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| Dummies Guide to the Women's World Cup: Chapter Two |
DOB:
13/05/1988
Position: Goalkeeper
Club: Washington
Spirit
Caps (goals): 40 (0)
Williams
started her W-League career in 2008 when she signed for Canberra United. In between injuries, championship seasons and establishing herself as Australia's number one goalkeeper, Williams has jetted across the world to play, most recently with Washington Spirit.
2. LARISSA CRUMMER
DOB: 10/01/1996
Position: Forward
Club: Brisbane
Roar
Caps (goals): 4 (1)
Crummer is one of the country’s most
prominent young guns. The talented forward was selected in the U19 Schoolgirls squad in 2011 when she was just 14 years of age. Since then, Crummer has become a W-League regular and will be one to watch in Canada.
3. ASHLEIGH SYKES
DOB: 15/12/1991
Position: Midfielder
Club: Canberra
United
Caps (goals): 12 (4)
With plenty of pace in her arsenal, Sykes is a weapon in the
centre of the park. She started her national career with the Young Matildas and
has since worked her way into the top squad. Sykes is one of the only foundation players left at Canberra United along with her twin sister Nicole.
4. CLARE POLKINGHORNE
DOB: 1/02/1989
Position: Defender
Club: Brisbane
Roar
Caps (goals): 78 (5)
Former TFS Columnist
Former TFS Columnist
Equally at home in midfield or in the back line, Co-Captain faPolkinghorne started her international career in 2006 and
quickly became a Matildas veteran. She has two W-League championship wins to
her name with Brisbane Roar and has since done a stint in Japan with INAC Kobe Leonessa.
5. LAURA ALLEWAY
DOB: 28/11/1989
Position: Defender
Club: Brisbane
Roar
Caps (goals): 30 (1)
Alleway plays alongside Polkinghorne at Brisbane Roar but
didn’t make her Matildas debut until 2010. She signed for English club Lincoln Ladies in 2012 but visa problems had her back on Australian shores before she knew it.
6. SERVET UZUNLAR
DOB: 8/03/1989
Position: Defender
Club: Sydney
FC
Caps (goals): 45 (2)
Uzunlar has a W-League premiership and championship to her
name. She was part of the Matildas squad who won the Asian Cup in 2010 and
the 26 year old brings plenty of knowledge to the side.
7. STEPH CATLEY
DOB: 26/01/1994
Position: Defender
Club: Melbourne
Victory/Portland Thorns
Caps (goals): 32 (1)
Former TFS Columnist
Former TFS Columnist
Always identified as a talent for the future, Catley is starting to deliver in spades. Already a championship-winning captain with Melbourne Victory in 2013/14, the over-lapping defender made her senior debut at 15 years of ages and is a hero in Portland when she stars for their NWSL team, the Thorns.
8. ELISE KELLOND-KNIGHT
DOB: 10/08/1990
Position: Defender
Club: Brisbane
Roar
Caps (goals): 55 (1)
Elise was a part of Brisbane Roar’s championship winning
side in 2009. The same year, she took out the Young Player of the Year Award
alongside Canberra United’s Ellyse Perry. After a cracking performance at the
2011 World Cup, she made FIFA’s All Star Team and has been her usual barnstorming self since.
9. CAITLIN FOORD
DOB: 11/11/1994
Position: Forward
Club: Perth
Glory
Caps (goals): 28
(3)
Winning
a premiership in your first season of professional football is not a bad
achievement. That’s what Foord did in 2011 with Sydney FC. That same year she
earned a spot in the Matildas squad and became the youngest ever Australian to
play at a World Cup at just 16 years and 230 days old. Her exciting performances earnt her the Young Player of the Tournament award.
10. EMILY VAN EGMOND
DOB: 12/07/1993
Position: Midfielder
Club: Newcastle
Jets
Caps (goals): 39 (10)
van Egmond has done the rounds in the W-League. She’s played
for Newcastle Jets, Canberra United and Western Sydney Wanderers. The
daughter of former Newcastle Jets coach Gary van Egmond, Emily is now back playing
in her home town and recently won the Julie Dolan Medal for best player in the league,
11. LISA DE VANNA
DOB: 14/11/1984
Position: Forward
Club: Melbourne
Victory
Caps (goals): 97 (33)
Co-Captain and one of the more famous names in the
Matildas side, 30 year old De Vanna has been scoring cracking goals for the
country since 2004. She was named Female Footballer of the Year in 2013 at the
Australian football awards and nominated for FIFA's Puskas Award due to their effort for Sky Blue FC.
12. LEENA KHAMIS
DOB: 19/06/1986
Position: Forward
Club: Sydney
FC
Caps (goals): 23 (5)
Khamis made her international debut for
the Young Matildas in 2004. The forward competed in the FIFA U19 World Championships
in Thailand but was denied her first senior cap until 2008. She opened
Australia’s scoring at the AFC Women’s World Cup in 2010 and at one stage was the highest goal scorer in W-League history. A huge aerial threat.
13. TAMEKA BUTT
DOB: 16/06/1991
Position: Midfielder
Club: Brisbane
Roar
Caps (goals): 45 (6)
Butt’s been with Brisbane Roar since 2008 but in recent
years has spent the W-League off-season playing all over the world. In 2012 she
was with Boston Breakers before giving FFC Frankfurt a try in 2013. Last year
she was on loan from Brisbane to Iga F.C. Kunoichi. Tameka’s
been a Matilda since 2007.
