Four AWFA Star Players will headline the AWFA Ladies Select outfit in their clash with NPL Victoria Women’s powerhouses Calder United next weekend.
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Albury City trio Bridget McDiarmid, Amy Martin and Haley Morris and St Pats’ Claire Mahoney have all won the league’s top honour in recent seasons and will combine with the best from the senior women’s competition for the annual Butterfly Football Fund charity match at La Trobe on October 13.
However, there will be no Wangaratta players in the squad after they committed to the Victorian Champion of Champions event the same weekend – before the tournament was cancelled.
Outgoing Wangaratta coach Tom Marshall was set to lead the side with Albury City mentor Robert Brown, but is also unavailable.
Marshall admitted it was nothing untoward.
“We took a team vote and it was a case of involving three or four players for the charity game, or the whole team as a group in the championships and we only found out last week it had been cancelled,” Marshall said.
“Christina Mancuso hurt her knee quite badly (in the cup final), Bianca Mulqueen will be in Melbourne and Leanne (Branson) is going back to England.
“The only reason I’m not involved is I’ve got an operation the Friday before.”
Brown said it was disappointing not to have the Wangaratta players, but is happy with the squad.
“They will be probably playing different roles, but they’re all keen to be here, so I think they’re going to embrace the challenge,” Brown said.
“It’s a good challenge for the girls and it will give a number of them who I think are good enough to play in higher leagues a chance to showcase their skills.”
Brown will be assisted by Logan Rickard and St Pats’ senior women’s coach Josh O’Farrell.
The AWFA Ladies Select squad is: Bridget McDiarmid, Haley Morris, Sarah Morris, Amy Martin, Zoe Jackson, Montanna Mathews, Jill Scott, JJ Williams, Georgina Cominos (Albury City), Alicia Torcaso, Abbey Collins (Albury United), Claire Mahoney (St Pats), Brianne Buckingham, Karina Kovacs (Wodonga Diamonds), Maya Davis and Rachael Reitano (Melrose).
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