Running wild: How Sam Kerr’s brutal schedule is making Australia’s most famous footballer even better

They had battered New Zealand for 95 minutes but only had a 1-1 scoreline to show for it.

The clock ticks into the 96th minute, the last grains of sand in the hour and a half glass about to fall. One last chance. The Matildas have a corner.

Ball floats through the heavy, wet air, and surely Sam Kerr, the greatest goalscorer in team history, will attack it like a hungry croc flies at a dangled chicken.

But Kerr does the unexpected and hangs back as the ball lands in a gaggle of bodies near the goal line. Of course, then, the ball spurts out in one direction. Right toward Kerr. Instinct told her to stop. Now it’s telling her to go.

Kerr, after running herself ragged all night, switches into ‘Sam Kerr’ mode.

Sam Kerr flings herself forward. A Kiwi boot threatens to boot the ball clear. Sam Kerr’s head gets in first. Sam Kerr scores.

Of course she did.

She’s Sam Kerr, in the midst of greatness.

*****

Watching Kerr play live at the ground, when the whole pitch is visible, is a tiring experience in itself.

It could be argued she plays iceberg football. What we see of her on or near the ball is only a little part of what actually exists.

Off the ball Kerr runs, and runs, and runs. Defensively, to close down those on the ball, often when it is two against one. Offensively, she will make run after run in behind the defensive line or toward the ball.

It all adds up to an incredible output for both club – Chelsea – and country.

Since September 2020, there has been no break. A season with Chelsea. Olympics. More Chelsea. Matildas friendlies. Asian Cup. More Chelsea. Nearly 100 games in less than two years. Phew. How much can she give?

“The more I keep going, the better I feel,” is Kerr’s mildly surprising answer.

“We’ve been playing three games a week for six months… now doing it with travelling back to Australia, one session before a 90-minute game. I’m used to it now! Once you’re in the rhythm of it, you just do it.”

Kerr’s 2020 move right in the middle of Covid-19’s early throws made for a tricky start, but since settling in with Chelsea she’s turned into an even more potent force.

“Football wise the move (to Chelsea) has elevated my game,” Kerr says, “and it’s gained me a lot more respect around the world.

“When I came to Chelsea, there was no denying I was good on the counter-attack.

“I think just in the small spaces, my holdup play and my ability to bring other people into the game has improved.”

Opponents agree.

Steph Catley, Kerr’s Matildas teammate, plays for Arsenal, who happen to be Chelsea’s main title rivals. Catley confirms, marking the more-rounded version of Kerr is not an enjoyable experience.

“It’s extremely difficult because she’s so active all the time,” Catley says.

“Sam only needs half a step on you and then she’s gone and there’s no catching her.

“Then she comes searching for the ball deeper in the field, she’s still dangerous because she brings other people into the game and then is sprinting back into the box to finish. She’s smart, agile and hungry to score all the time.”

Just last weekend, so it proved again. Chelsea went down to 10 players against Tottenham, and at 1-1, you’ll never guess who popped up with a booming header. Kerr, of course.

“I step away from the women’s game, I won’t watch teams within our league unless we’re about to play them, but I mainly watch the men. I just love football.”

Kerr keeps an eye on Australia, with BT Sport beaming the A-League into her lounge room, while spare evenings are spent watching her favourite players do what they do best.

“Most players that I love are players you can’t replicate. Cristiano Ronaldo, obviously, he’s just been a goalscorer forever. Mo Salah, I love watching him do things most of us can only dream of.

“They make it look so easy but we know when you try it, it’s not.”

*****

Sam Kerr is Australia’s most famous footballer.

She follows Johnny Warren, who backed up a brilliant career by tirelessly promoting football in a country that was hard of hearing about the world game.

Harry Kewell and Tim Cahill made their name by ripping up the rule book for Australians abroad.

But look on a billboard, in a bookstore, in a sports store these days, and it’s Kerr’s name and/or face you see.

Her numbers back up the exalted status.

For the Matildas, it’s 59 goals in 110 appearances. At 28 years of age, there is plenty more to come, because of what she has become at club level.

Since joining Chelsea she has become a leading figure in European club football, scoring 52 goals in 68 games, a phenomenal return.

Her elevation has come from being in the right place, at the right time in more ways than one.

As footy codes and cricket woke up to the fact investment in professional women’s sport is a worthwhile proposition, the Matildas’ current generation matched it consistently with the world’s best.

Kerr was scoring the big goals in the big games and celebrating by flipping her way into the hearts of those watching.

And yet it was so different for her debut way back in 2009.

Less than 3000 people were on hand to see 15-year-old Kerr, talent too irresistible to ignore, trot onto the field with 15 minutes left in 5-1 Matildas loss to Italy in Canberra.

“Don’t remember much of that day other than we got pumped,” Kerr tells Code Sports.

“Had no family there, don’t remember anything. It’s the one thing I wish I could replay.”

Go forth, then, to a night like Townsville, and every moment is now cherished.

At all Matildas home games, full-time is really just halftime as Kerr and her teammates make a point of revelling in what this team has become – saying hello to every man, woman and child that wants to say hello back.

“It’s honestly so rewarding,” Kerr says.

“You don’t realise what impact you have on people until you give them a high five, a hug or signature. Something so small can go such a long way.”

Kids cry. Parents admire the time they give their kids. It’s a special, unique atmosphere.

“I don’t play football for sponsorships and my face in the paper, or for someone to write something good about me, I play football for fans who have your jersey on and love coming to watch us play.

“The coolest thing about it is you get to make a little girl or boy’s night. We used to play in front of no one. It’s something we’re really proud of, (to have) built such an amazing fan base. I think we have more connection with supporters than men’s football, and that’s just the culture of women’s sport.

“There’s only more to grow. The World Cup is exciting, but hopefully in the next ten years we will make the same if not more progress.”

*****

Where the Sam Kerr name ends up in relation to other Australian sporting legends remains a guess, but the form of the last five years suggests a place among the greats.

In the very short term, she has two more trophies to win in the next month.

Chelsea lead the English league by a point from Arsenal with three games to go. In mid-May there’s an FA Cup Final against Manchester City at Wembley.

Then a break. Home, to Perth, for the first time in three years, where she’ll try to slip into a normal existence for a short while. Catch up with family. Maybe catch some footy.

Nothing gave Kerr a bigger thrill in her childhood than saying hello to players over the fence at a West Coast Eagles game.

She was one of those faces in the crowd, that now, with a Matildas jersey, look back at her with boundless joy.

How life changes when you don’t stand still, and put yourself in the right place, at the right time.