14. ALANNA KENNEDY
DOB: 21/01/1995
Position: Midfielder
Club: Perth
Glory
Caps (goals): 27 (0)
Kennedy made her debut for the Matildas in 2012 against New
Zealand. She was playing for Newcastle Jets at the time and since then has been
at Sydney FC and Western Sydney Wanderers. Alanna joined Perth Glory in 2014 where she won TFS Defender of the Year.
15. TERESA POLIAS
DOB: 16/05/1990
Position: Midfielder
Club: Sydney
FC
Caps (goals): 8 (0)
Polias made her W-League debut in 2008
for the impressive Central Coast Mariners before moving to Sydney FC when the team folded. In 2012 she was named the Sky Blue's player of the year and also played every minute of
every match in 2013 when they won the championship. On top of football,
Teresa works full time as a primary school teacher.
16. HAYLEY RASO
DOB: 5/09/1994
Position: Midfielder
Club: Brisbane
Roar
Caps (goals): 12 (1)
Hayley Raso burst onto the scene with Canberra United, playing a big part in the tail end of their undefeated premiership/championship double-winning season. Seeking consistent game time close to her home town of the Gold Coast, Hayey signed
for Brisbane Roar in August 2013 where she has been terrorising defences with her pace and delighting audiences with her trademark hair ribbons ever since.
17. KYAH SIMON
DOB: 25/06/1991
Position: Forward
Club: Sydney
FC
Caps (goals): 49 (10)
A genuine superstar. Simon made her international debut in
2007 at just 16 years of age to became the first Indigenous
Australian to score for the Matildas. Kyah also holds the title of first
Indigenous Australian [male or female] to score at a World Cup after scoring
both goals in a 2-1 win over Norway to make the quarter finals.
18. MELISSA BARBIERI (GK)
DOB: 20/01/1980
Position: Goalkeeper
Club: Adelaide
United
Caps (goals): 84 (0)
She was our captain in 2010 and led the
Matildas to Asian Cup success. Now the oldest member of the side Barbieri
brings a lot of knowledge with her to the squad. At only 1.68m tall, she was
often questioned as a goalkeeper but time and again proved why she belonged
between the sticks each and every game.
19. KATRINA GORRY
DOB: 13/08/1992
Position: Midfielder
Club: Brisbane
Roar
Caps (goals): 29 (10)
Gorry began her Matildas career in July 2012 when she came
on as a substitute against Japan. 2014 was the biggest year to date for the
Brisbane Road midfielder who went off to play for FC Kansas City in the US. She
won the 2014 Championship with the side as well as picking up the AFC Women’s
Player of the Year in the same season. Possibly the best passer of the ball Australia has ever seen. Won TFS Midfielder of the Year.
20. SAMANTHA KERR
DOB: 10/09/1993
Position: Forward
Club: Perth
Glory
Caps (goals): 36 (5)
Kerr debuted for the Matildas in 2009 against Italy and just a
year later she scored the only goal in the side’s 2010 AFC Asian Cup final
against DPR Korea though she may be most well know for her incredible game-winning goal and back flip celebration in the 2012/13 grand final that made the back pages of papers all across the country. After a stint in the NWSL with Western New York Flash during
the 2013-14 season, Kerr returned to Perth Glory in August last year and won the TFS Young Player of the Year award.
21. MACKENZIE ARNOLD (GK)
DOB: 25/02/1994
Position: Goalkeeper
Club: Perth
Glory
Caps (goals): 6 (0)
At 1.79m tall and 21 years of age,
Arnold will be one to watch in the coming years as she battles for the Matildas
number one. A two time W-League Goalkeeper of the Year, Arnold made her debut with the international side in 2012 while
playing for Canberra United. Since then she’s played with Western Sydney
Wanderers and now Perth Glory.
22. NICOLA BOLGER
DOB: 3/03/1993
Position: Midfielder
Club: Sydney
FC
Caps (goals): 5 (0)
With a premiership and championship under her belt, 22 year
old Bolger is a vital member of the Matildas’ midfield. She’s used to playing under
coach Alan Stajic as part of the Sky Blue squad since 2012. Last season she was
voted by her peers as the Sydney FC players-player of the year.
23. MICHELLE HEYMAN
DOB: 4/07/1988
Position: Forward
Club: Canberra
United
Caps (goals): 33 (11)
Heyman started her W-League career with Sydney FC during the
2008-09 season but after limited playing time she moved north to seek further opportunities with Central Coast Mariners. The move payed dividends with the striker taking out the league's Golden Boot and Player of the Year award. She picked up the Golden Boot again in 2011/12 as her goals helped Canberra to an undefeated double-winning season.
The Football Sack's Dummies Guide to the Women's World Cup
Tune in each day for the next chapter
Chapter One: Matildas World Cup History
Chapter Two: Stars of 2015
Chapter Three: W-League Imports
Chapter Four: Five Moments that Mattered
Chapter Five: The Contenders
Chapter Six: Meet the Matildas
Tune in each day for the next chapter
Chapter One: Matildas World Cup History
Chapter Two: Stars of 2015
Chapter Three: W-League Imports
Chapter Four: Five Moments that Mattered
Chapter Five: The Contenders
Chapter Six: Meet the Matildas