Burras and Jillaroos squads narrowed down

Australian hockey’s Junior (Under 21) Men’s and Women’s squads have been selected following the successful Domestic Series on the Gold Coast.

Burras (Australian Junior Men’s) Coach Jay Stacy announced a squad of 27 athletes that comprises a representative from every state and territory.

Jillaroos (Australian Junior Women’s) Head Coach Stacia Strain named 21 athletes, with selection also taking into account national Hockeyroos trials earlier this year.

“I am grateful to Hockey Australia for putting together the Domestic Series,” said Strain.

“It was an incredible opportunity for both coaches and athletes alike to come back together in a High Performance environment after so long due to the disruptions of COVID.”

“It has enabled us to set a strong foundation technically, tactically, and most importantly culturally to launch our program through to the Junior World Cup in 2023.”

Of the 21 Jillaroos athletes selected, Liv Downes, Sarah Byrnes, Jesse Reid, Emma Debroughe and Morgan Mathison are 22 years of age.

“These five athletes showed promise throughout the Domestic Series and we are keen to see how they progress throughout 2022 and assess their performances during the Sultana Bran Hockey One season later in the year,” said Strain.

The Jillaroos squad selected also has an eye to the Junior World Cup in December 2023.

Nine players are eligible for that tournament plus current Hockeyroos duo Claire Colwill and Amy Lawton.

“There is a huge amount of depth in the Under 21s Women’s Program which is evident by 10 National Junior Squad age eligible athletes additionally being named in the Hockeyroos or National Development Squad,” said Strain.

For the Burras squad, Stacy said selection was extremely difficult to narrow down considering the number of talented players that took part in the Domestic Series.

“There was a lot riding on the Domestic Series so players were a bit tense early on,” said Stacy.

“The series improved as it went…we saw some players who were able to play in good structures with great tactical knowledge and technical skills. There is some really good potential to work with.”

“There were also some players who missed out in the younger age bracket who are coming through the Futures (Under 18) pathway. We see terrific potential in those athletes and look forward to them taking on feedback from the camp and working on the areas they need to as they prepare for the Australian Under 21 Championships.”

Stacy and Strain also commended the National Athlete Pathways Program coaches across the country who have been integral to all athletes’ development and progress, particularly with the limited national training camps and competition due to COVID.

The Jillaroos and Burras squads will be reselected after the Australian Under 21 Championships in Perth from 20-27 July 2022.

The national championships will allow the selection panel to assess athletes currently in the squad and those who missed out this time around.

Both squads were narrowed down from over 40 athletes in September 2021.

Australian Junior Women’s (Jillaroos) Squad
Name (State)
Makayla Jones (NSW)
Alana Kavanagh (NSW)
Dayle Dolkens (QLD)
Kendra Fitzpatrick (QLD)
Ruby Harris (QLD)
Kyra Livermore (QLD)
Morgan Mathison (QLD)
Jesse Reid (QLD)
Jade Smith (QLD)
Laney Smith (QLD)
Emma DeBroughe (SA)
Maddie Brooks (TAS)
Evie Dalton (TAS)
Liv Downes (VIC)
Emily Hamilton-Smith (VIC)
Josie Lawton (VIC)
Bridget Laurence (VIC)
Evie Stansby (VIC)
Ciara Utri (VIC)
Sarah Byrnes (WA)
Belle Ramshaw (WA)

Australian Junior Men’s (Burras) Squad
Name (State/Territory)
Davis Atkin (ACT)
Jay Macdonald (ACT)
Toby Mallon (NSW)
Miles Davis (NSW)
Nathan Czinner (NSW)
Samuel Wright-Smith (NSW)
Ryan Oschadleus (NSW)
Zach Rakkas (NT)
Liam Hart (QLD)
Michael Doan (QLD)
Luke Randle (QLD)
David Hubbard (QLD)
Jayden Atkinson (QLD)
Will Mathison (QLD)
Jack Holland (SA)
Josh Brooks (TAS)
Trent Symss (VIC)
Liam Henderson (VIC)
Sam Lowndes (VIC)
Connor Holland (VIC)
Connar Otterbach (VIC)
Jed Snowden (VIC)
Cooper Burns (VIC)
Brodee Foster (WA)
Cambell Geddes (WA)
Hamish Adamson (WA)
Oliver Higgins (WA)