Northland Women's coach Alan Lints has rejigged the initial 12-strong team to contest this year's National Hockey League, which starts in late July.
A squad of 12 had to be submitted to Hockey New Zealand last week, and Northland's 12 included Australian import strikers Emma Cobbin and Jess Esslemont.
But at the
last minute, Lints was informed the two New South Wales Institute of Sport members had not received clearance from Australia last week, as they were still playing in the Australian Hockey League.
"It is a formality however, to be safe we named two goal keepers, Nicky Howes and Nicky Matthews with Emma and Jess being named later on," Lints said.
Lints has been running a squad of 22 players all fighting for a position in the final team of 18, which will be named during the first week of July.
The Northland women have a trial game in Whangarei at Rosvall ITM Hockey Stadium tomorrow , against North Harbour, getting under way at 12pm.
"It will be an out-and-out trial. One defender and one striker will miss out of the current squad. With eight players out this weekend (six Black Sticks and the two Australian imports) this gives everybody the chance to step up," Lints said.
Charlotte Harrison, Laura Douglas, Anna Thorpe, Alana Millington, Ella Gunson and Stacey Michelsen are out fulfilling national duties, preparing for the Black Sticks' Champions Trophy campaign in Amsterdam on June 26, and seven build-up matches prior to the tournament in Germany.
Meanwhile, Black Sticks development players Jasmin McQuinn and Carli Michelsen both travelled up from their North Harbour base to train with the Northland squad this week.
"They are in great form and will be a real asset to the team ... " Lints said.
NHL Northland Women: (Initial 12, revised) Charlotte Harrison, Laura Douglas, Anna Thorpe, Jasmin McQuinn, Alana Millington, Ella Gunson, Carli Michelsen, Stacey Michelsen, Elley Miller, Tarannah Vette, Nicky Howes and Nicky Matthews.
