Who are the 18 best under-23 players in the A-League? What's Kayla Morrison planning after the W-League Grand Final? Why do the Nix deserve a round of applause? What battles has Seb Pasquali been fighting? Is Steven Ugarkovic actually any good? All that and more, in this week's ESPN Australian Football Wrap.
Arnie's Ozzy 18
On Tuesday, the organisers of the Maurice Revello Tournament -- one of the most prestigious youth football tournaments in the world -- confirmed the Olyroos were one of 10 sides that would take part in this year's iteration. Chile, Denmark, France, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Japan, Mexico, Qatar and Romania also accepted berths, with two other federations remaining in negotiations.
Staged from May 30 to June 13 -- meaning that A-League players selected will miss finals -- the tournament will serve as preparation for Australia's tilt at Olympic glory.
Dual Socceroos/Olyroos coach Graham Arnold has been characteristically bombastic about targeting medals in Tokyo, hence his squad is likely to be loaded with the best combination of foreign and domestic-based talent available; capped Socceroos such as Thomas Deng, Harry Souttar and even Daniel Arzani are all options.
But who would get the nod in a hypothetical event that only A-League-based youngsters are selected -- perhaps as a treat for helping produce such a highly entertaining season?
With just 18 slots available, and the nature of tournament play demanding squads can rotate and recover quickly, versatility and adaptability will be in significant demand. So too, will be regular game time, some semblance of form to enable players to hit the ground running, and prior experience in the national setup.
Goalkeepers: Tom Glover, Daniel Margush.
Two easy selections to start with; incumbent first-choice Glover and Margush are both playing regular minutes for their clubs, and have history in the Olyroos' setup.
Dark Horse: James Delianov.
Defenders: Kye Rowles, Connor O'Toole, Tass Mourdoukoutas, Josh Laws, Tate Russell, Ryan Strain.
Centre-back depth is a clear issue in a domestically based squad, with Mourdoukoutas battling injury this season and Laws in and out of the Wellington Phoenix lineup. Both, nonetheless, have Olyroos experience, while Kye Rowles' strong season has him in contention to start next to Deng in Tokyo.
O'Toole helped Australia to qualify for Tokyo and, alongside Russell, brings versatility and regular minutes to the squad. Strain has also played regularly, and Arnold has spoken of his desire to further incorporate him into the Olyroos setup.
Dark Horse: Nathaniel Atkinson (if fit).
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Midfielders: Conor Metcalfe, Denis Genreau, Cameron Devlin, Daniel De Silva, Ramy Najjarine, Reno Piscopo.
Midfield, unquestionably, is the strongest positional group of a domestically based side. De Silva, Najjarine, Piscopo and Genreau all possess the tools to play through any side Australia may face in Tokyo -- with Genreau also able to play deeper if needed. Metcalfe is experiencing a breakout season with Melbourne City, and Devlin brings the work rate, desire and bit of niggle that any side needs in a tournament.
Dark Horse: Keanu Baccus.
Forwards: Dylan Wenzel-Halls, Nick D'Agostino, Alou Kuol.
Assuming he can keep this form up, Kuol's ability to serve as a weapon off the pine is a prospect that Arnold will struggle to resist. D'Agostino and Wenzel-Halls have each slowed after a red-hot start to the season, but Arnold has spoken openly of his belief and admiration of the two in the past.
Dark Horse: Carlo Armiento.
Utility: Dylan Pierias.
Pierias earns a spot thanks to his form, regular minutes under Mark Rudan and, most of all, versatility. Able to play wing-back, winger and even as a striker, the 21-year-old can plug a variety of holes as well as serve as a lethal weapon off the bench.
Rock Chalk, Jayhawk
Regardless of the result, Sunday's W-League Grand Final represents the culmination of a remarkable year for Kayla Morrison.
Joining Victorian NPLW side FC Bulleen Lions ahead of the 2018 season, the now 24-year-old quickly established herself as one of the best players outside the W-League -- winning a championship and back-to-back Media Player of the Year awards.
Her status as a foreign player, however, meant she was forced to bide her time until the unique circumstances of 2020-21 finally opened the door to the Dub.
She's taken her chance with aplomb, and her standout play for Melbourne Victory was recognised by her peers on Friday with a place in the PFA's Team of the Season
#TeamOfTheSeason @thepfa has announced the @WLeague Team of the Season ahead of Sunday's blockbuster 'Big Blue' Grand Final!