Australia Women's National Association Football Team - History

History

The first Australian women's national team was formed in 1978, four years after the Australian Women’s Soccer Association, to play in the inaugural World Women’s Invitational Tournament, in Taipei, Taiwan. The team was made up primarily of players from New South Wales and Western Australia. Australia was the only national team at the tournament, thus none of the matches were counted as official caps. Coached by Jim Selby, the players that year were: Sandra Brentnall (WA), Connie Byrnes (captain, NSW), Julie Clayton (WA), Kim Coates (NSW), Julie Dolan (NSW), Cindy Heydon (NSW), Barbara Kozak (WA), Sharon Loveless (WA), Toni McMahon (NSW), Sue Monteath (QLD), Sharon Pearson (NSW), Judy Pettitt (WA), Anna Senjuschenko (WA), Teresa Varadi (WA), Leigh Wardell (NSW), Monika Werner (VIC).

Early matches for the team were generally against New Zealand as one of the better organised nations in the region. It would appear that Australia's first "official" international match was against New Zealand at Seymour Shaw Park, Miranda, New South Wales, Australia on Saturday 6 October 1979, as it was billed as "1st Australian Womens International Soccer Test". The Australian team shown on the programme was Sue Monteith (Qld), Shona Bass (Vic), Kim Coates (Vic), Dianna Hall (SA), Carla Grims (SA), Fiana McKenzie (SA), Sandra Brentnall (WA), Judith Pettit (WA), Sharon Mateljan (WA), Julie Clayton (WA), Cindy Heydon (NSW), Julie Dolan (NSW), Toni McMahon (NSW), Jamie Rosman (NSW), Rosie van Bruinessen (NSW), Leigh Wardell (NSW), Coach was James Selby and the managers were Noelene Stanley and Elaine Watson. Australia played in the first Oceania Cup in 1983, losing the final to New Zealand in extra time. The 1986 tournament in New Zealand was only three teams: Australia, New Zealand and Taiwan, Australia again losing in the final.