Eleven Hyundai A-League players have been called up to the Caltex Socceroos squad to face Korea Republic in June – including three previously uncapped players.
Sydney FC Championship-winning duo Andrew Redmayne and Brandon O’Neill, along with Melbourne Victory custodian Lawrence Thomas, are the three new faces in line to make their Caltex Socceroos debuts when Graham Arnold’s side travel to Busan for June’s international friendly.
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They are joined in the 24-player squad by eight other Hyundai A-League stalwarts: Terry Antonis (Melbourne Victory), Josh Brillante (Sydney FC), Thomas Deng (Melbourne Victory), Craig Goodwin (Adelaide United), Rhyan Grant (Sydney FC), Chris Ikonomidis (Perth Glory), Dimitri Petratos (Newcastle Jets), Matt Spiranovic (Perth Glory).
Who are the uncapped three?
Andrew Redmayne – Sydney FC
It’s been quite a week for the Sydney FC stopper. Four days ago, he saved two penalties to help Sydney FC win their fourth Hyundai A-League Championship. Today, the 30-year-old received his first Caltex Socceroos call-up.
Redmayne’s spot-kick heroics against Perth Glory in the Grand Final captured what a goalkeeping force the former Brisbane Roar, Melbourne Heart and Western Sydney Wanderers custodian has become.
Arnold poached Gosford-born Redmayne from cross-city rivals Wanderers in January 2017, and the ‘keeper has since developed into one of the competition’s finest under the expert mentorship of Sky Blues goalkeeping coach John Crawley.
After safeguarding Sydney’s 2017/18 Premiership success under Arnold, Redmayne shone again this year. He saved a league-high three penalties – on top of his shootout heroics – and only Perth ‘keeper Liam Reddy (12) collected more clean sheets than his nine.
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Brandon O’Neill – Sydney FC
Since the beginning of 2016/17, Sydney FC have won five trophies on the domestic scene. It is by no means a bold claim to suggest midfielder O’Neill has been a key pillar of that success.
O’Neill has been a steady revelation for the Sky Blues following his transfer from Perth Glory in May 2015 and comfortably boasts a claim for being the best central midfielder in the Hyundai A-League over the last few seasons.
He might be relatively small in stature, but the Perth-born midfielder is big on heart – and possesses one of the best engines in the competition. In 2018/19, he finished equal-third in assists with seven and eclipsed all his competitors in the passing charts (1933).
Lawrence Thomas – Melbourne Victory
Melbourne Victory custodian Lawrence Thomas joins Redmayne and Nagoya Grampus ‘keeper Mitch Langerak as Arnold’s three-man goalkeeper unit for Korea Republic.
Thomas, 27, was his solid, reliable self throughout Victory’s third-place finish in the Hyundai A-League in 2018/19.
An impressive commander of his penalty area, Thomas will be hoping to push Langerak and Redmayne close in Busan.
Hyundai A-League 2018/19 Team of the Year vote: GOALKEEPERS, LEFT-BACKS, CENTRAL DEFENDERS, RIGHT-BACKS, LEFT MIDFIELDERS, CENTRAL MIDFIELDERS, RIGHT MIDFIELDERS, FORWARDS
Upcoming Match | Caltex Socceroos
Korea Republic vs. Caltex Socceroos (International Friendly)
Date: Friday, 7 June 2019
Venue: Busan Asiad Stadium, Busan, Korea Republic
Kick-off: 8.00pm (local); 9.00pm (AEST)
Broadcast: Live in Australia on FOX SPORTS and Network 10 (10 Bold)
