The presence of Matildas superstar Mary Fowler inspires Wallaroos captain Siokapesi Palu Sekona to believe they can defy the odds and take on world champions England in Manchester.
Fowler, who plays for Manchester City in the Women's Super League, has been a regular presence in the build-up to the WXV Global Series opener on Sunday at midnight (AEST).
Watch every second of the Wallaroos WXV Global Series live and on demand via Stan Sport.
The superstar striker presented the jerseys and met up with Palu Sekona and others for coffee to share stories about their respective journeys.
It came after the Wallaroos were guests of Fowler at City's 3-1 win over Birmingham, with the Aussie scoring the opener.
"She's super sweet. We were so lucky to have the opportunity to go out there and support her," Palu Sekona said.
"I think ultimately it comes down to just being Australian. We're just there to support our own people and it's nice to see her succeed here, we want to get behind that."
The Matildas' 2023 World Cup path was inspiring for the Wallaroos as they prepare for their own home World Cup in 2029.
'Matilda fever' swept the nation as the Australian side made the semi-finals, which has Palu Sekona hopeful they can produce the results necessary to get similar support.
"The most exciting thing that I learned from her was just saying they didn't expect the outcome and the success that they were able to do with the Matildas and It reflects back to us and how we're building towards our home World Cup," the number eight explained.
"There's a lot of doubt because we're unsure of what it will look like for us, but having that and having her share her experiences, it's promising and reassuring that Australia will get behind it.
"We've just got to try and make sure we put on performances that are worth following, but also just trying to promote what happens off field because ultimately we're such a diverse team.
"There are a lot of characters and I know that people will be super interested to see what the Wallaroos are about."
This starts against world number one England, a team that has not lost a game in close to four years.
But the Wallaroos know what to expect after last year's World Cup match, and they bring the same confidence that helped them take an early lead and silence the Brighton crowd in the first half.
"We know what to expect and that game of pressure, the pressure's on them. Odds are against us," she added.
"It's just trying to use that to our advantage and just making sure we try and play the football that we want.
"We know that we can get them. We know the tactics and it comes down to mindset and how long we're willing to do it, how long we're willing to endure."
