The Matildas' Joe Montemurro era has officially begun with two wins, a loss, and a draw. Amongst the action, there were debut goals, first caps, and new look combinations aplenty.
Now with the first window out of the way, and the next one not until October, the new head coach will have plenty of time to sit and sift through the mountain of information learned across these two weeks in Western Australia.
Under the circumstances -- new coach, a huge window, a squad with not only an absurd number of moving parts but a number of absentees -- the feeling after this window is almost one of information overload, not just for Montemurro but for fans as well.
So, what should be focused on, both the positive and the negative? What should be disregarded? What should be held on to? What questions still need answering?
Here's what we learned from Australia's matches against Slovenia and Panama.
It is unlikely that we'll ever see this squad again
Not even during the mega four-game window to end 2024 did we see a squad like this. Interim boss Tom Sermanni was able to put out predominantly recognisable lineups for the two games against Brazil. The changes came for the two games against Chinese Taipei with key players still present up the spine.
The anchor points for this month's squad have been few and far between. The first game against Panama saw four debutants. A squad usually brimming with 100 gamers had only two in the entire 33-player squad: Emily van Egmond and Alanna Kennedy. Hayley Raso, Clare Hunt, and Michelle Heyman offered the most consistent experience with cameos from Ellie Carpenter, Mackenzie Arnold, Teagan Micah, and Kyra Cooney-Cross.
It was important for Montemurro to take advantage of the window and cast a wide net since this was technically a fact finding mission for him. As much as you can watch from afar and take notes, some things can only truly be understood by experiencing them for yourself.
In that sense, the new boss has been able to see first-hand how players fare in training and in game scenarios. He'll have plenty of data to work with as he continues preparations for the team long after all the players have left camp.
The next time he meets his charges will be October, when he should have a much more familiar looking squad with some players who impressed in this window no doubt joining the ranks.
The problem is October is so far away considering time is not on Montemurro or the team's side.
Presumably the upcoming AFF Championship in August, which Australia will participate in, will see the Under-23 or Under-20 Matildas sent over or a squad filled with fringe and cusp players not dissimilar to what was seen in WA.
The positive for Montemurro is that the squad he assembles for October will be just as hungry to prove themselves to him as this one was. These athletes will relish the challenge of learning a new system, of being given a new roadmap, especially after they spent so long wandering aimlessly without a permanent head coach.
Game-plan glimpses, but questions linger
Nothing can be said too definitively after one window under a new coach, especially with all the squad considerations and constraints.
As such the effectiveness of Montemurro's possession-based style, its suitability and efficacy for the Matildas, should be discussed in questions rather than statements.
Watching the sausage get made is never pretty, with errors and turnovers punctuating all four games. That's the price you pay for trying to do something new and the 3-2 victory over Panama was no exception.
"Today I was a little bit disappointed, because there were things I thought we got rid of over the last three games," Montemurro said. "Obviously we've got some more work to do.
"We fell into the trap of wanting to rush the play when we needed to slow it down, and we fell into the trap of slowing it down when we needed to go quick.
"That caused a lot of technical errors, because people weren't in position at the right time."
The best football of the window arguably came in the 1-1 draw with Slovenia. In those glimpses where Winonah Heatley, Carpenter and Charli Grant, Amy Sayer and Holly McNamara were passing and moving, quick and instinctive, there was a vision of what could be.
But these things take time. And time is not a luxury Montemurro or the Matildas have.
The new coach's deep-seated belief in the playing style should be commended; there's no point trying to sell something that you don't even believe in when it comes to international football. But are the Matildas capable of playing possession-based football? Do they have the technical ability to hold the ball no matter the situation?
Fans ask these questions because historically, this is not a style the Matildas play. It's not associated with Australian football. Is it stubborn delusion or a dream not yet realised that those in green-and-gold could play this way? Is there room for variation and adaptability?
Time will tell. The glimpses were promising, but the clock is ticking.
It all comes back to the Asian Cup
The problem is glimpses won't necessarily fly next window because -- and you all know the line -- the start of the Asian Cup is so very close.
Montemurro acknowledged the timing post-match: "I've had less time to prepare teams for big tournaments. It is what it is, I can't change it."
While the second part of his answer rings true and once again highlights that the time he has been given to prepare the national team was hampered by the timing of his appointment by Football Australia, the first part does raise some questions.
There's no doubt Montemurro has had to prepare teams for big tournaments. But never like this. Football is football, but the club and national team environments are two very different beasts.
It's easier to prepare for a tournament, even when time is low, when you have access to the players on a weekly basis. Implementing a new system is smoother when it's something that can be worked on daily. But those aren't circumstances under which Montemurro is working.
Similarly, managing player loads, injuries, niggles -- and the added curveball of different seasons starting and ending at different times -- is a different proposition for club vs. country.
Everyone being fit, healthy, and ready to go at the right time and the same time is akin to lightning in a bottle.
There is no doubt Montemurro will make the best of the time he has been given and the final handful of matches in the lead-up to the Asian Cup will be incredibly important. But we're no closer to knowing if Montemurro has been given enough time to get the Matildas in a place to be challenging for, and winning, the home Asian Cup.