“Starting line up… Bubs in goal…….” The rest of Adrian Santrac’s team meeting was a little bit of a haze that night in September 2002. I had to actually ask one of the other players to help me out with the team tactics and the rest of the team line up.

Following Melissa Barbieri's pregnancy announcement last week, two important vacancies have suddenly opened up within the Matildas squad; captain and number one goalkeeper. 

Barbieri confident in Brianna Davey | TWG

2012 marks Matildas' captain Melissa Barbieri's tenth year in the Australian National Team.  A decade at the top of the Australian women's game.  A decade of being a dedicated, hardworking and well-tuned athlete in touch with her body; or so she thought.
 
Barbieri set for her next big challenge, motherhood  | Getty

A last gasp equaliser from Thea Slatyer ended New Zealand’s hopes of breaking an 18-year winless record against the Westfield Matildas.

Slatyer snatches draw for Matildas | Photo: Joseph Mayers

Westfield Matildas Head Coach Tom Sermanni has selected a 23-player squad for the upcoming Westfield Matildas v New Zealand Football Ferns on June 24 in Wollongong.

2011 was a year of fantastic achievement and missed opportunity for the Matildas.  This Unofficial Yearbook encaptures 2011 through the eyes of coach Tom Sermanni, captain Melissa Barbieri and several other key players.  It also contains player profiles, a 2011 photo album and a summary of all games. 

Click the image to download (6.7MB)

Hope you enjoy it!

TWG

Melissa Barbieri has never been shy about breaking new ground and last Friday the Matildas' captain notched up another first. During Fox Sports' A-League coverage of Melbourne Heart v Gold Coast United, Barbieri became their first female sideline commentator.

Melissa Barbieri (L) with Mel McLaughlin | Kristi Miller/The Daily Telegraph

The Newcastle Jets W-League squad continues to go from strength to strength with the signing of German defender Ariane Hingst on a one year deal.

Hingst, who retired from international football after the recent Women's World Cup, is becomes the latest big name to join the hunter side after the recent signings of Matildas Melissa Barbieri and Lisa De Vanna.

Hingst up against Marta | Getty

With Season Four of the Westfield W-League less than a month away, the Newcastle Jets continue on their quest to build a championship winning squad as they today announced the signing of Matildas' striker Lisa De Vanna.


De Vanna on the move to Newcastle | TWG