Four uncapped players – Grace Kuilamu, Adriana Taranto, Alexia Apostolakis, and Sally James – are among the 14 stars from the Ninja A-League selected by the CommBank Matildas for their upcoming international friendlies against Slovenia and Panama.
This marks the first squad announced by Joe Montemurro since his appointment by Football Australia, featuring an extended 33-player roster headed into matches against Slovenia and Panama in June and July.
Almost half of the squad comprises locally-based talent, with Kuilamu from Brisbane Roar and Taranto from Western United receiving their first call-ups. Melbourne City defender Apostolakis and Canberra United goalkeeper James are also poised for their debuts under the guidance of the two-time Ninja A-League Championship-winning coach.
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Additionally, there is a notable return for the Melbourne Victory’s star player and Julie Dolan Medallist, Alex Chidiac, alongside her A-Leagues teammate Emily Gielnik and Western United’s Chloe Berryhill.
Jessika Nash, the Ninja A-League champion from Central Coast Mariners, has also received a call-up.
The Matildas’ contingent from the Ninja A-League comprises 14 players representing seven clubs:
Brisbane Roar: Grace Kuilamu, Chloe Lincoln
Canberra United: Michelle Heyman, Sally James
Central Coast Mariners: Jessika Nash
Melbourne City: Alexia Apostolakis, Bryleeh Henry, Holy McNamara
Melbourne Victory: Alex Chidiac, Emily Gielnik, Alana Murphy
Newcastle Jets: Tash Prior
Western United: Chloe Berryhill, Adriana Taranto
Speaking on the squad selection, Montemurro said, “This is an incredibly exciting time, not only for me but for the foundational work we can achieve in this window. I feel privileged to be stepping into camp for the first time, and I’m eager to connect with the players, staff, and the broader football community.
“This window is about creating a strong foundation. We’re setting the stage for the next phase of our journey as we build relationships, develop an understanding of our style of play, and enhance the high-performance environment that enables our players to excel.”
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Montemurro further commented, “We aim to utilise this window not just for match preparation, but to thoroughly investigate the emerging talent in the game.
“It’s a unique opportunity to work with an expanded squad, offering players their first or renewed experience within this environment and evaluating our current standing as a group. I’m keen to get started.”
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“This squad showcases a blend of experience and potential, and we’ll leverage this window to connect, experiment, and advance with determined intent,” continued Montemurro. “The fixtures against Slovenia and Panama have been strategically planned to provide the appropriate mix of conditions and competition as we embark on this new phase. With the variety of players in this expanded squad, these games will help us explore tactical concepts, enhance team cohesion, and gradually define the style of play we wish to adopt moving forward.”
Match Schedule
CommBank Matildas vs Slovenia
Date: Thursday, June 26, 2025
Kick-off: 7.00pm WST / 9.00pm AEST
Venue: HBF Park, Perth
TV Broadcast: Network 10, 10 Play and Paramount+
CommBank Matildas vs Slovenia
Date: Sunday, June 29, 2025
Kick-off: 6.00pm WST / 8.00pm AEST
Venue: HBF Park, Perth
TV Broadcast: Paramount+
CommBank Matildas vs Panama
Date: Saturday, July 5, 2025
Kick-off: 2.30pm WST / 4.30pm AEST
Venue: Hands Oval, Bunbury
