A team full of promising youngsters and previously called-up internationals will represent Australia at the tournament for ASEAN member nationals. Impetus hears from Mel Andreatta who will the head coach of a strong-looking team (10/6/22).
Above: Charli Grant, one of the players selected for the preliminary Matildas squad for the AFF Championships with a full Australia cap. Photo supplied to Impetus by: Charli Grant.
An Australian representative team will travel to the Philippines for the 2022 AFF Women’s Championship to run from 4th–17th July 2022.
It will be Australia’s sixth appearance at the biennial competition to see who will be crowned champions of the ASEAN region. Following the official draw, Australia will face the hosts Philippines, and other group members, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand in Group A.
The tournament, which is open to the ASEAN members of the AFC – Australia, Brunei, Cambodia, East Timor, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam, will be the 12th staging of the women’s event. Australia have previously won the competition in 2008 and finished runners-up in 2013 and 2018. The Matildas were semi-finalists additionally in 2015 and 2016.
Australia’s group action will commence on 4 July with matches scheduled every two days until the final group fixture on 12 July. The top two teams from each group will progress to the knockout phase and a chance at the AFF Women’s Championship.
Matildas Assistant Coach, Melissa Andreatta, has been appointed as head coach for the Australian representative team with Leah Blayney named as her Assistant Coach.
With several 2023 World Cup-bound nations participating, Andreatta is eagerly anticipating the prospect of providing the next generation of players exposure and growth experiences in a competitive environment and match conditions.
“We have some exciting promising talent across our player pool and since the resumption of international football in 2022, we have been working extremely hard to ensure that they are given every opportunity to grow and develop as players that will represent Australia prominently over the coming years,” Andreatta said.
“The AFF Women’s Championships is a tournament with great history that will provide the next generation of player Australian footballers with strong learnings as they embark on their next phase of personal and professional development. More competitive match minutes at the highest available intensity will only be beneficial for the national team in the long term.
“Playing in match conditions allows us to work with the group closely and continue integrating them into the style of play that will give them the best foundations to challenge for a position on the roster for next year’s World Cup.”
A little over a month out from the commencement of the tournament, Andreatta has selected a preliminary 35-player squad. With a host of football action to be undertaken over the coming weeks, the squad will be whittled down over the coming weeks.
AUSTRALIA PRELIMINARY 35-PLAYER SQUAD | 4-17 JULY 2022
| NAME | POSITION | CLUB / MEMBER FEDERATION |
| Alexia APOSTOLAKIS | Defender | Football NSW Institute / Football NSW |
| Chelsea BLISSETT | Defender | Lions FC on loan from Melbourne City FC / Football Victoria |
| Naomi CHINNAMA | Defender | Blacktown Spartans / Football Victoria |
| Larissa CRUMMER | Forward | Capalaba FC / Football QLD |
| Chelsea DAWBER | Forward | Chicago Red Stars / Football South Australia |
| Leah DAVIDSON | Midfielder | APIA Leichhardt / Football QLD |
| Kirsty FENTON | Defender | NWS Spirit FC / NNSW Football |
| Holly FURPHY | Forward | Santa Clara University / Football Victoria |
| Jacynta GALABADAARACHCHI | Forward | Celtic FC / Football Victoria |
| Daniela GALIC | Midfielder | Football NSW Institute / Football NSW |
| Sheridan GALLAGHER | Forward | Illawarra Stingrays / Football NSW |
| Katie GODDEN | Forward | DePaul University / Windlesham United |
| Charlotte GRANT | Defender | FC Rosengard / Football South Australia |
| Annalee GROVE | Goalkeeper | West Adelaide SC / NNSW Football |
| Mackenzie HAWKESBY | Midfielder | Sydney FC / Football NSW |
| Winonah HEATLEY | Defender | Sydney Olympic / Football QLD |
| Bryleeh HENRY | Forward | Blacktown Spartans / Football NSW |
| Sarah HUNTER | Midfielder | APIA Leichhardt / Football NSW |
| Sally JAMES | Goalkeeper | Blacktown Spartans / Capital Football |
| Princess IBINI-ISEI | Forward | APIA Leichhardt / Football NSW |
| Abbey LEMON | Forward | Blacktown Spartans / Football NSW |
| Chloe LINCOLN | Goalkeeper | Canberra United Academy / Capital Football |
| Rachel LOWE | Forward | Sydney University FC / Football NSW |
| Hana LOWRY | Midfielder | Blacktown Spartans / Football West |
| Matilda McNAMARA | Defender | Adelaide City FC / Football South Australia |
| Jessika NASH | Defender | Blacktown Spartans / Football NSW |
| Jamilla RANKIN | Defender | Blacktown Spartans / NNSW Football |
| Taylor RAY | Midfielder | Sydney Olympic / Football NSW |
| Cushla RUE | Defender | Sydney University FC / Football NSW |
| Charlize RULE | Defender | Sydney Olympic / Football NSW |
| Amy SAYER | Midfielder | Stanford University / Football NSW |
| Ella TONKIN | Defender | Northern Tigers / Football SA |
| Cortnee VINE | Forward | Sydney Olympic / Football QLD |
| Jada WHYMAN | Goalkeeper | Sydney Olympic / Football NSW |
| Paige ZOIS | Midfielder | Bulleen Lions / Football Victoria |
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