Matilda's to Return to Newcastle

BY GRACE LANCASTER

It has been announced Newcastle will play host to a Matilda's match against Chile later this year.

The clash is intended to prepare the teams for the nearing 2019 World Cup in France and will feature popular footballer, Sam Kerr and Newcastle's very own, Emily Van Egmond. 

Almost twelve months since the Matilda's were last in Newcastle, the match plans to draw another big crowd.

"It's going to be a really great game", said Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes, "and I know Newcastle people will come out and support not only our local Matildas, Emily Van Egmond, but our international women's soccer team which is going from strength to strength."

"Newcastle's getting a great reputation as one of the hottest sporting cities in the country and having the Matilda's here again is a vote of confidence not just from the FFA but from the State Government," she said.

The clash will take place on Tuesday the 13th of November at McDonald Jones Stadium.

Image: Huffington Post 

Newcastle Touted as Future Home for Matildas

BY LAUREN FREEMANTLE

Wallsend MP, Sonia Hornery would like to see the Australian women's football team call Newcastle Home.

She's issued a push for the NSW Minister for Sport to present McDonald Jones Stadium as the Matilda's home base.

It follows a successful match between the Australian and Brazilian women's teams at the venue last September.

Ms Hornery described the atmosphere at the game as electric.

"Ninety minutes, ninety emotions, you could see it on each one of the 16, 829 fans' faces," she said, "They roared, they cheered, they held their breaths, they counted every second.

"It was an extraordinary sense of community that Tuesday night."

The MP raised the idea in parliament today, with other state members agreeing Novocastrians have a proud history of supporting teams, as well as a thriving local sport scene.

Camden MP Chris Patterson highlighted plans to develop new sports precinct at Broadmeadow as a vote of confidence in the Hunter's potential to host future world-class events. 

He said Ms Hornery has the government's support in bringing as many Matilda's games as possible to the region.

What a night: Close to 17,000 fans turned out to support the Matilda's at Hunter Stadium in September.