Hockey Australia has announced its men's Junior World Cup Qualifier and Australian Youth Olympic Festival (AYOF) squads.
The Junior World Cup Qualifier squad will take on New Zealand in a three test qualification series in Brisbane from 11 till 14 December 2008.
A squad of 16 will also compete against India, Malaysia and Great Britain at the AYOF in Sydney from 6 till 18 January 2009.
Nine players will compete in both squads. As per the situation with the women's junior squads which were announced last week, several players were unable to be selected for the AYOF squad due to age restrictions as players turning 22 or over during the year of competition are ineligible.
The squad competing at the Junior World Cup Qualifier will first be put through their paces at a training camp a week prior.
Former Kookaburras player Jason Duff will coach both squads and says his overall aim is to develop a squad capable of winning the 2009 Junior World Cup in Malaysia and Singapore in June 2009.
'While it may be in the back of the players minds to try and impress the newly appointed national coach in Ric Charlesworth, from a coaching point of view the focus will be on squad and team development for the Junior World Cup.' Said Duff.
'All the players have been in our system for some time now, so they are aware of our processes and the way we like to play,'
Men's Junior World Cup Qualifier Squad, 11-14 December 2008, Brisbane:
Tim Bates, Michael Bates, Chris Bausor, Peter Dillon, Jason Donohoe, Justin Ellis, Scott Garner, Kris Glass, Kieran Govers, Malcolm Kemp, Aaron Kleinschmidt, Justin Knapp, Adrian Lockley, Hamish McGregor, Josh Pollard, Scott Richards, Matthew Swann, Josh White.
Australian Youth Olympic Festival, 6-18 January 2009, Sydney:
Chris Bausor, Peter Dillon, Jason Donohoe, Justin Ellis, Scott Garner, Matthew Ghodes, Kieran Govers, Leon Hayward, Malcolm Kemp, Ben McCarthy, Trent Mitton, Scott Richards, Toby West, Tristan White, Josh White, Tom Wickham.
Source: Hockey Australia.
