Three Queenslanders will travel to the Pacific for a three match, three nation tour with the Westfield Junior Matildas next week.
Brisbane Roar FC/Queensland Academy of Sport’s Charlotte Farmer, Georgia Beaumont and Jamilla Rankin will depart on Monday, 5 August and visit Tonga, Vanuatu and the Solomon Islands with the Junior Matildas to play a match against each country’s under 19 women’s national team.
Football Queensland (FQ) Women & Girls Development Officer Kerry Hammersley will also accompany the Junior Matildas as part of an expanded travelling party.
Westfield Junior Matildas Head Coach Rae Dower spent the last few weeks at the National Youth Championships and the NTC Challenge competitions seeing players from across the country in action prior to naming the 23-player squad this week.
“I’m delighted to announce the Junior Matildas’ squad for the upcoming Pacific Step-Up tour to Tonga, Vanuatu, and Solomon Islands,” Dower said.
“This tour will provide the squad with valuable training and match conditions against opponents who play a different style of football, and will expose our players to a variety of environmental and football challenges that they will need to overcome.”
The visit will mark the first to the Pacific by an Australian national football team since the Caltex Socceroos in 2005, and will be delivered in partnership with the Tonga Football Association, Vanuatu Football Federation and Solomon Islands Football Federation.
The extended travelling party joining the Westfield Matildas, including FQ’s Kerry Hammersley, will conduct a variety of coaching and refereeing workshops and skills clinics while visiting the three countries on the tour.
“The additional social and cultural benefits for the players and staff on a unique tour opportunity like this will help to build relationships with Australia and the South Pacific region,” Dower said.
“I am confident that they will be fabulous ambassadors for the FFA and for Australia, and that football will once again prove to be the game that brings the whole world together.”
The Pacific tour will act as preparation for the 2019 AFC U-16 Women’s Championship to be held in Thailand in September.
The Westfield Junior Matildas squad will travel to Sydney on Friday, 2 August for camp before departing for Tonga next Monday, 5 August.
Westfield Junior Matildas 23-Player Squad | 2019 Pacific Step-Up Tour
| NAME | CLUB/PROGRAM, STATE |
| Emma ILIJOSKI | Gungahlin FC, ACT |
| Mia McGOVERN | Canberra United Academy, ACT |
| Jessika NASH | FNSW Institute, NSW |
| Darcey MALONE | FNSW Institute, NSW |
| Bryleeh HENRY | FNSW Institute, NSW |
| Charlize RULE | FNSW Institute, NSW |
| Jordan JASNOS | FNSW Institute, NSW |
| Chloe CARMICHAEL (GK) | Marconi FC, NSW |
| Charlotte FARMER | Brisbane Roar FC/Queensland Academy of Sport, QLD |
| Georgia BEAUMONT | Brisbane Roar FC/Queensland Academy of Sport, QLD |
| Jamilla RANKIN | Brisbane Roar FC/Queensland Academy of Sport, QLD |
| Alana MURPHY | Football Victoria NTC, VIC |
| Grace TARANTO | Football Victoria NTC, VIC |
| Paige ZOIS | Football Victoria NTC, VIC |
| Alana JANCEVSKI | Football Victoria NTC, VIC |
| Claudia MIHOCIC | Football Victoria NTC, VIC |
| Tijan MCKENNA | Football West NTC, WA |
| Taneesha BAKER | Football West NTC, WA |
| Miranda TEMPLEMAN (GK) | Football West NTC, WA |
| Hana LOWRY | Football West NTC, WA |
| Ruby JONES (GK) | Newcastle Jets Academy, NSW |
| Kirsty FENTON | Newcastle Jets Academy, NSW |
| Josie MORLEY | Newcastle Jets Academy, NSW |
Tonga U-19 Women’s National Team v Westfield Junior Matildas
Date: Thursday, 8 August 2019
Kick-Off: 1:00pm (local); 4.00pm (AEST)
Venue: Tonga Football Academy, Nuku’alofa, Tonga
Vanuatu U-19 Women’s National Team v Westfield Junior Matildas
Date: Monday, 12 August 2019
Kick-Off: Details to be finalised
Venue: Details to be finalised
Solomon Islands U-19 Women’s National Team v Westfield Junior Matildas
Date: Thursday, 15 August 2019
Kick-Off: 4:00pm (local); 5:00pm (AEST)
Venue: Lawson Tama Stadium, Honiara, Solomon Islands
