Matildas star Sam Kerr topped off a fantastic year by winning the 2017 AFC Women’s Player of the Year Award on Wednesday night.
The current Perth Glory player not only starred for her country this year, helping the Matildas to victory in the Tournament of Nations, but she also set a new record for most goals scored (four) in just a single National Women’s Soccer League game in the USA playing for Sky Blue FC.
Kerr also finished the season in the NWSL as the highest goal-scorer, with 17 goals for her club, and has continued her superb form with four goals in just three games for the Glory in the W-League.
In a season full of personal accolades, Kerr’s highlight reel keeps getting longer after scoring some fantastic goals. Be it from long range or performing spectacular bicycle kicks, Kerr has proven that she can do it all.
And in between all of that she scored a hat-trick against the 2015 Women’s World Cup runners-up and Asia’s highest-ranked team, Japan. That hat-trick was part of an impressive performance by the Matildas as they won their second game 4-2 in the Tournament of Nations hosted by the USA.
The Matildas went on to win that tournament after a solid 1-0 victory over the USA in the opening match before annihilating Brazil 6-1 in the final to secure the title. In that match Kerr added to her great performance against Japan with another goal and finished the tournament as the highest goal-scorer with four.
(AP Photo/Gregory Bull).
Along with four friendlies played back home in Australia and combined with both the Tournament of Nations and the Algarve Cup in March, Kerr has scored 11 goals for her nation this year.
All of this raises the question: is Sam Kerr the best sportsperson in Australia at the moment? She very well could be, but then it’s very hard to compare her current success and form in the footballing arena to that of, say, Steve Smith or Ellyse Perry, who have stood up with the cricket bat against the old enemy.
It’s an extremely debatable question, and one this writer isn’t going to write about just at this stage. However, whether or not she is the best sportsperson in Australia at the moment, it’s undeniable that Kerr is in fantastic form and also has had a brilliant 2017.
The Perth Glory will hope Kerr continues to bang in the goals during the W-League, and if she can, then they will go a long way to winning the title. For Kerr, continuing this form is crucial, with the Women’s World Cup 17 months away in France.
At only 24 years old, the footballing world is at Kerr’s feet, and hopefully for her it can only keep going up from here.
Just some of her records this year, combined with the brilliant, consistent goals scored show how good she is. Every team she plays against should be scared, because she has the ability to tear opponents apart, like she has done all over the world this year.
Virgil Starkwell
Guest
Never heard of her.
valhalla
Guest
not questioning her talents .... but it probably would be stupid for her to play in the west australian football league given its a mens comp
GWSINGAPORE
Guest
Her brother was a pretty good AFL player.
chris
Guest
Why?
McNaulty
Guest
Steve Smith
Lionheart
Guest
little boy, lost
Doc Disnick
Roar Guru
Leave the jokes to me.
Lionheart
Guest
more sense here than earlier comment
Lionheart
Guest
little boy lost
Doc Disnick
Roar Guru
I can tell humour is lost on you.
Lionheart
Guest
Logic? donuts, golf and hurdles? Well I suppose golf is an Olympic sport now, but I doubt donut eating ever will be? logically anyway. Whereas hurdles has been an Olympic sport since, well always in the Modern Olympics and for nearly fifty years for women. Why not just reply/comment on the crux of my post, instead of being abusive, attacking and generally trying to make my life miserable. In essence, grow up Rick, it's just my opinion.
Doc Disnick
Roar Guru
I never said she wasn't great. I'm simply saying a majority of your reasons make no sense.
Doc Disnick
Roar Guru
Why not? It's just as stup!d as comparing 110 metre hurdles to golf. Knock yourself out though, but do it with some logic.
Lionheart
Guest
eating donuts? are you seriously comparing 110 metre Hurdles to eating donuts?
punter
Guest
I'd say she would be very well paid playing in leagues in the US & Australia as well as being pin up girl of the Matildas. World cup, Asian championship, Olympics, gold medals, playing for your country, potential to be amongst the best in the world, why would you.
Lionheart
Guest
so you don't think winning against adversity counts? I think it counts for a lot, and certainly helps to measure how good a person really is. Sally has not only won two World Championships and Olympic Gold, which you ignored, but she has overcome diversity, a restricted upbringing in as athletic desert and long term, career threatening injury. She's proven she's a champion.
Doc Disnick
Roar Guru
“She’s from the remotest town in Australia, Birdsville” What’s that got to do with being considered the best sportsperson? “and had far less training and development opportunities as a kid than any Australian or international athlete.” What’s that got to do with being considered the best sportsperson? “She suffered serious injury putting her out for two years” What’s that got to do with being considered the best sportsperson? I just witnessed a fat overweight kid crying because he was teased for winning a doughnut eating contest. He’s the Doughnut King of Australia, the best I’ve seen, not because he suffered adversity, but because he can eat lots of doughnuts… fast!
Doc Disnick
Roar Guru
Duplicate comment.
Lionheart
Guest
To judge, you weigh up what she's achieved, and I don't see a World Championship in there. Let's wait and see how she goes in the WC 2019. She's still developing as far as achievements go, and as a player. Who then? Sally Pearson, by a long shot. She's from the remotest town in Australia, Birdsville, and had far less training and development opportunities as a kid than any Australian or international athlete. She's won Olympic Gold and World Championships. She suffered serious injury putting her out for two years but still came back this year and won the World Championship. She's our true champion.
Cousin Claudio
Roar Guru
Victorian Rules are trying to lure her into WAFL with cash - you'd expect that from those people, wouldn't you. Here response was a flat no. http://www.smh.com.au/sport/soccer/sam-kerr-says-matildas-would-be-stupid-to-succumb-to-the-call-of-aflw-20171121-gzppsm.html She said you would have to be stupid to play WAFL. I'd agree :) For some true sportswomen, money isn't everything.