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Matildas coach Ante Milicic is faced with the tricky task of managing many different levels of fitness among his players in their pre-World Cup training camp.
The Matildas have now all assembled in Antalya, beginning a seven-week mission they hope will end with lifting the World Cup trophy.
Captain Sam Kerr, Clare Polkinghorne and stand-by forward Kyah Simon were among the latest to arrive in Turkey for their pre-tournament training camp, where coach Ante Milicic hopes to embed his squad with a game plan to win in France.
The trio were in action on Monday (AEST) in a final club match in America, when Kerr's double helped Chicago Red Stars defeat Polkinghorne and Simon's Houston Dash.
Kerr and Polkinghorne started the match, while Simon made a morale-boosting 36-minute cameo after an injury-plagued year.
In Turkey, Milicic's chief task will be micro-managing his players' fitness and conditioning.
Players have landed in camp from all corners of the globe and in many different conditions.
Some are match-fit from the US league, some have battled for minutes, some have been in training camps and some are coming off the back of injuries.
The Matildas enjoyed a longer lead-in camp on the road to the 2015 World Cup in Canada, and the 2016 Olympics in Rio, but weren't afforded the same luxury this year as enhanced club commitments took priority.
Polkinghorne said there was "no such thing as a perfect preparation".
"The girls who have been in Australia have been training with Future Matildas and have got games every week," she told AAP.
"They've definitely been working hard.
"The thing about club football is you can't control your game time, and yes, a few girls have been carrying niggling injuries.
"If we can have that solid block, prior to the World Cup, (including) a friendly game against Netherlands which is a massive test ... I don't think there'll be a problem."
Polkinghorne said her Houston teammate Simon was taking missing out in her stride.
"She's really professional. She's done everything that she can to make the team and unfortunately, she's just had a few setbacks," Polkinghorne said.
"After a couple of months out, it'll be good for her to get back in training with the group again. She's really excited about that."
Polkinghorne, captain under former coach Alen Stajcic, said the players were boosted by the re-signing of their new coach through to next year's Olympics.
Milicic will then take up the reins of expansion A-League outfit Macarthur FC, with Polkinghorne backing her coach to multi-task appropriately.
"When we heard that he extended to after the Olympics, we were extremely happy," she said.
"He's been amazing for our team. Everyone's been enjoying the culture and and the team environment and I think he'll get the best out of a lot of players."
