How Matildas star Natasha Prior bounced back after a number of concussions threatened to end her promising career

Previously retired at 21 due to a spate of concussions, defender Natasha Prior looms as the find of the Matildas’ mixed international window.

Interim coach Tom Sermanni was effusive in his praise of Prior, 26, who made her first start and scored her maiden goal in Wednesday night’s 3-1 win over Taiwan in Melbourne.

Despite Clare Hunt’s emergence over the last 18 months, finding new central defenders has long been a problem area for the Matildas.

But tall, composed centre-back Prior, the daughter of former Premier League defender and ex-Matildas’ assistant Spencer Prior, backed up her impressive debut off the bench against Brazil with aplomb. 

‘She’s kind of walked into the team a bit like Clare Hunt did a year-and-a-half ago,’ Sermanni said.

‘She plays with composure, authority. She’s got good defensive strength, she’s mobile and very good on the ball.

‘I spoke to the players about before the game – ‘I want to see players come in this team and look like they belong’ and I think she’s done that.’

Prior was humble when told of Sermanni’s praise.

Coach Tom Sermanni labelled the 26-year-old ‘mobile and very good on the ball’

‘Being compared to players like Clare Hunt is obviously a large compliment,’ she said.

‘Clare and I are friends off the field, so it’s nice to be partners on the field now.

‘Personally happy with my performance – a few shaky moments. but I think I settled into the game.’

Newcastle Jets standout Prior, who works full-time as a senior consultant at Deloitte, was highly rated in junior teams before concussions derailed a promising football career.

But after her successful return last season, Sermanni had been ‘keeping tabs’ on her in recent months – then called her up.

‘I retired around the age of 21 – I had a pretty hard concussion,’ she said.

‘I went into full-time work, working in Deloitte. ‘Probably about for two years, I had on-and-off stints playing at different clubs like Sydney, and then I think I took another break. It’s a bit jumbled in my head, the exact timeline.

‘But coming back last season properly with the Jets for a proper full season, and then again this year, and then obviously being called in (to the Matildas), it’s been a long journey, but it’s also happened quite quickly.’

Prior is again likely to start again in Saturday’s second game against Taiwan at GMHBA Stadium in Geelong, especially with Tottenham defenders Hunt and Charli Grant departing local shores.

Sermanni was hopeful midfielder Chloe Logarzo had avoided concussion after she was forced off following a first-half head clash.