re hopeful that she’ll be available.”