Aussie Stingers head coach Greg McFadden has cast his net wide to give players who missed out on the silver-medal-winning World Championship side to impress in the six-week World League.
“We had to select the team early because of National League commitments and the need to get visas for China,” McFadden said. “There are four unavailable players with professional teams in Europe — Mia Santoromito, Fiona Hammond, Bec Rippon and Larissa Webster — while some have injuries so it gives a chance to those players outside the top 13 to compete against the best in the world.”
The only players remaining from the Melbourne FINA World Championships last month are goalkeeper Alicia McCormack, centre forwards Nikita Cuffe and Gemma Beadsworth, left-hander Suzie Fraser and driver-shooters Gemma Hadley and Kate Gynther.Of the newcomers to this year’s team, Sophie Smith and Jenna Santoromito were members of last year’s Commonwealth Championship-winning combination. The team will play New Zealand, China and Japan in a double round robin over six consecutive days in Tianjin, the city where it won the World Cup title last August.The top two teams from the Oceania-Asia group will join the top two from each of the Americas and two European groups in Montreal, Canada for the Super Finals on July 4-8. Following the Chinese round, the team will train on the Gold Coast and have a training camp with the world champion United States of America just before the Super Finals.

Team:
Goalkeepers: Alicia McCormack (Cronulla Sharks), Victoria Brown (Victorian Tigers).
Centre forwards/centre backs: Nikita Cuffe (Sydney University Lions); Erin Douglass, Holly Lincoln-Smith (Cronulla Sharks); Gemma Beadsworth, Katie Finucane (Fremantle Marlins).
Counter attackers/drivers/shooters: Suzie Fraser, Sarah Mills (KFC Queensland Breakers); Jane Moran, Sophie Smith, Kate Gynther (Brisbane Barracudas); Jenna Santoromito (Cronulla Sharks); Rowena Webster (Victorian Tigers); Gemma Hadley (UWA Comets).

Game Schedule: