Canberra United coach Jitka Klimkova hopes injecting young and local talent into her squad will boost the team as it chases a second W-League title this season.
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Klimkova has finalised her roster for United's title defence with five Canberra players filling the last five spots available.
The Canberra Times can reveal Christine Walters and Sally Rojahn will return after being in the squad last year while Grace Field, Catherine Brown and Sammy Wood have been given an opportunity to shine.
Walters had limited involvement in the undefeated campaign last year after she was hit with injury.
Rojahn was in the squad, but the team was performing so well that she was unable to break into the rotation.
But Klimkova has high hopes all five will be in contention for regular duties when the season begins in three weeks.
''I thought I would have had the squad finalised a bit earlier after the trials, but to be honest it was so tough that I had to see the girls again at a training session,'' Klimkova said.
''But I'm sure we picked the best of them. The best thing is they're all from Canberra, they're young girls and it shows it's great for the future of Canberra United as well.
''I wanted to see Chrissy again because she was injured [last season] and Sally didn't get any minutes … but at the trials they were two of the best.''
Canberra connections played a big part in the final five contracts.
If players were equal on ability, Klimkova opted for those who lived in the capital and played in the first grade competition. Field, Brown and Wood all play in Canberra.
Field and Brown flew to Adelaide last month to trial with South Australia's W-League team after being invited by the coach.
However, they both decided to take a chance to trial with United and have been rewarded with a spot in a championship-winning roster.
Field broke on to the W-League stage as a teenager for the 2010-11 season as part of Ray Junna's team. But she opted against backing up last season to instead focus on school.
Field is one of six United players in the Young Matildas training squad and Klimkova hopes her W-League experience will help her progress through the international ranks.
''Grace [Field] has showed me how 100 per cent committed she is,'' Klimkova said.
''She wants to learn and she wants to be better and that's exactly what we need in this team - talented players and give them a chance.
''They will prepare themselves for the W-League and the national team and I'm sure it can be helpful for Australia as well that we've picked the young girls for the squad.
''We want to play great, attractive and attacking football … that's the way we want to go but there's no pressure that we have to win [the title], but we want to win it.''
United's W-League campaign will begin with a grand final re-match against Brisbane Roar at McKellar Park on October 20.