Meet our 10-player CommBank ParaMatildas squad for the 2023 IFCPF Asia-Oceania Championships

Head Coach Kelly Stirton has named a ten-player squad for the CommBank ParaMatildas' upcoming 2023 IFCPF Asia-Oceania Championships tournament, set to play their first-ever international on home soil. 

Meet our squad that will take part in the 2023 IFCPF Asia-Oceania Championships from the 4th of November to the 11th of November at the Home of the Matildas in Melbourne. 

#1 Carly Salmon

Position: Goalkeeper/Midfielder 
Caps (Goals): 3 (1)

Carly Salmon made her CommBank ParaMatildas debut in Australia's three-match series in Japan, captaining the side to three victories against their opponents for the upcoming tournament. 

Making her debut in goals, Salmon also plays in midfield, where she found the back of the net for the first time in Osaka.

Salmon has a bronze medal from the 2013 IPC Athletics World Championships, where she claimed gold in the 200m. She also represents Australia in the Para Beach Volleyball team.

#2 Nicole Christodoulou

Position: Forward 
Caps (Goals): 6 (5)

Nicole also made her debut for the CommBank ParaMatildas at the 2022 IFCPF World Cup, helping Australia to a second-place finish with two goals to her name in 3 appearances.

Christodoulou has played football ever since she can remember, with two strokes at the age of 21 not stopping her from fulfilling her dream of playing football and representing her country.

#3 Tahlia Blanshard

Position: Defender 
Caps (Goals): 8 (2)

Tahlia also made her debut for the CommBank ParaMatildas at the 2022 IFCPF World Cup, helping Australia to a second-place finish at the tournament as the defender appeared in all of Australia's games.

Blanshard featured alongside a number of her ParaMatildas' teammates at the National Para Football Championships last year representing Capital Football. The tournament also saw the 2022 Annual Para Football Awards take place, with Tahlia claiming the Undefeated Champion for 2022.

Tahlia has appeared in all of the CommBank ParaMatildas international fixtures since their inaugural game, with the defender scoring her first goal against Japan during Australia's tour in September 2023. 

#4 Karina Grigorian

Position: Defender 
Caps (Goals): 3 (1)

Another fresh face in camp, Karina made her first appearance for the CommBank ParaMatildas in their three-match series against Japan, with the 18-year-old finding the back of the net in Australia's 9-0 victory over Japan. 

#5 Tamsin Colley 

Position: Defender 
Caps (Goals): 0 (0)

Tamsin Colley is the only player of the 10-player squad to have not recorded an appearance for the CommBank ParaMatildas, however, she is no stranger to the team having participated in camps and also playing alongside her teammates at the 2023 National Para Football Championships in the FA Select side.

 

 

 

 

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Colley, like a number of her teammates, has represented Australia at the Summer Paralympic Games after featuring at the 2016 Rio Paralympics where she was the youngest athlete in the Australian Paralympic team at 13 and 362 days. Colley competed in the T36 200m and placed 11th overall. 

#6 Katelyn Smith

Position: Goalkeeper/Midfielder 
Caps (Goals): 8 (3)

Katelyn made her debut for the CommBank ParaMatildas at the 2022 IFCPF World Cup, keeping a clean sheet in 3 games and being named Goalkeeper of the tournament.

Smith's goalkeeping heroics were praised in last year's IFCPF World Cup, but her ability to find the back of the net from the other end saw her score on two separate occasions.

She was named the CommBank ParaMatilda of the Year at the 2022 Annual Para Football Awards. Smith has appeared in all 8 of the side's international fixtures, scoring three goals in the process. Normally found in goals, Smith is no stranger to playing in an outfield position. 

#7 Eloise Northam

Position: Midfielder 
Caps (Goals): 8 (7)

Eloise made her debut for the CommBank ParaMatildas at the 2022 IFCPF World Cup, captaining the side in the inaugural international fixture. The midfielder scored five goals in five appearances for Australia, helping the team to a silver medal in their first-ever tournament.

Northam received the award for 'Goal of the Year' at last year's 2022 Annual Para Football Awards, winning the trophy after a stunning goal against the USA at the World Cup.

Eloise has featured in all of the CommBank ParaMatildas games, captaining the side to a historic silver medal in their first-ever international tournament. 

#8 Annmarie de Uriarte

Position: Forward 
Caps (Goals): 3 (7)

Annmarie made her first appearance for the CommBank ParaMatildas in their three-match series against Japan in September, with the 15-year-old named the Female Young Player of the Tournament at the 2022 National Para Football Championships.

The young forward impressed in her first-ever appearance for Australia, netting a brace and going on to score 7 goals in just 3 appearances. 

#9 Rae Anderson

Position: Defender 
Caps (Goals): 5 (0)

Rae made her debut for the CommBank ParaMatildas at the 2022 IFCPF World Cup, adding to her illustrious sporting career that has seen her represent Australia at both the Summer Olympics in track and field and the Winter Olympics in Alpine Skiing. She became the seventh Australian Paralympic athlete to represent Australia at both games. 

Anderson picked up the Rookie of the Year award at last year's 2022 Annual Para Football Awards.

#10 Georgia Beikoff

Position: Midfielder 
Caps (Goals): 8 (17)

Georgia made her debut for the CommBank ParaMatildas at the 2022 IFCPF World Cup, picking up the golden boot at the inaugural competition with 13 goals in 5 appearances and helping Australia to a second-place finish at the tournament.

Beikoff is an Olympic Bronze medalist, winning rose gold at the London 2012 Summer Olympics in Javelin. She also competed in the Women's 4x100m at the 2012 edition of the tournament. 

The midfielder has played in all of the CommBank ParaMatildas international games and has found the back of the net a staggering 17 times in green and gold.