"SO excited" - it only took those two words to sum up the excitement of Bathurst soccer talent Cushla Rue as she embarked on the biggest moment of her playing career thus far.
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On Friday not long after it was revealed Rue was part of Australia's under 23s team that will contest the ASEAN Football Federation Women's Championship, the Bathurst talent boarded a plane to Manilla.
It is the second time Rue has gone on tour with an Australian team, having been part of a two-match series against the Junior Football Ferns in New Zealand last month as part of the Young Matildas.
But those games were trial matches.
From Monday in Manilla Rue will be part of her first international tournament, with Australia to face the Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore and Malaysia in the group stage of the tournament.
It was Melissa Andreatta, the assistant Matildas coach and the mentor who is guiding the Australian under 23s, who let Rue know she'd made the cut for the AFF tournament.
"She had the assistant Matildas coach ring her to let her know she was in, Andreatta is running this squad ... she liked that," Cushla Rue's father James said.
"It's pretty good for her, she wanted to get there too, so she was happy to get in.
"There's a carrot there, she's in the mix and that just keeps pushing her along."
It is a very young 28-player squad which has been selected, with Rue one of 15 Young Matildas who were included.
But given she only earned her first national cap in April, it shows just how far Rue has come in a short period of time. It also reflects her commitment to her game, the young talent training five-six times a week.
Andreatta said that Rue and her team-mates are "are some of our brightest young prospects in Australian football".
"They have shown qualities that we'd like to see tested at the next level and potentially identify a player for the FIFA Women's World Cup Australia and New Zealand 2023," she said.
"Tournaments like this I think are crucial in continued the development of footballers gaining invaluable knowledge of playing in tournament mode against top nations.
"There's a lot that gets me excited about this group and their quality. These players have shown some unique qualities that we think could add to what we already have and create more depth and competition in the extended Matildas squad.
"I'm eager to see these players take this opportunity with both hands and really test themselves against the best in South-East Asia."
Though she started out as an attacking player, Rue has now transitioned to a defensive role.
"She's enjoying the physicality of it, I think the Wellington Phoenix taught her a bit of that over the A-League season," James Rue said.
As one of 10 defenders named in the squad, Rue and her family will be crossing their fingers she gets to see good minutes as the tournament unfolds.
"They play five games in their draw, they play every two games and on synthetic too so that might knock them around," her father said.
"So they'll be using most of the squad we believe, but who knows?"
The Australians begin their campaign at 9pm (AEST) against the Philippines at Bian Football Stadium.
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