Jillaroos team named for first 2020 internationals

Article via Hockey Australia

A 20-player Jillaroos team (Australia’s Junior Women’s Hockey Team) has been announced for four matches against Japan’s Junior Women’s Team to be played in Canberra in late February.

Jillaroos Head Coach Tim White has introduced seven new faces to the team that competed in the home tri series against New Zealand and India back in December.

The new additions include Isabella Colasurdo, Western Australian duo Annie Gibbs and Renee Rockliff, Amy Hammond, Ruby Harris, Grace Young and Casey Dolkens, who joins her sister Dayle in the team.

White says the matches against Japan provides a great opportunity and valuable experience on the international stage, particularly the seven players who were not part of the tri series.

“The main reason around introducing some new players is to give them some exposure at international level,” said White.

“Being the national junior squad, we look to give opportunities to a wide range of athletes, importantly making sure that they deserve the opportunity first and foremost.

“Given that we’ve just come off the tri series late last year, a number of those athletes have been selected again and we have chosen some others to give them a chance and be able to have a look at them at this level.”

A full 27-player Jillaroos squad will assemble at the Australian Institute of Sport on 16 February for a four day training camp before the selected team of 20 stays on for the four international matches to be played on 22/23/25/26 February at the ACT Hockey Centre.

“All of the athletes had programs over the break they were completing which were driven by their state institutes and we were continuing to monitor them over that time,” said White.

“Now they are all in full preparation for the camp. It’s going to be a demanding schedule so we’re looking forward to the series. “

White was encouraged by the development of the group during last December’s tri series and believes there were a host of positive signs as players continue to develop and aspire to become future Hockeyroos.

“Having not had the group together for some time (prior to the tri series), we were able to establish some good structures and identify the Jillaroos’ way of play,” said White.

“Heading into this series, it will be a matter of fine tuning that. The athletes that were part of the tri series will have that knowledge and then we will up skill the new group so we can build on what we were able to do at the tri series.

“Every time we get the players together, we see the benefit of playing matches at international level and the development of individual athletes.

“It’s a matter of making sure that whenever we get an opportunity, we give this group more exposure because there were some really encouraging performances during the tri series and we are looking forward to identifying more athletes of potential during the matches against Japan.”

Jillaroos Team (Australia’s Junior Women’s Hockey Team) for Japan internationals

Training Camp Details
17-20 February 2020
ACT Hockey Centre, Canberra ACT

Jillaroos v Japan Junior Women’s Team – Match Details
Saturday 22 February (6pm AEDT)
Sunday 23 February (6pm AEDT)
Tuesday 25 February (6pm AEDT)
Wednesday 26 February (10.30am AEDT)