23 Ninja A-League young guns called up by Young Matildas

CommBank Young Matildas head coach Alex Epakis has selected a 25-player squad stacked with Ninja A-League talent for a domestic training camp during the March/April FIFA women’s international window.

Former Perth Glory head coach Epakis is set to take charge of his first international camp since his appointment as head of Australia’s Under-20 women’s international side; of the 25 players selected by Epakis, 23 play in the A-Leagues with only Daniela Galic (FC Twente, Netherlands) and Anastasia Simic (South Australia NTC) outside of the competition.

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Two-time reigning champions Sydney FC have the most representatives with five players in the squad – including Jasmine Black who only made her A-Leagues debut this month, while Brisbane Roar have four and Western Sydney Wanderers three.

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The 23 Ninja A-League players called up by the Young Matildas come from 10 clubs:

Adelaide United: Ilona Melegh
Brisbane Roar: Rubi Cuthbert, Isabela Hoyos, Zara Kruger, Grace Kuilamu
Canberra United: Tegan Bertolissio
Central Coast Mariners: Tiana Fuller, Peta Trimis
Melbourne City: Alexia Apostolakis, Shelby McMahon
Newcastle Jets: India Breier, Emma Dundas
Perth Glory: Jessica Skinner
Sydney FC: Jasmine Black, Maddie Caspers, Indiana Dos Santos, Amber Luchtmeijer, Rubi Sullivan, Caley Tallon-Henniker
Western Sydney Wanderers: Amelia Bennett, Sienna Saveska, Talia Younis
Western United: Avaani Prakash

Epakis’ appointment as Young Matildas head coach is set to runt through the next international cycle which includes the 2026 AFC Under-20 Women’s Asian Cup and 2026 FIFA Under-20 Women’s World Cup.

The upcoming domestic training camp will begin on March 31 and serve as preparation for the Under-20 Women’s Asian Cup, scheduled to take place in April 2026.

Epakis says positional balance, strengthening squad depth and considering the amount of minutes players have received in the Ninja A-League were key factors in his squad selection process.

“I’m really looking forward to starting this two-year journey with this cycle of CommBank Young Matildas as we enter our first camp together,” he said.

“For the staff and I, this is a great opportunity to really get to know the squad, start building those key relationships and ensuring we’re all united on what’s ahead.

“On the pitch, we’re focusing on both the football and the culture around it. We want to define how we play as a team and start embedding those key principles. We will be able to begin gaining an understanding of how the players perform in a structured training environment and setting a strong foundation for the August qualifiers.

“Off the pitch, it’s just as important we’re setting the standards for our performance culture and the behaviours that will drive us forward.”

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“When selecting this squad, we looked at a few key things – current A-League Women’s match minutes, ensuring positional balance, and identifying one or two players who could add depth in areas we want to strengthen. This camp is a great chance to get a closer look and refine our squad moving forward,” Epakis added.

“I am eager to see these players in action and starting to shape our structure – both with and without the ball. We’ve got a talented group, and we want to explore different squad combinations while also building team cohesion through off-field activities. It’s about developing our identity and making sure we’re in the best position for what’s ahead.”

COMMBANK YOUNG MATILDAS | TRAINING CAMP SQUAD | MARCH/APRIL 2025