Words: Staff Writers
Image: Getty Images

Five players with PlayStation® 4 NPL Queensland experience will represent Australia at the AFC U-19 Women’s Championships in Nanjing, China later this month.

Brisbane Roar players Angela Beard, Teagan Micah, Larissa Crummer and Sunny Franco will attempt to help the Westfield Young Matildas qualify for next year’s FIFA U-20 World Cup.

Former Roar midfielder Ayesha Norrie, now with Colorado Pride in the United States, also won selection in Ante Juric’s 23-player squad.

The five have all honed their skills with stints in PlayStation 4 NPL Queensland, where Roar fields a team in the U14 Boys competition.

Brisbane Roar W-League Head Coach Belinda Wilson said the selections were a fantastic achievement for the players and the club's development program.

“It shows that the effort and time that players have put in during the off season has been rewarded and highlights the high standards within our senior and WNPL squads,” Wilson said.

“The whole squad is excited that four Roar girls have made the Young Matildas squad and it's a great opportunity for Ayesha who went to the US to play for a few months to come back for her first U20 camp and make the squad.

“We wish them all the best in China. They will do us all proud.”

Beard, Micah and Franco have all been regulars in PlayStation® 4 NPL Queensland this season while Norrie and Crummer combined for over 30 appearances in 2014.

Noosa-born Crummer, who helped the Westfield Matildas to the quarter-finals at the recent FIFA Women’s World Cup, is one four selections with senior national team experience.

The Westfield Young Matildas entered a five-day camp in Canberra on Thursday.

The squad departs for China on 13 August ahead of their first match against Japan at Jiangsu Training Base Stadium on Tuesday, 18 August.

Westfield Young Matildas: Alex Chidia (Adelaide United), Amy Harrison (Sydney FC), Angela Beard (Brisbane Roar FC), Ayesha Norrie (Colorado Pride, USA), Beattie Goad (Bulleen FC), Brooke Miller (Emerging Jets), Chloe O'Brien (Western Sydney Wanderers), Clare Wheeler (Emerging Jets), Ellie Carpenter (FNSW NTC), Emma Checker (Melbourne Victory), Georgia Plessas (FNSW NTC), Hannah Southwell (Emerging Jets), Jada Mathyssen-Whyman (FNSW NTC), Jordan Baker (Illawarra Stingrays), Kobie Ferguson (Emerging Jets), Larissa Crummer (Brisbane Roar FC), Nat Tobin (Sydney FC), Olivia Price (Sydney FC), Princess Ibini (FNSW NTC), Sophie Nenadovic (Emerging Jets), Sunny Franco (Brisbane Roar FC), Tara Pender (Blacktown Spartans), Teagan Micah (Brisbane Roar FC)