She may only be 25 years old, but Grace Stewart is a self-professed "old girl" in the Hockeyroos side.
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Australian head coach Katrina Powell on Monday finalised her 22-women squad for the 2023 calendar, which features a couple of uncapped new talents.
Stewart, who has now played more than 100 international games, was already named in the initial Hockeyroos' squad last December.
With some new players joining the squad, the Gerringong forward said "I'm definitely starting to feel old - but in a good way".
"I feel like it's helping my hockey because I'm more experienced and ready for what's going to come at me," Stewart told the Mercury.
"The step up from state and national hockey to the international level is such a big jump, and I think it took me a few years to really make that jump and be able to play consistently. Being exposed to it more gives you more opportunity to learn and grow."
The latest squad announcement comes in a big week for the Hockeyroos.
Close to 40 athletes - including Albion Park's Maddison Smith - have taken part in a selection camp in Sydney, which included contesting a series of intra-squad matches.
While Smith didn't make the 2023 national squad, she did catch the eye of Powell. The defender and goalkeeper Zoe Newman were included in the Hockeyroos team to face China and Germany in a FIH Pro League mini tournament, beginning on Friday in Sydney.
Earlier this week, Powell said the pair "deserved their chance" and it was a great chance to expose them to international hockey.
Stewart added that it was a great opportunity for Smith to impress.
"We're going to have girls like Maddy making their debut, which is very exciting. And for them to do that in Australia is even more special," she said.
"But these are two strong opponents. We played Germany last year in the World Cup bronze medal match, and beat them 2-1 in a very tough game. And China are always difficult to play against and their now coached by Alyson Annan, who was one of Australia's best ever players. So I assume they will come out red hot."
The tournament is also set to be a special occasion for the Hockeyroos, who will play their first game on Australian soil in three years.
The ongoing impact of COVID meant the Aussies spent plenty of time overseas.
"It's super exciting to be back playing in Australia, especially for me, coming from NSW. I'll hopefully have my family, and hopefully some friends will come up as well. It's always really nice to play in front of them," Stewart said.
"It has been really tough. It's been sad for hockey in Australia to not be able to play and have that exposure, and it's also been difficult for us in terms of us getting better and in preparations for big tournaments. We haven't had access to games against some quality opposition.
"These upcoming games are really important. At the end of this year, we have qualification for the (2024) Olympics. So while we don't have a World Cup or Olympics this year, we do have to qualify, which is just about as stressful as the real deal."
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Joshua Bartlett
A sporting fanatic who is keen to promote all codes in the Illawarra and abroad. Mercury's chief football reporter.
A sporting fanatic who is keen to promote all codes in the Illawarra and abroad. Mercury's chief football reporter.
