Matildas news blackout?

Socceroos, Socceroos, Socceroos are everywhere. Even kicked the Super 14 final, Canberra Raiders and AFL off the front page of the Canberra Times, in winter, and the World Cup hasn't even started, or maybe it has!

But more importantly all the football writers are already in South Africa it seems and as a result only the Australian, hardly reknown for its coverage of men's football never mind womens', seems interested in the Matildas. But of course even it really focused on a player who wasn't there, Cricketer, Footballer and Football Superstar host Ellyse Perry. Can't afford phone calls to China? No surpise, I guess.

(And as an aside, I predict Ellyse will have to choose football over cricket this year if her World Cup aim is to come through, seems to me football give-in to the not so friendly and supportive cricket mob from what I've seen, but this could change now we're at the World Cup. Will cricket really support her, my prediction is No! Can Ellyse really expect to play both and compete to her max on the World Stage? Cricket with all due respect is hardly football, think England, Brazil, Germany, USA and North Korea in the football as opposed to who New Zealand and England and a few more.)

Anyway, it's the final tomorrow night, an Asian Cup Final against those pecky, unsporting North Koreans. Coverage from the ABC, and all your usual media outlets has been woeful. Apart from ABC's wonderful coverage of the game, you hardly know this was one of the nations most popular female sports.

Anyway; I think we'll win! Our defence is strong as. We're confident and of course we recently beat the Graham Souness's "one-half and I'm off," North Koreans in Brisbane. Historically that was and is no mean feat.

No-one expected Japan to miss the final and their is no love lost between the Koreans and outselves. So expect grit and fireworks all around the pitch.

Same team as the semi-final I expect and these players Sally Shipard aside haven't played more than two games. They should be good to go and the game is being played at a later, cooler time.

No pressure now we've qualified so let's see the impact that has on the teams' performance.

Would like to see Collette McCallum, Clare Polkinghorne and Sally Shipard supporting our defenders when they have the ball much much more, or else the football which has been character building rather than controlling may continue.

Hopefully we can boss this game with the ball a little more, as we did in Brisbane. I see no reason why this can't be our best footballing show of the tournament, and with Sam Kerr to explode in the final thirty we might just have our icing on the cake.

The new De Vanna? At 16 you wouldn't bet against her, watch with interest.

As for the rest of the team, I'd like to see Elise Kellond-Knight do what she does best, control the ball, confident in her wonderful ability and get the team moving sweetly. With Elise in full flow, Heather Garriock up ahead we must have as good a left-side as any in the World.

Great to see the Matildas in the final, be nice if some mainstream media would come on board a tad more, but I suppose women only get noticed in the final! A la the Twenty/Twenty cricketers.

Anyhoo enjoy the game and if the North Koreans walk off I'll be looking at the AFC Final Ref to hold them to the professional football standards immediately. It's about time some in Asia Football Confederation held them to the rules. Go the Matildas.