Australia 2014 FIFA World Cup Squad: Player-by-Player Guide
Dan Colasimone
Socceroos coach Ange Postecoglou has announced his 30-man preliminary squad for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.   There are a few surprises, with several players plucked from relative obscurity...
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Dan Colasimone@ @ArgentinaFWContributor I

Australia 2014 FIFA World Cup Squad: Player-by-Player Guide

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Rick Rycroft/Associated Press

Socceroos coach Ange Postecoglou has announced his 30-man preliminary squad for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

There are a few surprises, with several players plucked from relative obscurity.

The manager has shown he is serious about regenerating the side, with a younger generation of players coming in at the expense of some of the veterans from previous World Cup campaigns.

Here are the 30 names that made the list.

Mathew Ryan

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Sang Tan/Associated Press

Name: Mathew Ryan

Date of Birth: 8 April, 1992

Birthplace: Sydney

Position: Goalkeeper

Caps: 5

Club: Club Brugge

Brief Bio: Coming off a brilliant season for his club side, Ryan will be favourite to start between the sticks for Australia in Brazil. The 22-year-old impressed in his A-League days for the Central Coast Mariners before making the move to Europe in 2013, where he has shown he has the makings of a top-class 'keeper.

Quick-Hit Fact: Ryan is a product of Westfield Sports High School, which has produced Australian internationals in a number of sports. Other Socceroos to have come through the ranks include Harry Kewell, Jason Culina and David Carney.

Quick-Hit Stat: He holds the record for most clean sheets in an A-League season, with 12.

Mitchell Langerak

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Sang Tan/Associated Press

Name: Mitchell Langerak

Date of Birth: 22 August, 1988

Birthplace: Emerald

Position: Goalkeeper

Caps: 3

Club: Borussia Dortmund

Brief Bio: Emerging from country Queensland, this lanky shot-stopper made a name for himself at Melbourne Victory before moving to Germany and Borussia Dortmund. He currently plays second fiddle to Roman Weidenfeller at club level but has the potential to one day be first choice at a major club.

Quick-Hit Fact: Langerak lost parts of two teeth on his European Champions League debut for Dortmund against Napoli after crashing into the post while attempting to save a Lorenzo Insigne free-kick.

Quick-Hit Stat: His senior international debut ended in a 6-0 defeat to France, while his second game between the posts for his country resulted in a 3-0 win over Canada.

Eugene Galekovic

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David Mariuz/Associated Press

Name: Eugene Galekovic

Date of Birth: 12 June, 1981

Birthplace: Melbourne

Position: Goalkeeper

Caps: 8

Club: Adelaide United

Brief Bio: Aside from a very brief spell in Portuguese football, Galekovic has played out his entire career in his homeland. In recent years he has been one of the most consistent goalkeepers in the A-League when turning out for Adelaide United, where he has obviously done enough to impress Postecoglou.

Quick-Hit Fact: Galekovic has been named A-League Goalkeeper of the Year on three occasions.

Quick-Hit Stat: He has played more than 200 games for Adelaide United.

Mark Birighitti

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Name: Mark Birighitti

Date of Birth: 17 April, 1991

Birthplace: Perth

Position: Goalkeeper

Caps: 1

Club: Newcastle Jets

Brief Bio: Though he is the most likely of the four goalkeepers in the 30-man squad to miss the final cut, Birighitti is a bright prospect who will benefit from the experience of being involved with the national team setup. The 23-year-old has appeared 45 times for the Jets since signing with them in 2012.

Quick-Hit Fact: Birighitti was once understudy to another 'keeper in the squad, Galekovic, at Adelaide United.

Quick-Hit Stat: He played 33 times for Australia's U-23 side.

Ivan Franjic

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Name: Ivan Franjic

Date of Birth: 10 September, 1987

Birthplace: Melbourne

Position: Right-back/Right-wing

Caps: 7

Club: Brisbane Roar

Brief Bio: After three years in the Victorian Premier League (VPL), Franjic moved to Brisbane to join the Roar in 2009. He has since won three A-League titles for the Queensland club. He's a versatile and tactically astute player who can fulfill a number of roles in defence and midfield.

Quick-Hit Fact: While playing in the semi-professional VPL, Franjic also worked as a carpenter.

Quick-Hit Stat: He has never been involved in a losing A-League Grand Final, sporting a three-from-three record in deciders.

