Matildas and Melbourne City sensation Holly McNamara is set to make her hotly-anticipated return from a third ACL tear against Canberra United on Sunday.
The prodigiously talented attacker, 21, has been sidelined since suffering the injury against Newcastle as she scored the third goal of a hat-trick on November 19, 2023 - mere days after she had earned a Matildas recall.
But the three-cap Matilda will be named in City's squad for Sunday's double header at AAMI Park, in a lift to both her club and the Matildas' attacking stocks.
McNamara, one of the most highly-rated young talents in the country, had been pushing heavily at training over the past month in a bid to return.
She indicated last week that she'd had to be patient.
"I think the physios at Melbourne City are getting pretty sick of me begging and asking," she told Network Ten.
"But no, I've got to be smart this time.
"You get to that end stage and you think you're fine, you think you're invincible and you might not be."
The luckless winger/striker knows that all too well.
McNamara's right knee injury last year was a recurrence of the ACL injury she suffered as a 15-year-old.
The 21-year-old ruptured the ACL in her left knee in February 2022, while as a 17-year-old she was cut down by a foot stress fracture.
McNamara, who scored six goals in five games last season, has sought out physical contact at training to prepare for her return.
"For me, it's just getting back into it, getting that confidence," she said.
"Obviously getting hit is a big thing when you come back from ACLs.
"I've told my teammates 'please, just hit me at training' - you just need to get used to it again.
"If you get a few fouls, you get a few fouls in training. But it prepares you and I'm looking forward to that side of it."
With their attack, led by Mariana Speckmaier and Lourdes Bosch, firing, A-League Women leaders City will take a cautious approach to deploying McNamara.
City will head into Sunday's clash against Canberra as favourites, while Perth will host Adelaide in the late game.
On Friday night, second-placed Melbourne Victory will host Wellington.
On Saturday, Sydney FC will attempt to kickstart their championship defence against Newcastle.
Elsewhere, Western Sydney host Western United and Brisbane take on Central Coast.
The Mariners announced on Thursday they had signed Collingwood's Irish AFLW star Sarah Rowe, who previously had a short stint at Melbourne Victory, until the end of the season.
