Words: Staff Writers
Image: NNSW Football

Queensland’s finest female talents are already impressing against Australia’s best at the Westfield National Youth Championships for Girls in Coffs Harbour.

The tournament, which commenced on Monday, forms an important part of Football Federation Australia’s Elite Player Pathway with Queensland’s representatives drawn from PlayStation® 4 NPL Queensland clubs across the state.

Northern clubs contributed seven players and a shadow selection across the two squads, including five from Northern Fury in the U15s squad coached by The Gap Women’s player Bec Price.

Fury and Cairns-based FNQ Heat both field junior teams in the Inter-City Challenge and State Technical Director David Abela believes the production line is functioning well.

"There is a good mix of regional and metro players," Abela said.

"The NPL and ICC programs are only two seasons young but the clubs are working hard to establish the teams.

"There is no doubt in time the standard in both competitions will improve as they become more established."

Both sets of players prepared for the tournament with a training camp at Meakin Park in the week leading up to departure.

Abela explained the selection process focussed on the individual and was not informed by team results.

"Selection of any State Team is about players’ ability on the field and not where teams are positioned on the league table," he said.

"It is about selecting the best players regardless of what team they play for.

"State coaches are looking for those players who have shown the ability or potential to play at the next level."

Scroll down to see how clubs have congratulated their Queensland state representatives on social media.