Jason Davidson

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Lefteris Pitarakis/Associated Press

Name: Jason Davidson

Date of Birth: 29 June, 1991

Birthplace: Melbourne

Position: Left-back

Caps: 5

Club: Heracles Almelo

Brief Bio: Jumping straight from the Victorian Premier League to European football, Davidson played for Pacos de Ferreira in Portugal before joining his current club in the Eredivisie after a brief loan spell at Sporting Covilha. As a regular starter in Dutch football, he has a good chance of being named as Australia's first-choice left-back in Brazil.

Quick-Hit Fact: Jason is the son of Socceroo great Alan Davidson, who played 79 times for Australia.

Quick-Hit Stat: He appeared 30 times this season for Heracles in the Dutch league, scoring two goals and registering three assists.

Curtis Good

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Lefteris Pitarakis/Associated Press

Name: Curtis Good

Date of Birth: 23 March, 1993

Birthplace: Melbourne

Position: Centre-back/left-back

Caps: 1

Club: Dundee United

Brief Bio: A regular at under-age levels for the Socceroos, Good has only played once for the senior side, when he was called up by Postecoglou to face Ecuador. With Lucas Neill not making the list, he has a chance of starting at the World Cup. He debuted in the A-League for Melbourne Heart before joining Newcastle United in the English Premier League. He is currently on loan at Dundee United.

Quick-Hit Fact: Good has captained Australia at U-23 level.

Quick-Hit Stat: He signed a six-year deal with Newcastle, according to the club's official website.

Bailey Wright

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Name: Bailey Wright

Date of Birth: 28 July, 1992

Birthplace: Melbourne

Position: Centre-back

Caps: 0

Club: Preston North End

Brief Bio: One of the true surprises in the squad, Wright has been plucked from the English third tier and will be an unknown name to many Australian fans. The 21-year-old did appear three times for his country at U-17 level but has never played top division football in Australia. He was signed by Preston North End in 2009 after graduating from the Victorian Institute of Sport.

Quick-Hit Fact: Bailey was arrested in April as part of a spot-fixing investigation, though he denies any wrongdoing.

Quick-Hit Stat: He has played 44 times in the league for Preston North End this season, which may have given him the edge in Postecoglou's mind over less match-hardened prospects.

Ryan McGowan

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THANASSIS STAVRAKIS/Associated Press

Name: Ryan McGowan

Date of Birth: 15 August, 1989

Birthplace: Adelaide

Position: Defender/Midfielder

Caps: 8

Club: Shandong Luneng Taishan

Brief Bio: The strapping McGowan offers plenty of physical presence in midfield or defence. A regular for his country at underage levels, he transferred directly from the Parra Hills Knights to Scottish football and Heart of Midlothian in 2008. Following loan spells at Ayr United and Partick Thistle, McGowan moved to the Chinese Super League in 2013.

Quick-Hit Fact: McGowan was dropped by Australia's previous coach, Holger Osieck, after Australia's 6-0 loss at the hands of Brazil in September last year. He played as a makeshift right-back in that game and had a great deal of trouble containing a rampant Neymar.

Quick-Hit Stat: He represented Australia's U-20 side on 23 occasions and also earned caps for his country at U-17 and U-23 levels.

Matthew Spiranovic

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Name: Matthew Spiranovic

Date of Birth: 27 June, 1988

Birthplace: Geelong

Position: Centre-back

Caps: 17

Club: Western Sydney Wanderers

Brief Bio: One of the A-League's most accomplished defenders, the 25-year-old Spiranovic has experience in German, Japanese and Qatari football. The lanky, authoritative defender is another who has a good chance of earning a starting spot in Postecoglou's side.

Quick-Hit Fact: Spiranovic rejected an offer to play his international football for Croatia.

Quick-Hit Stat: Though an imposing aerial presence, he has only scored six times in his senior career.

Luke Wilkshire

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Name: Luke Wilkshire

Date of Birth: 2 October, 1981

Birthplace: Wollongong

Position: Right-back/Utility

Caps: 79

Club: Dynamo Moscow

Brief Bio: Wilkshire was a bolt from the blue when Guus Hiddink selected him for his 2006 World Cup squad but went on to become one of Australia's most reliable performers. Loved by subsequent coaches for his versatility, he can be used as a right-back, left-back or midfielder. He played at Middlesbrough, Bristol City and Twente before his current club.

