Canberra United first nine signings

Great to hear Canberra United announce their first signings this morning. I listened to Robbie Hooker on ABC radio this morning list the first signings. And ABC's Tim Gavel got a few things wrong:)

Firstly the signings:

Caitlin Munoz, Amy Chapman. Lydia Williams and Grace Gill are all Matildas and local players who have signed up.

World Cup star Thea Slatyer, pacy striker Sasha McDonnell, Hayley Crawford, Karla Reuters and Rhian Davies are other Matildas adding depth to Canberra United. Eight players have already been signed. They are aiming for 18.

Robbie mentioned that he was trying to get a couple of players from the USA, and trialling for other places is taking place with players from ACTAS, and the local Premier League.

So there will be a large number of local players in the squad, as expected.

Now ABC Commentator Tim Gavel continually called the club Canberra FC. Canberra media would hardly get the Brumbies or Raiders name wrong, and it's not as if the name has been just announced is it?

Also a debate occurred with Tim and his offsider Bronwyn Fagan amazed that Canberra United would sign players outside of Canberra, maybe even from America.

Well are all Raiders and Brumbies players from Canberra? Even Australia? What about Transact Capitals everyone born within cooee of Parliament House?

It's a National League. And that's the point. If we want the team to be competitive we can't compete, yet, by signing 18 Canberra players.

That said we want to see as many players from the local region as possible pushing into the squad and the starting line-up.

Which is why Coach Robbie Hooker has trials all weekend, this weekend, for local players.

But ABC Media seem to have lost the plot this morning when it comes to National Women's League sport.

Question:
Would you expect all 18 players to be from Canberra/local region?


Canberra United Media Release below:

Canberra United FC Announce First Signings



Canberra United FC is pleased to welcome Caitlin Munoz, Lydia Williams, Amy Chapman, Grace Gill, Hayley Crawford, Rhian Davies, Thea Slatyer, Sasha McDonnell and Karla Reuter as their first signings for the inaugural season of the Westfield W-League kicking off at the end of October.


Local Matildas' Munoz, Williams and Chapman along with former Young Matilda Gill make up the first contingent of local players to line up in the green this summer while Crawford, Davies, Slayter, McDonnell and Reuter were selected off the FFA designated player list to join Canberra United.


The first recruitment and registration period closed yesterday, Friday 19th September, with all clubs signing their big name players in the first instance.


"We've recruited really well in the first window of opportunity, attracting not only our local players but signing a number of national players from other parts of Australia who will make up the solid foundation for the first season," head coach Robbie Hooker said.


"We've got a fantastic base to build from and we can only get stronger from here as we look to give the league a big shake this season."


The available signed players are this weekend taking part in Canberra United's first training camp at the AIS and the team looks to build towards to start of the season.

"Unfortunately we couldn't get everyone here this weekend at short notice but having said that we've got a lot of players who have both signed with the club and are trialling for contracts."


No further players can be signed between now and the end of the month with the second registration window opening on October 1, but the side will continue to train and trial players looking to be selected.






Biographies:

Caitlin Munoz
Westfield Matilda
Birthday: 04 Oct 1983
Position: Striker
Appearances: 50
Goals: 13

Lydia Williams
Westfield Matilda
Birthday: 13 May 1988
Position: Goalkeeper
Appearances: 14
Winner of the 2006 'Deadly' Award for Best Indigenous Sportswoman

Amy Chapman
Westfield Matilda
Birthday: 02 Dec 1987
Position: Striker
Appearances: 13
Goals: 3

Grace Gill
Former Westfield Young Matilda
Birthday: 27 June 1989
Position: Defender

Thea Slatyer
Westfield Matilda
Birthday: 02 Fed 1983
Position: Defender
Appearances: 39
Goals: 2

Hayley Crawford
Former Young Matilda
Birthday: 27 March 1984
Position: Striker

Sasha McDonnell
Westfield Matilda
Birthday: 12 Jan 1987
Position: Striker

Rhian Davies
Westfield Matilda
Birthday: 05 Jan 1981
Position: Defender
Appearances: 66
Goals: 3

Karla Reuters
Westfield Matilda
Birthday: 14 June 1984
Position: Defender