The Junior Matildas' preparations for the AFC 2017 U-16 Women's Championship ramp up this week with Junior Matildas Head Coach Rae Dower naming a 23-player squad for the penultimate training camp ahead of the tournament.
The training camp will take place at the AIS in Canberra from Wednesday 23 August to Friday 25 August, before one final camp the following week, ahead of the tournament in September.
Dower said these final two training camps were integral to choosing a competitive squad.
“We’re almost at the final squad,” she said.
“We’ve got a great mix of players. Some are playing club football while the majority have come from the the identified pathways through the NYC and NTC.
“There’s a good scouting system in place and I’m confident we’ve got the best players here, training against the best, and ready to play against the best in Thailand.
“It’s a credit to the state federations who are helping identify and develop these players.”
The squad for this camp is made up of eight players from Football NSW, four players from both Northern NSW and Capital Football, three each from Football Federation Victoria and Football West, and one from Football Queensland.
After two training camps, Dower said she’s seeing a tangible improvement in the players on the field.
“Their game training is starting to sink in,” she said.
“Not only is this a great generation of players with individual skills, they have a great appreciation of how to play the game at such a young age.”
Dower said every player who’s been involved in the camps so far is doing their all to make the squad.
“It’s an opportunity for the players to represent their country, which we don’t take lightly,” she said.
“They understand the challenge that’s in front of them to make the squad, and the privilege of representing their country.”
Australia begins its AFC 2017 U-16 Women's Championships on Monday 11 September 2017 against Japan in Chonburi, Thailand.
The top three teams in the tournament will qualify for the 2018 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup in Uruguay.
Camp Three - 23-25 August |
|
Member Federation |
Player Name |
Capital Football |
Cecilija Matic |
Capital Football |
Laura Hughes |
Capital Football |
Olivia Riddel - GK |
Capital Football |
Sarah Morgan |
Football Federation Victoria |
Kyra Cooney-Cross |
Football Federation Victoria |
Lia Muldeary |
Football Federation Victoria |
Sofia Sakalis |
Football NSW |
Alyssa Rose |
Football NSW |
Amy Sayer |
Football NSW |
Angelique Hristodoulou |
Football NSW |
Isabel Gomez |
Football NSW |
Jayme Millard |
Football NSW |
Julia Vignes |
Football NSW |
Taylor Ray |
Football NSW |
Tori Tumeth |
Football Queensland |
Indiah-Paige Riley |
Football West |
Abbey Green |
Football West |
Alexia Moreno |
Football West |
Morgan Aquino - GK |
Northern NSW Football |
Annalee Grove - GK |
Northern NSW Football |
Hannah Jones |
Northern NSW Football |
Molly Arens |
Northern NSW Football |
Tessa Tamplin |