This wasn’t the sort of homecoming the Matildas had envisaged. They have been in exile for nearly two years, scattered at clubs across Europe, patiently waiting for Australia’s international borders to open so they can reunite with family and friends.

Now they’re finally home, but not exactly free: under the strict terms of the bio-secure bubble approved by the NSW government for their two-match series against Brazil, they’re somewhere between prisoners and zoo animals. They can train freely, but at other times they have to wear tracking wristbands which flash red when players get within 1.5 metres of one another. After they play, they will be forbidden from signing autographs or taking photos with fans.

There are pros and cons to this sort of draconian arrangement, especially at the moment. Lisa De Vanna’s allegations of a toxic culture at all levels of the women’s game have engulfed the sport and besmirched the Matildas’ blue-chip brand. Many players would love nothing more than a hug from mum or dad right now, but they’ll have to settle for seeing them from a distance - if they’re even in NSW at all.

But the benefits are obvious: the team has been almost entirely shielded from the glare of the media this week. All press duties have been conducted remotely, and there haven’t been many of them - just a handful of interviews with selected outlets, but no all-ins. Coach Tony Gustavsson finally fronted a proper press conference on Friday, but with no player by his side. “We need to face this head-on,” he said.

When they run out for their first clash against Brazil, the Matildas will do so under a heavy cloud of innuendo. Putting aside De Vanna’s personal experiences from the 2001 Young Matildas, neither she nor anyone else has levelled any specific allegations in public at any current players - yet many observers have lashed them on social media, having already decided they are guilty. Of what, exactly, is still unclear.

Sport Integrity Australia will soon begin wading through the many claims and rumours that have since emerged from football’s Pandora’s box. Details of SIA’s independent investigation were finally released on Friday afternoon, and it sounds extremely thorough: between November 1 and January 31, SIA will receive and handle complaints relating to abuse, bullying, child abuse, child grooming, endangering the safety of a child, harassment, sexual misconduct, unlawful discrimination, victimisation, and vilification at the elite levels of Australian football, both male and female. Any disputes that arise will be heard by the National Sports Tribunal.

For those found to have committed wrongdoing, there will be no escape. Until then, it is worth remembering the Matildas themselves are innocent, and deserve to be treated as such.

There are serious problems on the field, too. The pressure is mounting on Gustavsson, who is in Australia for the first time since taking on the job and desperately needs a win to boost confidence after last month’s friendly defeat to Ireland. His record so far is woeful, although he did bring them closer to an Olympic medal than anyone before him.