Slattery Selected to Make Hockeyroos Debut
WAIS hockey athlete Kathryn Slattery has been selected to make her Hockeyroos debut at the Champions Trophy being held in Argentina later this month.
Slattery’s impressive form with the WA Diamonds in the recent Australian Hockey League earned her a spot in the 18-member Hockeyroos squad that will travel to Mendoza, Argentina for the Champions Trophy tournament from November 29 – December 7.
Wagin born Ashleigh Nelson will also form part of the Australian squad, whilst a third WAIS athlete – Kate Denning – has been selected to travel to New Zealand with the Hockeyroos’ Champions Trophy squad for the three test warm-up series in Wellington from November 15-18.
Hockeyroos Coach Adam Commens named 11 of his Commonwealth Games gold medal-winning side whilst handing debuts to four new faces. In all, every state and territory of Australia is represented.
Previously uncapped Georgina Morgan (New South Wales), Kathryn Slattery (Western Australia), Audrey Smith (Queensland) and Amelia Spence (Tasmania) will make their first senior appearances for Australia in the Hockeyroos’ warm-up series against New Zealand in Wellington next week.
Slattery, Smith and Spence will remain part of the squad that will compete at the Champions Trophy in Mendoza, Argentina.
While several senior athletes are given an extended period of rest, the Hockeyroos welcome back the vastly experienced Teneal Attard, the 189-times capped midfielder from Mackay, who missed out on the World Cup and Commonwealth Games campaigns through a leg injury.
Western Australian Kate Denning, who has made one previous appearance for Australia, back in 2009, is the daughter of former Hockeyroo Elspeth, who won an Olympic gold medal in Seoul in 1988.
Due to commitments with their clubs in the Dutch Hoofdklasse league, World Cup and Commonwealth Games winners Anna Flanagan and Casey Sablowski (née Eastham) will join up with the team at the Champions Trophy and will not take part in the New Zealand series. Kate Denning and Georgina Morgan will take their places in Wellington but will not travel to the Champions Trophy.
The first Test against New Zealand will likely see forward Emily Smith reach a century of appearances for Australia with the 22 year old celebrating 99 matches in the green and gold in August’s Commonwealth Games final. After initially being rested for the Champions Trophy campaign, Ashleigh Nelson is recalled in place of the injured Jane Claxton.
National Coach Adam Commens said, “This is a team of athletes that have performed well in our daily training environment over the past month and have earned their places on the back of good performances in the Australian Hockey League (AHL).
“It’s important that we include new talent. We have previously identified the need to expand the pool of talent available to us as we look ahead to the Rio Olympic Games in 2016. The selection of the likes of Kate Denning, Rebecca Dwyer, Georgie Morgan, Kathryn Slattery, Audrey Smith and Amelia Spence gives those athletes the chance to be exposed to top quality international opposition.
“Georgie Morgan has been influential at the last two AHLs and Bec Dwyer has performed well in the development squad over the past couple of years. Kate Denning’s inclusion is deserved as she has performed well in our development squad this year having previously played at the 2009 Junior World Cup.”
Speaking on the inclusion of 11 members of the Hockeyroos’ World Cup silver medal-winning team and 11 of its Commonwealth Games winners, Commens added, “It’s important to be sure we are still competitive at the Champions Trophy, hence the inclusion of the majority of our World Cup and Commonwealth Games squads.”
The Hockeyroos will face New Zealand Black Sticks in three Tests in Wellington next week, on 15, 16 and 18 November, prior to departure for the Champions Trophy, which begins in Mendoza on 29 November. There, Australia’s women will face Commonwealth Games silver medallists England, defending champions and hosts Argentina, and Germany in the opening rounds.
-HockeyAus