Quick-Hit Fact: Wilkshire was playing in England's League One when Hiddink called him up for his first World Cup.

Quick-Hit Stat: He is the most capped Australian player in the 30-man squad.

Josh Brillante

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Name: Josh Brillante

Date of Birth: 25 March, 1993

Birthplace: Bundaberg

Position: Midfielder/Right-back

Caps: 1

Club: Newcastle Jets

Brief Bio: Hailing from the Queensland country town of Bundaberg, Brillante earned his A-League stripes with the ill-fated Gold Coast United franchise before joining the Jets in 2012. A star at under-age levels for Australia, the rugged, but technically proficient player could well become a Socceroos regular in the future.

Quick-Hit Fact: Brillante played his junior football for the same Bundaberg club side, Across The Waves, as fellow squad member Mitchell Langerak.

Quick-Hit Stat: Though he is blessed with a powerful long-range shot and has scored for Australia's U-20 side, Brillante is yet to find the net in the A-League.

Alex Wilkinson

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Name: Alex Wilkinson

Date of Birth: 13 August, 1984

Birthplace: Sydney

Position: Centre-back

Caps: 1

Club: Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors

Brief Bio: A former captain and long-term servant of the Central Coast Mariners in the A-League, Wilkinson moved to Jeonbuk in 2012 and has since become a regular first-team player at the South Korean club. The 29-year-old is an outsider to make the final 23-man-squad, but with a lack of depth in the centre-back position, he won't be writing off his own chances.

Quick-Hit Fact: Wilkinson won two A-League Premierships, in 2007-08 and 2011-12.

Quick-Hit Stat: He holds the appearance record for the Mariners, with 172.

Mark Bresciano

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Matt Dunham/Associated Press

Name: Mark Bresciano

Date of Birth: 11 February, 1980

Birthplace: Melbourne

Position: Midfielder

Caps: 73

Club: Al Gharafa

Brief Bio: A true Socceroos hero, Mark Bresciano is one of the few remaining members of the "Golden Generation" who has been deemed indispensable by Postecoglou. The bustling and technically gifted attacking midfielder enjoyed many successful years in Serie A with Empoli, Parma, Palermo and Lazio, and now plies his trade in Qatar. He has a habit of scoring important goals for Australia and is likely to be the side's playmaker at the World Cup.

Quick-Hit Fact: The €7 million fee outlaid by Parma to Empoli for Bresciano in 2002 was the highest paid for an Australian footballer.

Quick-Hit Stat: He scored 48 goals and made 43 assists during his 11-year stint in Italian football.

Mile Jedinak

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Rick Rycroft/Associated Press

Name: Mile Jedinak

Date of Birth: 3 August, 1984

Birthplace: Sydney

Position: Midfielder

Caps: 43

Club: Crystal Palace

Brief Bio: After representing the Central Coast Mariners in the A-League, Jedinak made his way to Turkish football, where he represented Genclerbirligi. He joined Crystal Palace in 2011 and has made more than 100 appearances for the club,; he also captains the side. The rugged defensive midfielder made his debut for the Socceroos in 2008 and was named captain for the first time for the recent friendly international against Ecuador.

Quick-Hit Fact: Jedinak played every minute of every game of the Premier League season until he went off injured in the second half of Crystal Palace's final game against Fulham.

Quick-Hit Stat: He made more tackles (133) and more interceptions (139) than any other player in the EPL in the season just completed.

Tommy Oar

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Rick Rycroft/Associated Press

Name: Tommy Oar

Date of Birth: 10 December, 1991

Birthplace: Gold Coast

Position: Left Midfield

Caps: 13

Club: Utrecht

Brief Bio: Named the A-League's Young Player of the Year in 2009-10 after a string of superb displays for the Brisbane Roar, Oar soon earned a Socceroos call-up and a move to the Eredivisie with Utrecht. The dynamic left-winger took some time to adapt to Dutch football but is now a regular starter for his side.

Quick-Hit Fact: Oar's sumptuous free-kick effort against Ecuador at the 2011 U-20 World Cup was declared the goal of the tournament.

Quick-Hit Stat: Oar made his national team bow having only played 20 A-League games for the Roar.

