Matildas greats defend Sam Kerr

Former Matildas co-captain Kate Gill and national women's team great Joey Peters have both lept to Sam Kerr's defence, amid the soccer star's trial for the charge of racially aggravated harassment of a police officer.

While Kerr has admitted she felt "embarrassed" after watching footage from the incident that occured on January 30 2023, she denied that she was “drunk and kicking off” in the back of the taxi

Football Australia will wait until the trial's complete to make a call on whether Kerr will be stripped from her role as the Matildas captain. 

However, Gill and Peters have both defended Kerr, saying that she should "definitely" retain the armband. 

"She’s the first person to acknowledge if she’s done something wrong and made a mistake," Gill said, as she hailed Kerr for being an "exceptional human being". 

Gill led the Matildas between 2013 and 2014, making 86 appearances for Australia, returning 41 international goals. 

"She’s got morals about her, so it’s hard to question her from that kind of area."

Calls to change "racist" beach name

“It’s hard for us to all sit in judgment when we don’t have access to the full facts and understand what happened and how Sam was made to feel in that moment,” she said.

“There should be no reason why she shouldn’t captain her country.

“She wears her heart on her sleeve, she loves playing for her country, she loves captaining her country, and she’s given her some very inspirational and fantastic sporting moments.

“We shouldn’t forget that.”

Former Matildas star Joey Peters, who won 110 caps for Australia between 1996 and 2009 also backed Kerr. 

"I just have full admiration for Sam Kerr and what she’s done throughout our game," she said. 

"What we’re hearing about the case, I don’t think it takes away anything from the quality person that she is." 

"She has disrupted the world of football, and we can’t expect her to be quiet and sit back and be a ‘nicey-nicey girl’ because she’s not that at all on the pitch. She’s lethal, so for her to stick up for herself off the field, for me personally, I 100 per cent back her." 

"I just got shot": Trump gives first interview after assassination attempt

Kerr captained Australia to fourth place at the Olympic Games in 2020. She has made 128 appearances for Australia since 2009 and has returned 69 goals. 

“I can’t imagine the pressure that she’s under with her public profile. She’s in this pressure cooker and delivered so much for our game and continues to do that, and we should hold her in the highest regard whatever happens, because we all make mistakes as humans," Peters added. 

“In Sam Kerr’s case, she’s an absolute champion of our game and should be treated as that in her home country for sure.

“It’s not that I don’t care what she’s (allegedly) done, but in this particular instance, we’ve got to protect her and cheer her on.”

Image: Kim Price/CSM/ Shutterstock Editorial