Commonwealth Bank Young Matildas head coach Leah Blayney has named a 24 strong squad for the upcoming international against Aotearoa New Zealand in Auckland including Canberra goalkeepers Sally James and Chloe Lincoln.
Australia is set to travel across the Tasman for their first match internationally in almost three years, with the U20 side taking on the Junior Football Ferns on Sunday, 12 June 2022.
The travelling squad includes a combination of established CommBank Young Matildas and exciting fresh faces. Seven new names join the 17 players who featured in April’s international series in Canberra. Meanwhile all 24 players have participated in at least one of the recent training camps undertaken at Blacktown International Sportspark.
Leah Blayney said: “It’s exciting to be naming the squad for the next milestone in our FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup Costa Rica 2022™ journey.”
“As we continue to progress, we are establishing a core that is building an understanding of what it takes to perform and be successful at the highest level. This is being complemented by the introduction of new players to the set-up who have impressed and earned the chance to see how they can add to our team.”
The squad sees seven Member Federations represented from Football NSW, Football Victoria, Northern NSW Football, Capital Football, Football Queensland, Football South Australia, and Football West. With the National Premier Leagues (NPL) Women’s competition currently underway across the nation, 11 clubs will see representation across the squad.
“We have been keeping a close eye on the players’ performances since the commencement of the NPL Women’s season. The scouting of those matches, combined with the recent domestic camps, have provided us with a good understanding of the players chosen. All the girls have worked hard and demonstrated qualities which could be beneficial and, as a result, they made the selection process difficult.”
“Facing New Zealand allows us to continue refining the concepts embedded during the training camps in an overseas match environment. It also allows us to gain an understanding of the squad’s ability to adapt to changing scenarios, particularly with many experiencing international travel for the first time in their careers.”
The CommBank Young Matildas will depart for Aotearoa New Zealand on 8 June 2022.
COMMBANK YOUNG MATILDAS | SQUAD | 8 – 16 JUNE 2022
| NAME | POSITION | CLUB / MEMBER FEDERATION |
| Alexia APOSTOLAKIS | Defender | Football NSW Institute / Football NSW |
| Naomi CHINNAMA | Defender | Blacktown Spartans / Football Victoria |
| Jynaya DOS SANTOS | Forward | Football NSW Institute / Football NSW |
| Kirsty FENTON | Defender | NWS Spirit FC / NNSW Football |
| Holly FURPHY | Forward | Santa Clara University / Football Victoria |
| Daniela GALIC | Midfielder | Football NSW Institute / Football NSW |
| Sheridan GALLAGHER | Forward | Illawarra Stingrays / Football NSW |
| Katie GODDEN | Forward | DePaul University / Windlesham United |
| Annabel HAFFENDEN | Defender | Unattached / Football Queensland |
| Bryleeh HENRY | Forward | Blacktown Spartans / Football NSW |
| Sarah HUNTER | Midfielder | APIA Leichhardt / Football NSW |
| Sally JAMES | Goalkeeper | Blacktown Spartans / Capital Football |
| Caitlin KARIC | Forward | FV Emerging Matildas / Football Victoria |
| Abbey LEMON | Forward | Blacktown Spartans / Football NSW |
| Chloe LINCOLN | Goalkeeper | Canberra United Academy / Capital Football |
| Hana LOWRY | Midfielder | Blacktown Spartans / Football West |
| Alana MURPHY | Midfielder | Blacktown Spartans / Football Victoria |
| Jessika NASH | Defender | Blacktown Spartans / Football NSW |
| Anna NORTON | Goalkeeper | Blacktown Spartans / Football NSW |
| Jamilla RANKIN | Defender | Blacktown Spartans / NNSW Football |
| Cushla RUE | Defender | Sydney University FC / Football NSW |
| Charlize RULE | Defender | Sydney Olympic / Football NSW |
| Ella TONKIN | Defender | Northern Tigers / Football SA |
| Paige ZOIS | Midfielder | Bulleen Lions / Football Victoria |