Matt McKay

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Tara Todras-Whitehill/Associated Press

Name: Matt McKay

Date of Birth: 11 January, 1983

Birthplace: Brisbane

Position: Midfielder/left-back

Caps: 45

Club: Brisbane Roar

Brief Bio: Another Socceroo to come through the Brisbane Roar system, McKay was one of the stars of the team that won the A-League title in 2010-11 under Postecoglou. The energetic midfielder, who can also fill in at left-back, tried his luck overseas but never enjoyed the same level of success in Scottish, South Korean or Chinese football before returning to his home town to win another championship with the Roar in 2013-14.

Quick-Hit Fact: McKay was named the Football Media Association A-League Player of the Year in 2010-11.

Quick-Hit Stat: He only has one goal to his name after 45 appearances for Australia.

Dario Vidosic

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Rick Rycroft/Associated Press

Name: Dario Vidosic

Date of Birth: 8 April, 1987

Birthplace: Osijek, Yugoslavia

Position: Midfielder

Caps: 20

Club: Sion

Brief Bio: Born in the former Yugoslavia, Vidosic moved to Australia in 1988 when his father Rado signed with the Queensland Lions. His own professional career started with the Brisbane Roar before he spent four years in German football where he had struggled to earn a starting role at his club, 1. FC Nurnberg. A return to Australia with Adelaide United in 2011 reinvigorated his career, and the skillful attacking midfielder has just completed a successful season with Sion in the Swiss league.

Quick-Hit Fact: Vidosic's father, Rado, was involved in the coaching team of the Brisbane Roar in 2003 and 2013, and is currently the assistant coach of Sydney FC.

Quick-Hit Stat: He scored six goals from midfield and made three assists in the Swiss Super League season just completed.

Mark Milligan

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Shuji Kajiyama/Associated Press

Name: Mark Milligan

Date of Birth: 4 August, 1985

Birthplace: Sydney

Position: Midfielder/Defender

Caps: 27

Club: Melbourne Victory

Brief Bio: This utility midfielder and defender should prove a useful squad member for Australia, as he can fulfill many roles in the team should the need arise. He began his A-League career with Sydney FC but currently plays for the Victory following a stint in Asian football where he turned out for Shanghai Shenhua and JEF United Chiba.

Quick-Hit Fact: Milligan was an influential member of Australia's U-23 side, the Olyroos, which he captained in 2007.

Quick-Hit Stat: The most prolific season of his career in terms of goals was the 2012-13 campaign with the Victory, in which he found the net nine times.

James Holland

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Name: James Holland

Date of Birth: 15 May, 1989

Birthplace: Newcastle

Position: Midfielder

Caps: 12

Club: Austria Vienna

Brief Bio: Holland was signed by his hometown club, the Newcastle Jets, at a young age and impressed in his few appearances in the first team. A move to the Netherlands did not prove fruitful, and after failing to break into the AZ Alkmaar first team, he was loaned to Sparta Rotterdam, where he made a handful of starts. Holland hit his straps after transferring to Austria Vienna, however, and he has taken to the field 77 times for the club.

Quick-Hit Fact: Holland has won the league in both Australia, with the Jets, and Austria, as part of his current side's impressive 2012-13 campaign, in which they broke the points record in the Austrian Bundesliga.

Quick-Hit Stat: He has European Champions League experience, having appeared in all six group games for his club last season.

Massimo Luongo

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Name: Massimo Luongo

Date of Birth: 25 September, 1992

Birthplace: Sydney

Position: Midfielder

Caps: 1

Club: Swindon Town

Brief Bio: Luongo recently signed a three-year contract with Swindon after initially moving to the club on loan from Tottenham, where he was unable to break into the first team (aside from one substitute appearance in the League Cup). The dynamic midfielder excelled in League One where he performed at a consistently high level last season.

Quick-Hit Fact: Luongo would have been eligible to represent Italy or Indonesia had he not chosen to play for Australia.

Quick-Hit Stat: He will join the Australia camp with plenty of matches under his belt, having played 53 games in all competitions for Swindon last campaign.

Tommy Rogic

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Name: Tommy Rogic

Date of Birth: 16 December, 1992

Birthplace: Griffith

Position: Midfielder

Caps: 9

Club: Celtic (on loan at Melbourne Victory)

Brief Bio: Since bursting on to the Australian football scene with a series of superb displays for the Central Coast Mariners, Rogic has been touted as a future Socceroos superstar. As yet, he has not quite lived up to that reputation, despite showing glimpses of his immense talent. A European or South American-style playmaker, the 21-year-old returned to his homeland on loan after an unsuccessful spell with Celtic, and despite an injury-disrupted season with the Victory, Postecoglou saw enough to give him his chance in the Australian squad.

