Vote: Which fresh faces should be included in the Caltex Socceroos squad?

Bert van Marwijk’s first Caltex Socceroos squad created a stir with a number of bolters named ahead of this month’s friendlies against Norway and Colombia.

Hyundai A-League stars Dimi Petratos and Andrew Nabbout earned maiden selections, while forgotten shot-stopper Brad Jones secured a long-awaited call-up after four years away from the national team.

But with van Marwijk set to trim the initial 29-man squad, a number of the fresh faces in the squad could miss out on the matches in Oslo and London respectively.

So which players should survive the cut and be given a chance to impress?

Read about the six ‘bolters’ in the squad below and vote for who you think should be named in the final squad for the games against Norway and Colombia.

Andrew Nabbout

The star attacker has been in irresistible form this season and his displays earned him a big-money move to J-League club Urawa Red Diamonds earlier this month.

A series of eye-catching performances and wonderful strikes, including a goal-of-the-season contender against Western Sydney, have thrust Nabbout into the limelight and almost demanded inclusion in van Marwijk’s plans.

nabbout

 

Dimi Petratos

Nabbout may have grabbed many of the headlines, but his Jets team-mate has been just as impressive in Newcastle’s stellar season.

Second only to Nabbout in the goalscoring stakes this season with nine goals, the former Sydney FC and Brisbane Roar attacker (and new dad) may just cap a superb Hyundai A-League campaign with a plane ticket to Russia.

Dimitri Petratos

 

Josh Brillante

The Sydney FC midfielder has been the model of consistency in the past two seasons, anchoring the Sky Blues’ record-breaking campaigns.

The combative 24-year old earned the last of his five Caltex Socceroos caps in October 2014 but his performances in the Hyundai A-League have seen the drums beating for an international recall.

Josh Brillante

 

Aleksandar Susnjar

The uncapped and practically unknown defender is the real bolter on the 29-man roster and could receive his first senior international call-up.

22-year-old Susnjar, who plays for FK Mlada Boleslav in Czech Republic, impressed in the heart of defence for Australia at January’s 2018 AFC U-23 Championship in China.

Aleksandar Susnjar

 

Brad Jones

The Feyenoord Rotterdam custodian is back in the Caltex Socceroos mix and in line for his first cap since a 30-minute cameo against Ecuador in 2014.

Now 35, the former Liverpool stopper has been in superb form in the Netherlands, helping Feyenoord to their first Eredivisie title in 18 years last season, keeping 17 clean sheets.

Brad Jones

 

James Meredith

Buoyed by the arrival of Caltex Socceroos legend Tim Cahill at Millwall, the inclusion of the 29-year-old defender means he’ll join his club-mate in the Caltex Socceroos fold.

Practically an ever-present for the Lions in the Championship this season after his move from Bradford, he’ll look to add to the two caps he earned in the early stages of 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification against Bangladesh and Kyrgyzstan.

James Meredith