TV Broadcast: Paramount+
CommBank Matildas vs Panama
Date: Tuesday, July 8, 2025
Kick-off: 6.00pm WST / 8.00pm AEST
Venue: HBF Park, Perth
TV Broadcast: Paramount+
CommBank Matildas Squad
| NAME | POSITION | CLUB | ‘A’ CAPS (GOALS) | JUNIOR CLUB / MEMBER FEDERATION |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alexia APOSTOLAKIS** | Defender | Melbourne City FC | 0 (0) | Forest Rangers FC / Football NSW |
| Mackenzie ARNOLD* | Goalkeeper | Portland Thorns FC | 58 (0) | Burleigh / Football QLD |
| Chloe BERRYHILL** | Midfielder | Western United FC | 56 (8) | Carlingford Redbacks / Football NSW |
| Ellie CARPENTER* (VC) | Defender | Olympique Lyon | 87 (4) | Cowra and District JSC / Football NSW |
| Alex CHIDIAC | Midfielder | Melbourne Victory FC | 35 (2) | Croydon Kings / Football SA |
| Kyra COONEY-CROSS* | Midfielder | Arsenal WFC | 58 (1) | Bli Bli United FC / Football QLD |
| Sharn FREIER* | Forward | Wolfsburg FC | 9 (2) | Moreton Bay United FC / Football QLD |
| Jacynta GALABADAARACHCHI** | Midfielder | Unattached | 0 (0) | South-Eastern Piranhas / Football VIC |
| Emily GIELNIK | Forward | Melbourne Victory FC | 60 (12) | Redlands United / Football QLD |
| Charlotte GRANT | Defender | Tottenham Hotspur WFC | 35 (1) | Cumberland United Women’s FC / Football SA |
| Winonah HEATLEY* | Defender | FC Nordsjælland | 8 (0) | Douglas United FC / Football QLD |
| Bryleeh HENRY** | Forward | Melbourne City FC | 5 (1) | Penrith FC / Football NSW |
| Michelle HEYMAN | Forward | Canberra United FC | 79 (30) | Illawarra Stingrays FC / Football NSW |
| Clare HUNT | Defender | Tottenham Hotspur WFC | 33 (1) | Grenfell Junior SC / Football NSW |
| Sally JAMES** | Goalkeeper | Canberra United FC | 0 (0) | Majura Football Club / Capital Football |
| Alanna KENNEDY* | Defender | Angel City FC | 137 (11) | Campbelltown Cobras SC / Football NSW |
| Grace KUILAMU** | Forward | Brisbane Roar FC | 0 (0) | Souths United FC / Football QLD |
| Chloe LINCOLN** | Goalkeeper | Brisbane Roar FC | 1 (0) | Northern Inland Football / NNSW Football |
| Holly McNAMARA | Forward | Melbourne City FC | 9 (0) | Ermington United Sports and Recreation Club / Football NSW |
| Teagan MICAH | Goalkeeper | Unattached | 24 (0) | Brisbane Blue, Brisbane Central / Football QLD |
| Alana MURPHY | Midfielder | Melbourne Victory FC | 2 (0) | Langwarrin Soccer Club / Football VIC |
| Jessika NASH** | Defender | Central Coast Mariners FC | 3 (0) | Doonside Hawks FC / Football NSW |
| Courtney NEVIN | Defender | Leicester City WFC | 33 (0) | Oakville Ravens SC / Football NSW |
| Natasha PRIOR | Defender | Newcastle Jets FC | 9 (2) | Manly United FC / Football NSW |
| Jamilla RANKIN | Defender | TSG Hoffenheim | 4 (0) | Eureka FC / Football QLD |
| Hayley RASO | Forward | Tottenham Hotspur WFC | 95 (21) | Palm Beach SC / Football QLD |
| Amy SAYER | Midfielder | Kristianstads DFF | 13 (3) | Northbridge FC / Football NSW |
| Remy SIEMSEN* | Forward | Kristianstads DFF | 9 (0) | Manly United FC / Football NSW |
| Adriana TARANTO** | Midfielder | Western United FC | 0 (0) | Essendon Royals / Football VIC |
| Kaitlyn TORPEY* | Forward | Portland Thorns FC | 16 (2) | Olympic FC / Football QLD |
| Emily VAN EGMOND (VC) | Midfielder | Birmingham City WFC | 160 (31) | Dudley Redhead United FC / NNSW Football |
| Clare WHEELER* | Midfielder | Everton WFC | 30 (2) | Adamstown Rosebud / NNSW Football |
| Jada WHYMAN* | Goalkeeper | AIK FC | 0 (0) | Tolland Football Club / Football NSW |
Compiled by SportArena.com.au.
Fanpage: SportArena.com.au.
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