To improve her physicality and chances of returning to the national team, United's W-League championship-winning skipper is spending the off-season taking on the opposite sex in Albury's first-grade men's competition.

The 23-year-old – who made her solitary appearance for the Matildas in 2009 - is determined to hold her own against stronger opponents, a stance which has not pleased everyone.

"There's quite a bit of banter," Brush said.

"A lot of the guys don't like being beaten by a girl, so I've had to have a go a few times.

"The boys on my team [Boomers FC] are really good, they've sort of chested up a few times and stood up for me.

"It's a good, fiery culture and very competitive."

Brush was part of a five-strong United contingent involved in an emerging Matildas camp which finished yesterday at the Australian Institute of Sport.

Defenders Caitlin Cooper and Nicole Sykes, midfielder Jennifer Bisset and speedy striker Georgia Yeoman-Dale were also included in a 35-strong squad chosen specifically to build depth for the 2014 Asian Cup and 2015 women's World Cup.

Australia's women's team is in a rebuilding phase after it failed to qualify for the 2012 London Olympics.

Brush described Albury's competition as equal with the W-League in terms of skill but tougher physically.

"You've got to use your body and muscle up," she said.

"The girls' skills would definitely be on par if not better than the boys, just the physical capabilities of the grown men sometimes show up against the women.

"Those are the sort of areas I'm looking to work on."

Brush was in the mix for the Matildas' unsuccessful Olympic qualifying campaign.

She used the disappointment of missing out as motivation to help deliver United its maiden W-League championship in January.

"I was really upset at the time not making the final team," she said.

"It was a matter of playing a good W-League [season] last season and trying to get picked in the camps.

"I'm doing my best to get on top of the game and staying there."

Matildas coach Tom Sermanni believed Brush's game would only improve by playing in a men's competition.

"A player of Ellie's calibre isn't going to benefit from playing women's football in the country league," Sermanni said.

"I don't mean that as any disrespect to the country league, but simply the tempo of the football isn't of a sufficient standard to give her a real training and playing effect.

"It's important that she plays in men's football down there."