The Matildas are finding the going tough under Ante Milicic, but that's exactly what the doctor ordered as they gear up for their first matches with their new coach.
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Milicic oversaw his most intense Matildas session so far on Monday, with 23 players in camp after the late arrivals of Spain-based Matildas Alex Chidiac and Aivi Luik.
The pair landed on Monday morning and by the afternoon, they were kicking out their jetlag in training, along with train-on youngster Allira Toby.
Their arrivals left Chloe Logarzo as the only squad member not in Brisbane.
The 24-year-old hurt her ankle in Sydney FC's grand final triumph a week ago and didn't travel north to allow for a longer rehabilitation.
Milicic will receive a medical report on the attacker on Monday night and make a decision on whether to retain her services or replace her for the matches with New Zealand, South Korea and Argentina.
Key defender Alanna Kennedy said the fresh eyes of a new coach meant going the extra mile to prove your worth.
"(Training has) been really tough but a really positive environment," she said.
"Every session needs to be tough. We're elite athletes. Of course we're looking to get the most out of us and push ourselves to our limits.
"There's no point staying in your comfort zone because that's not going to get us to where we want to be.
"We're all here to fight for a spot at the World Cup."
Thursday's opener was due to be held at Sydney's Jubilee Stadium but has been moved to Leichhardt Oval due to concerns over the pitch.
FFA has responded to the inconvenience by slashing ticket prices to just $10 for adults and $5 for children.
Kennedy said they were eager to get Milicic's reign off to a winning start but they also wanted to expose the entire squad to matches.
"We want to win the games but that's the end product ... (the focus) for us is definitely performance," she said.
"We'll give different players an opportunity to step up."
Kennedy said fans would see a similar style to what they were used to under former coach Alen Stajcic.
"It's still the Australian way," she said.
"We want to play a high pressing game, possession based and work on becoming better and better at that each game.
"For us it's a different environment, a refreshing change and a clean slate for everyone. Everyone's been on their toes."
Australian Associated Press
