'What the heck is happening at training?': Matildas respond to second major injury blow ahead of FIFA World Cup group game
Matildas young gun Mary Fowler will miss Australia's second group match at the FIFA Women's World Cup after suffering a concussion at training on Tuesday.
Fowler sent a scare through the Matildas' camp when she received a knock towards the end of the team's closed training session.
Teammate Aivi Luik was also concussed in a separate incident.
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Both Fowler and Luik have fully recovered and entered Football Australia's concussion guidelines, but questions remain around how two concussions were sustained in two separate accidents, all in one training session two days out from a crucial match.
Mary Fowler has been ruled out for the Matildas' second World Cup game due to a concussion. Getty
Fronting the media later on Wednesday, Matildas head coach Tony Gustavsson said there was "no physical contact" involved and that contact with other teammates was not the cause of either incident.
"I totally understand if you didn't see the training, if I were you sitting out there I would go, 'What the heck is happening at training?'," he said.
"But it was a completely normal training. Two days out (from a game) you always have an 8v8, high-intensity, medium-sized game.
"We played at a high intensity and everything was good but we were unlucky with unfortunately two head knocks.
"It was pure unlucky what happened during the game, and with two separate incidents, a bit unreal to be honest. I've never experienced anything like it.
"We didn't do anything different to normal and we were a bit unlucky this time ... the medical team took care of the players and the players took care of the game and they just kept playing and were focused.
"The players are on a mission and focused on what they can control, so credit to the players in yesterday's training with how they responded."
Gustavsson failed to name "the new player" who would come into Australia's starting XI for Fowler.
Under the governing body's graduated return to play protocol, Fowler was limited to light running and walking on Wednesday and is unable to play against Nigeria in Brisbane on Thursday night.
Mary Fowler was brought into the Matildas starting XI in the World Cup opener after Sam Kerr's injury Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
With a six-day stand down period from Tuesday, both Fowler and Luik will be available for selection for Australia's final group match against Canada.
The 20-year-old underwent precautionary tests on Tuesday before Football Australia later confirmed that Fowler would miss the Nigeria clash due to the concussion protocols.
Australia's inner circle has played mind games with injuries this tournament after Gustavsson and captain Sam Kerr last week stated that the squad was fully fit in their pre-match press conference before Kerr was ruled out with a calf injury just before kickoff the following day.
Already ruled out of the Matildas' clash with Nigeria, Kerr once again did not train with the main group on Wednesday.
Sam Kerr was on light duties during the Matildas' training session. Chris Hyde via Getty Images
Despite being restricted to walking laps with the medical staff staff, the absence of a compression band on Kerr's left calf was a positive sign for the Matildas.
It remains to be seen if Kerr will step onto the field at all in the group stage, or whether a further seven-day break before a potential round of 16 meeting will be deemed more beneficial in her recovery.
Gustavsson reiterated that Kerr's injury would be reassessed between Australia's matches with Nigeria and Canada, but said a final decision would most likely not be made until the day before the final group match.
"We want to wait until the last minute to see where she is at with availability," he said.
Kyah Simon sits out Australia's Group B match against Ireland at the FIFA Women's World Cup. Cameron Spencer via Getty Images
Despite having her training load managed in recent days, defender Alannah Kennedy trained with the main group on Wednesday in a positive sign she will hold her starting spot in the side over Clare Polkinghorne.
Injury-plagued forward Kyah Simon was also seen walking laps with the medical staff.
Simon tore her ACL in October while playing for Tottenham Hotspur and looked unlikely to recover in time for football's pinnacle competition.
Having only played a limited amount of football since May last year, Simon's training load has been constrained.
Asked if he felt any regret towards selecting Simon - a player Gustavsson previously admitted would not be firing physically until the back end of the tournament - in hindsight of the team's injury crisis, the Swede backed his decision.
Tony Gustavsson has no regrets over picking Kyah Simon despite the veteran forward still being sidelined FIFA via Getty Images
"I'm never going to regret picking Kyah," he said.
"I picked her for different reasons - one was that we knew she going to have limited minutes but her game-changer quality was what we picked her for what she showed in training the last couple of weeks before selection.
"We knew it was a risk but you never know what it will be like.
"The other thing is what she contributes to the group in the locker room and off the pitch with her experience and her personality.
"Also coming in during big pressure moments like extra time or a penalty shootout where she has come up big in big games before."
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