After six months in charge of the Hockeyroos and getting a first-hand look at Australia’s vast hockey talent, coach Adam Commens has reselected the Hockeyroos squad and also selected the 2011 Champions Trophy squad to compete in the Netherlands from June 25.

Having conducted numerous training camps and exposing several new players to the rigours of international hockey, Commens has selected what he believes to be the strongest combination of players in order to win the Champions Trophy.

The current Champions Trophy squad stands at 19, but will be reduced to 18 prior to the beginning of the tournament.

The Champions Trophy is the most prestigious annual event on the 2011 hockey calendar and will be Commen’s first outing at a major tournament with the Hockeyroos having taken the reigns of the team in January 2011.

It is also a vital stepping stone for the Hockeyroos given that the tournament takes place just over one year away from the 2012 London Olympics and will see the new look Hockeyroos take on the worlds’ best teams for the first time under Commens.

With ranking points up for grabs the Hockeyroos will be eager for a good performance to build on their world number 6 ranking and also make amends for their second place at the 2009 Champions Trophy in Sydney where they lost the final to world number 1 team Argentina.

The Champions Trophy squad includes newcomer Georgie Parker from South Australia. Parker has also been added to the official Hockeyroos national squad after her fantastic recent performance for the Southern Suns at the Australian Hockey League, hitting the winning goal to give the Suns their first championship since 1995.

NSW’s Jacklyn McRae, who debuted for the Hockeyroos recently against Argentina, has also been included in the Champions Trophy and Hockeyroos national squad for the first time.

Victorian veteran Renee Trost is also a notable inclusion. Having competed at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Trost did not feature in the 2009 or 2010 Hockeyroos squad, however she has re-established herself as an athletic midfielder under the coaching of Commens and worked her way back into the squad. 

NT’s young goalkeeper Elizabeth Duigud will not play at the Champions Trophy but will travel with the Hockeyroos to continue her training with the other goalkeepers in the squad.

Hockeyroos veteran Nicole Arrold, arguably the team’s best player at last years gold medal Commonwealth Games campaign, has recently returned to Australia after playing club hockey in the Netherlands and is still considering her future with the Hockeyroos. She was not selected in the Champions Trophy team due to not competing at the Australian Hockey League.

Commens said with so much talent to choose from, it was a difficult task to pick his final team for his first major tournament with the Hockeyroos.

"This is the team the selectors believe is the strongest combination we have available for the Champions Trophy. It has been an enormous challenge to find what we believe is the ideal balance for our benchmark tournament of 2011 and there are numerous players that could consider themselves very unlucky,” said Commens.

"It is important to note that International performances both in 2010 and 2011 were considered strongly as well as their most recent AHL performances. South Australia's performances have been recognised with increased representation in the National squad and Georgie Parker's debut selection for the Hockeyroos,” said Commens.

In terms of the Hockeyroos national squad, there has been some new additions. The squad has been extended from 24 to 27 and as well as Parker and McRae joining the team, Hollie Webster of NSW has been named in the squad of 27. Elise Stacy, Stacia Joseph and Holly Evans and Renee Trost have come back into the national squad from the development squad at the expense of Heather Langham, Kandice Olivieri and Jill Dwyer, with Langham and Dwyer remaining in the development squad and Olivieri forming part of the junior squad as she has been identified as a talent of the future.

Some changes have also been made to the Hockeyroos development squad. New additions to the squad include Renae Ashton, Edwina Bone, Deanne Gilbert, Kate Hubble, former Hockeyroos Amy Korner and Shelly Liddelow, Stephanie Riordan, Courtney Robinson and Danielle Schubach.

Alison Bruce, Suzie Harris and Emily Wilson have been removed from the squad while Kary Chau, Kate Hollywood, Claire Messent, Sally O’Toole and Ashlee Wells have remained in the development squad.

19 players have also been selected in an Australia A side and 18 players in a Jillaroos (U21) team to compete in a training camp and practice matches against each other in Canberra in June.

Hockey Australia

2011 Champions Trophy squad:
Name, state and games played

Madonna Blyth QLD 193
Jade Close NSW 17
Toni Cronk NSW 91
Casey Eastham NSW 109
Anna Flanagan ACT 23
Marnie Hudson QLD 12
Emily Hurtz NSW 32
Kate Jenner NSW 23
Rachael Lynch VIC 54
Kobie McGurk WA 133
Jacklyn McRae NSW 2
Ashleigh Nelson WA 75
Georgie Parker SA 0
Megan Rivers NSW 159
Jodie Schulz QLD 12
Jayde Taylor WA 33
Renee Trost VIC 28
Jade Warrender NSW 10
Kellie White NSW 12
 
2011 Hockeyroos squad:
Name, state and games played

Teneal Attard QLD 118
Madonna Blyth QLD 193
Fiona Boyce WA 53
Jade Close NSW 17
Toni Cronk NSW 91
Casey Eastham NSW 109
Holly Evans SA 5
Anna Flanagan ACT 23
Bianca Greenshields SA 3
Marnie Hudson QLD 12
Emily Hurtz NSW 32
Kate Jenner NSW 23
Stacia Joseph VIC 33
Rachael Lynch VIC 54
Kobie McGurk WA 133
Jacklyn McRae NSW 2
Georgia Nanscawen VIC 46
Ashleigh Nelson WA 75
Georgie Parker SA 0
Megan Rivers NSW 159
Jodie Schulz QLD 12
Elise Stacy SA 0
Jayde Taylor WA 33
Renee Trost VIC 28
Jade Warrender NSW 10
Hollie Webster NSW 0
Kellie White NSW 12