The CommBank Pararoos and CommBank ParaMatildas final squads were announced for the 2023 IFCPF Asia- Oceania Championships on Monday morning at the iconic Federation Square in Melbourne.
CommBank Pararoos’ Head Coach, Kai Lammert, has selected a 14-player squad that blends a mix of youth and experience led by Australian football legend and captain, David Barber and veteran forward Ben Roche.
The tournament will see Barber on the precipice of becoming the all-time appearance record holder for any Australian men’s national football team when he takes to the pitch in November. At the other end of the spectrum, Victorian duo Joshua Beekes and Christian Bitsikas will be in line for their first international appearances during the tournament which will be played in their home state.
For their first ever internationals on home soil, CommBank ParaMatildas’ Head Coach, Kelly Stirton, has called on a ten-player squad with an amalgamation of familiar faces from the world number one ranked team’s 2022 IFCPF World Cup silver medal campaign.
Extensive scouting has also seen some new talent enter the ranks with four players in line to make their international tournament debuts, including Paralympian Tasmin Colley.
With the CommBank Pararoos playing in Australia during their 25th year anniversary, Kai Lammert expressed the eagerness of the team to commence their campaign.
“We have prepared really well for the Asian Cup on home soil and I know the players are really looking forward to playing in front of friends and family,” Lammert said. “It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity for these players to have a big tournament on home soil and no doubt they will make the most out of it.”
“We have selected a mixture of young and experienced players. We have some exciting young players who have shown at last year’s World Cup what they are capable of and with an extra year of training and games under their belt, no doubt they are ready for the challenges at the tournament.
“Excitingly we have a very young squad with a lot of speed, great mentality and versatility. You will see an Australian team that wants to play exciting, attacking and successful football and a team that will never give up.”
Following the CommBank Matildas’ successful September tour of Japan, Kelly Stirton believes the team is well placed ahead of an exciting home tournament.
“This has been what we have been preparing for since the World Cup last year and the players and staff cannot wait to showcase the progress and development made in that 18 months,” Stirton said.
“Nothing can ever beat a tournament on home soil and off the success of the FIFA Women’s World Cup, the CommBank ParaMatildas will be able to show Australia that the football journey continues.
“We have a very quick and dynamic team with players possessing the flexibility to play in several different positions. Each player we have chosen has unique qualities and weapons which makes us very dangerous to the other countries. Not one player is the same as the next.
“We have two very dynamic goalkeepers who are able to read the play very well. We have very fast players on the wings and up front and a very solid back line that is hard to break through. I am excited to be able to show Australia why we have chosen this squad, it’s going to be exciting, attacking minded football,” Stirton concluded.
The Opening Day of match action on Saturday, 4 November at the “Home of the Matildas” located at Bundoora in Melbourne, will see the CommBank ParaMatildas taking on Japan at 3.00pm AEDT and the CommBank Pararoos coming up against Thailand at 5.15pm AEDT.
Tickets for the 2023 IFCPF Asia-Oceania Championships are now on sale via Ticketek with ticket prices starting at $10 for Children (aged 4 – 18), $15 for Concession, $20 for Adults, and $50 for a Family.
All the latest information on the tournament is available at Football Australia.
COMMBANK PARAROOS | FINAL SQUAD
# | NAME | POSITION | CAPS (GOALS) | CLASSIFICATION | MEMBER FEDERATION | |
1 | Christian | Tsangas | Goalkeeper | 4 (0) | FT1 | Football Victoria |
2 | Benjamin | Roche | Forward | 59 (30) | FT2 | Football Victoria |
3 | Kaylan | Van Heer | Forward | 2 (0) | FT1 | Football Victoria |
4 | Alessandro | La Verghetta | Defender | 12 (2) | FT2 | Football West |
5 | Daniel | Campbell | Midfielder | 21 (7) | FT3 | Football NSW |
6 | Joshua | Beekes | Forward | 0 (0) | FT3 | Football Victoria |
7 | David | Barber | Goalkeeper/Defender | 106 (70) | FT2 | Football Queensland |
8 | Christian | Bitsikas | Forward | 0 (0) | FT2 | Football Victoria |
9 | Luc | Launder | Forward | 1 (0) | FT2 | Capital Football |
10 | Connor | Bunce | Forward | 15 (7) | FT2 | Football West |
11 | Jeremy | Boyce | Defender | 6 (0) | FT2 | Football NSW |
12 | Benjamin | Sutton | Forward | 9 (0) | FT1 | Football NSW |
13 | Taj | Lynch | Midfielder | 20 (1) | FT2 | Football NSW |
14 | Augustine | Murphy | Midfielder | 15 (1) | FT2 | Football NSW |
COMMBANK PARAMATILDAS | FINAL SQUAD
# | NAME | POSITION | CAPS (GOALS) | CLASSIFICATION | MEMBER FEDERATION | |
1 | Carly | Salmon | Goalkeeper/Midfielder | 3 (1) | NEW | Capital Football |
2 | Nicole | Christodoulou | Forward | 6 (5) | FT2 | Football NSW |
3 | Tahlia | Blanshard | Defender | 8 (2) | FT1 | Football NSW |
4 | Karina | Grigorian | Midfielder | 3 (1) | NEW | Football NSW |
5 | Tamsin | Colley | Defender | 0 (0) | NEW | Football NSW |
6 | Katelyn | Smith | Goalkeeper/Midfielder | 8 (3) | FT2 | Football West |
7 | Eloise | Northam | Midfielder | 8 (7) | FT3 | Football NSW |
8 | Annmarie | de Uriarte | Forward | 3 (7) | NEW | Football NSW |
9 | Rae | Anderson | Defender | 5 (0) | FT1 | Northern NSW Football |
10 | Georgia | Beikoff | Midfielder | 8 (17) | FT2 | Football NSW |
