Hockeyroos 2023 Squad finalised

The net of Hockeyroos athletes has been widened after Head Coach Katrina Powell finalised the 2023 squad and announced the 18-player teams that will feature in the FIH Pro League home mini tournaments in Sydney and Hobart starting on Friday.

Queensland defender Tatum Stewart and exciting New South Wales livewire Grace Young (pictured above) are the two debutantes in this year’s Hockeyroos squad, with Greta Hayes, Rosie Malone and Courtney Schonell selected in the remaining spots.

Stewart and Young, both 20 years of age, were part of last year’s National Development Squad.

“Grace Young is competitive, tenacious and a wonderful attacking player,” said Powell.

“We like the way she approaches the game, she’s got an attacking mentality which is fits into the way we want the Hockeyroos to play, so she certainly fits that brief.”

“Tatum (Stewart) is a talented defender who has all the skills that we’re looking for.”

“She leads well from the back and is a strong and determined defender.”

An initial 17-player Hockeyroos squad for 2023 was announced in December last year, with the additional five athletes now completing the list of 22.

While the 2023 squad was now confirmed, Powell reiterated players from outside the 22 would be given opportunities and that the Hockeyroos group comprised of a larger pool of athletes who remained well and truly in the mix.

The squad was finalised after 37 athletes attended a Visiting Athlete Agreement Selection Camp in Sydney over the past week, which included a host of intra-squad matches.

Powell said it was valuable being able to bring a large group of Australia’s best female hockey players together as she plots the Hockeyroos’ qualification for the Paris 2024 Olympics.

“Having these athletes training all together and playing against each other in intra-squad matches has been really beneficial,” said Powell.

“It has allowed us to see what level the junior players are at compared to the seniors…and also look at how athletes perform under pressure. You see which players are standing up and who really wants it.”

“We have tried to pick the strongest squad with an eye on Olympic qualification which is the Oceania Cup against New Zealand in August, so that’s the immediate focus.”

“We may have named a squad of 22 but we’re in no way set on our team that will represent Australia at the Oceania Cup as we look to qualify for Paris.”

On announcing the five remaining spots in the 2023 squad, Powell also named the Hockeyroos teams that will line up in the FIH Pro League against China and Germany in Sydney, and the matches against Argentina and the USA in Hobart.

Hockeyroos 2023 squad

*The additional five players selected