Matilda Emily van Egmond a 'potential' for Jets guest appearance

The Newcastle 30-year-old played a pivotal role for the Matildas as they made an historic semi-final appearance at the World Cup and ignited a women's sport movement.

The long-serving Australian midfielder, who overcame a back injury to play at her fourth World Cup, was honoured with the keys to the city in a reception at Nobbys beach on Tuesday.

From there she was returning to her National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) duties with the sixth-placed San Diego Wave.

Van Egmond, who is on contract until the end of this NWSL season with San Diego, played a guest stint with the Jets during the 2021-22 A-League and, according to her father and Jets women's coach Gary van Egmond, could possibly have another cameo this summer.

"There's always the potential," Gary van Egmond said.

"She's going back to America and seeing what's happening. It's been a bit of a whirlwind for her at this stage."

Whether the Dudley Redhead Football Club junior will sign on for a guest stint with Newcastle depends largely on her availability.

The Jets open their A-League season with an F3 derby against Central Coast at Central Coast Stadium on October 14.

NWSL finals begin on October 22 with the championship match on November 11.

Van Egmond, who should be back on deck for the Matildas when they play Paris Olympics qualification matches with Iran, Phillipines and Chinese Taipei in Perth between October 26 and November 1, is sure to have come to the attention of overseas clubs during a stand-out World Cup.

Jets chief executive Shane Mattiske said they club were "investigating whether we can get Emily to come back" for a guest stint.

"It would be a wonderful thing for the team and for the community, and we hope that can happen," Mattiske said.

"But, ultimately, we have to strike a deal with Emily and it would depend on her contract status at the time."

The Jets are set to begin pre-season in early September and have already announced the re-signings of home-grown talents Cassidy Davis, Lauren Allan and Lara Gooch.

They have also added new recruits in defender Alexandra Huynh, New Zealand midfielder Rebecca Burrows, NPLW NSW player Sophie Hoban, who can play midfield or defence, and versatile Young Matilda Claudia Cicco.

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The Newcastle Herald also understands the club are close to revealing the acquisition of one of the A-League's leading strikers.

"Gary is a well-established coach and he's got that competitive drive and he's got an absolute commitment to bring together a really competitive team for this season, and we've already signed some players that will make a big difference and we're looking forward to being able to announce some more big names moving forward," Mattiske said.

Meanwhile, Jets Academy players Josie Allan, Milan Hammond, Chloe Walandouw and Zoe Karipidis are among 28 players taking part in a six-day Young Matildas training camp in Sydney this week.

Allan and Hammond are both forwards while Walandouw and Karipidis are defenders.

Allan and Walandouw made their A-League debuts with the Jets last campaign as scholarship players.

The camp presents an opportunity for players to show their quality as Australia commences preparation for the AFC U20 Asian Cup in Uzbekistan next year.

"It's always good that we're starting to get players back into the national team set-ups, Junior and Young Matildas, but it's how do we take that next step and transition from junior football to senior football that's also important," van Egmond, who is also the Jets Academy director said.