Preparations are well under way for the Australian National Championships in Ballarat in 2010 and they stepped up another gear this week as both Western Australia and Queensland announced their squads for the event. Queensland are competing in 11 divisions and Western Australia are competing in 7.

As is to be expected, there are a large number of former and current Australian national team players in the various squads. For Western Australia Ladies there are the familiar names of Jane Cooper, Suzette Thomas and Jodi Tiver and for the WA men is Robert Sibley. For Queensland Men’s team there is Cameron Shepard, who played for Australia at the Quadrangular Tournament in 2009 and is also the son of Australian coach Ross Shepard.

Fans in the UK will also recognise some other familiar names in the teams. In the WA Mixed Open team is Chris Dunlop, who played for Kent Target in 2009, and in the Queensland Under 21’s men’s team is Beau Moore, who won the A grade championship with Kent Target in 2007. Also another name which is very familiar to UK players is that of Hannah Watkin, the former UK under 21 captain, who is named in the Western Australia Under 21 ladies team having been living out there for the past two years.

The Australian National Championships are probably the biggest and most spectacular polocrosse event there is. They are held every two years and Polocrosse Extreme is delighted to announce that it will be travelling to Ballarat in 2010 in order to cover the Australian National Championships live and report the results as soon as they happen.

WESTERN AUSTRALIA TEAMSOPEN MEN’S TEAM

Adrian Cobley
Jared Martin
Aiden Thurkle
Ben Thomas
Trent Cooper
Robert Sibley
Wayne Woods

OPEN WOMEN’S TEAM

Jodi Tiver
Jane Cooper
Trish Jones
Suzette Thomas
Rachael Martin
Liz Lyster
Kerryn Parsons

OPEN MIXED TEAM

Adrian Tiver
Chris Dunlop
Jason Stowe
BJ Thomas
Sally O’Brien
Sarah Marriott
Tracey Jarrett
Alana Clohessy

INTERMEDIATE MEN’S TEAM

James Mathwin
Nick Mathwin
Dan Cransberg
Matt Adams
Richard Taylor
Stewy Wake
Jake Klein

INTERMEDIATE WOMEN’S TEAM

Lauren Cant
Sandy Corbett
Tahlia Guy
Sharna Hall
Serena O’Brien
Hayley Smythe
Hannah Watkin

OPEN JUNIOR TEAM

Keanu Abbott
Hillary Beech
Rachael Cobley
Jana Dillon
Tia Hall
James Lester
Emily Walton

MIXED JUNIOR TEAM

Evie Beech
Danielle Bowman
Tennille Crabb
Emily Thomas
Daniel Puglia
Luke Puglia

Coaches and Managers to be announced soon

QUEENSLAND TEAMS
Coaching Director – Eric Beresford
Managers Co-ordinator – Sue FraserOPEN JUNIOR TEAM

Coach: Jamie Lamb
Manager: Fiona Wheeler

Sarah Gilbert
Matt Davison (Captain)
Byron Davison
Aaron Sillitoe
Ben Oakman
Tom Cobon
Jacob Lawrence

MIXED JUNIOR TEAM

Coach: Christine Franklin
Manager: Tonnie Milson

Jock Purcell (Co-Captain)
Craig Doyle
Jack Standfast
James Lawson
Rylie Waugh
Clare Standfast
Amanda Moore
Amy Moloney (Co-Captain)

Reserves for both Junior Teams

Jake Young
Nick Muller
Kieron Donovan
Emma Hafey
Carly Cooper
Jess Lawrence

UNDER 21 MEN’S TEAM

Coach: Charlie Brook
Manager: Warwick Fraser

Colton Preston (Captain)
David Trail
Beau Moore
Brad Hall
Ryan Copeland
Blake Wells
Matt Taylor

Reserve Men for U21 and Mixed

Nick Perkins
Luke Taylor
Chris Sillitoe
Sam Capewell
Michael Castles
Chris Hall
Ashley Wheeler

UNDER 24 LADIES TEAM

Coach: Jodie Hall
Manager: Jo Lawrence

Nadine Dempster
Sarah Ots
Katie Barr
Kristy Burns
Jess Osbourne (Captain)
Stephanie Edwards
Jayde Copeland

Reserve Ladies for U24 and Mixed
Samantha Franklin
Hayley Winks
Sandra Neal
Nicole Fraser

UNDER 21 MIXED TEAM

Coach: Mike Williams
Manager: Lyn Capewell

Kristy Edwards
Erica Geppert (Captain)
Ella Waugh
Jayde Collins
Sam Beresford
Brenton Schnitzerling
Jeremy Milsom
Mitch Sargood

OPEN MEN’S TEAM

Coach: Paul McGrath
Manager: Mark Paroz

Cam Shepherd (Captain)
Jacob Ross
Russell Owens
Clayton Sargood
Chris Lynas
Trent Collins
Michael Dillon

CHALLENGE CUP MEN’S TEAM

Coach: Kim Bowman
Manager: Tyson Young

Peter McGrath
John O’Neill
Damien Gould
Matt Shepherd
Allan Owens
Lachlan Hughes
Michael Hart

Reserve Men for Open Teams

Matt McAlister
Nathan Jones
Keith Logan
Chris Coleman
Jamie Sargood

OPEN LADIES TEAM

Coach: Bill Taylor
Manager: Lea-Ann Geppert

Melissa Kerr
Michelle Taylor
Katie Jolly
Trish Barlow
Sally McGrath
Stephanie Thorsby (Captain)
Amie McGuire

OPEN MIXED TEAM

Coach: Alex Hall
Manager: Shelly Taylor

John Bowling
Stewart Shepherd
Chris Franklin
Cam Taylor
Katie Grimmond
Tori Latham
Rachel Sargood
Jackie Sargood

Reserve Ladies for Open Teams

Bonita Clarke-Geddes
Abigail Vaughan
Rebecca Warner
Kylie Gould
Kerri-Lea Harris

OPEN MASTERS TEAM

Coach: Scott Sargood
Manager: Adma Sargood

Grant Olsson
Paul O’Leary
Bruce McAlister
Murray Sturgess (Captain)
Robert Copeland
Bill Kerr
Steve Collins

MIXED MASTERS TEAM

Coach: TBA
Manager: Daryl Capewell

Stewart Neal (Captain)
Morris Donnelly
Rowly Slack-Smith
Mick Beresford
Norma Pengelly
Robyn Cooper
Lauren Tindall
Lisa Johnson

Reserve Men for both Teams

John Cooper
George Cameron
Owen Lindley
Peter Johnson
Greg Owens

Reserve Ladies

Kath O’Neill
Glenys McAlister
Gail Donnelly
Kathryn Forster