Bathurst City star Mardi Watts and her Souths counterpart Claire McGarity have both been selected to represent their state at the championships where they can further press their claims for even higher honours.

The pair will be joined by former Souths player Tamsin Lee, who has just completed her first season with the NSW Arrows in the senior Australian Hockey League competition.

Another Bathurst player in Molly Bright had been selected in the initial squad, but she was forced to withdraw due to a knee injury that kept her off the training paddock, while Jess Hotham was named as a shadow player for the squad.

The side will contest the tournament from April 14 to 25 and the girls are hoping they can acquit themselves well.

“This is my first time in that particular side – I didn’t really expect to be picked,” Watts explained.

“I have played with a few of those girls in the Sydney competition – it is a pretty young side this year.”

At just 18 Watts and McGarity will come up against plenty of older and more experienced rivals, but both have played a lot of hockey at representative level and have shown in the past that they are up to the task regardless of the opposition.

“I certainly wasn’t expecting it, I wasn’t in the squad to start with but I was invited to try out,” McGarity said.

“The 21s is a pretty high level.

“NSW finished fourth last year so obviously we’ll be trying to do a little bit better – there is a junior world cup squad which will be selected but I’m not playing for high selection so much, I just want to play the best I can.”

After being picked for the 21s squad, it was almost a foregone conclusion that the pair would be involved in the state under 18s side which will play their own national championship in Canberra starting on June 30.

Bright will get her chance to represent the state as she is back to full fitness, while Tamsin Lee’s younger sister Rebecca was also added to the line-up.

“It was very disappointing to miss out on the 21s championships but I had some problems with my knee ligaments and cartilage damage, though it is better now,” Bright said.

“Instead I will try and put my focus on local Premier League and my HSC as well I guess.”

Lee was understandably excited to be picked in the under 18s team after a number of years trying to crack the side.

“I’ve been trying out for this team since I was 14 so I’ve become a bit used to getting rejected,” Lee joked.

“It’s four times lucky now though. I played at the half-state carnival and didn’t get picked from there so I was actually a bit shocked to be named, I didn’t expect it in the slightest.

“I’m very excited about it. Tamsin has been going really well for NSW so that’s given me something to aspire to.”