New mum Katrina Gorry returns to Matildas squad for upcoming New Zealand friendly series

It has been 778 days since Katrina Gorry last pulled on the green-and-gold colours of Australia and now she has earned a recall to the Matildas just seven months after giving birth to her first child, Harper.

Gorry's is the only new name in the 23-player squad announced on Tuesday, ahead of Australia's upcoming friendly series against New Zealand, which is set to take place on April 8 in Townsville and April 12 in Canberra.

The diminutive midfielder comes in to replace young Melbourne City forward Holly McNamara, whose breakout A-League Women season came to a tragic end after she tore her ACL in early February.

However, Gorry's name comes as no surprise to those who've watched the 78-cap Matilda's remarkable return to form with Brisbane Roar this season, finishing the campaign as the competition's second-highest assistant while scoring two goals herself.

Indeed, Gorry had been selected for the Matildas' Asian Cup squad in India last month, but she turned it down due to concerns over travelling with her then six-month-old baby.

The 29-year-old midfielder will jet off to Swedish club Vittsjö GIK after the April friendlies as she continues her return to international fitness.

Matildas head coach Tony Gustavsson told media on Tuesday that he would have «loved» to have had Gorry in India.

«She could have been the perfect super-sub in that second half against [South] Korea with her skill-set,» he said.

«She's also proven in this season that she's come back to playing … that she's good enough to be selected for the senior national team, which makes me really happy.

»It's very impressive how professional she's been in terms of coming back to the game that quickly.

«Her unique skill-set is her agility with the ball. She can turn out of