Quick-Hit Fact: Rogic has also represented Australia at Futsal. He was his side's leading scorer at the 2010 AFC Futsal Championship, netting six times.

Quick-Hit Stat: He only managed 11 appearance in his year with Celtic, seven of them off the bench.

Oliver Bozanic

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Name: Oliver Bozanic

Date of Birth: 8 January, 1989

Birthplace: Sydney

Position: Midfielder

Caps: 2

Club: Luzern

Brief Bio: Bozanic was involved with the Reading U-18 and reserve sides, and after several loan spells at lower-division English clubs, he transferred to the Central Coast Mariners, where he was involved in the club's 2011-12 Premiership and 2012-13 Championship wins. A move to Swiss club Luzern in 2013 also proved successful. Originally a holding midfielder, the 25-year-old has flourished in a more advanced role during his time in Switzerland.

Quick-Hit Fact: Bozanic captained Australia's Olympic side in their failed attempt to qualify for London 2012.

Quick-Hit Stat: He scored five goals for Luzern in the Swiss Super League last season, the highest tally of his professional career so far.

Adam Sarota

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Name: Adam Sarota

Date of Birth: 28 December, 1988

Birthplace: Gordonvale

Position: Midfielder

Caps: 3

Club: Utrecht

Brief Bio: Along with Brisbane Roar teammates Tommy Oar and Michael Zullo, Sarota transferred to Utrecht in April 2010. Despite undergoing a knee reconstruction in early 2013, the nimble-footed midfielder battled his way back to match fitness at club level and is now reaping the rewards by winning a spot in Australia's 30-man squad.

Quick-Hit Fact: Sarota's father, Tony, was born in Poland, so Adam would have had the option of playing for that country if he had wished.

James Troisi

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Tim Cahill

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Rick Rycroft/Associated Press

Name: Tim Cahill

Date of Birth: 6 December, 1979

Birthplace: Sydney

Position: Forward/Midfielder

Caps: 67

Club: New York Red Bulls

Brief Bio: The scrapping, goalscoring talisman of the Australian team, Cahill has extended his career nicely by opting to move to the MLS after a long stay in England. The 34-year-old made a name for himself at Millwall, then became a Premier League stalwart at Everton, where he played for eight years and scored 68 goals. Famous for his aerial ability, Cahill has been used as a forward in the Australia setup in recent years, rather than a midfielder.

Quick-Hit Fact: Cahill had to battle with FIFA for four years for the right to play for Australia, after he appeared in two games for Western Samoa in an U-20 tournament as a 14-year-old.

Quick-Hit Stat: He is the all-time top scorer for the Socceroos, with 31 strikes to his name.

Mathew Leckie

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Lefteris Pitarakis/Associated Press

Name: Mathew Leckie

Date of Birth: 4 February, 1991

Birthplace: Melbourne

Position: Forward/Winger

Caps: 6

Club: FC Ingolstadt 04

Brief Bio: Blessed with electric pace and and good close control, Leckie is a useful option for Postecoglou up front or on the flank. A former Adelaide United player, the 23-year-old is coming off an excellent season with FSV Frankfurt in the German second division (he will join Ingolstadt in 2.Bundesliga after the World Cup); something that should put him high in the pecking order of attackers in the Australian squad.

Quick-Hit Fact: Leckie has signed a three-year contract with Ingolstadt, with the transfer fee believed to be around €750,000, according to Ben Somerford of FourFourTwo.

Quick-Hit Stat: He played 31 games and scored 10 goals for Frankfurt last season, making nine assists.

Josh Kennedy

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Sang Tan/Associated Press

Name: Joshua Kennedy

Date of Birth: 20 August, 1982

Birthplace: Wodonga

Position: Forward

Caps: 35

Club: Nagoya Grampus

Brief Bio: Gangling striker Kennedy has proven an effective option up front for Australia on numerous occasions, especially when the match situation calls for a big target man in the box. Even though Postecoglou prefers his sides to play on the deck, his selection of the veteran front man will give the side an extra dimension going forward. He only played briefly in top division football in his home country before heading to German football, where he remained for nine years, playing for various clubs. He has now played more than 100 games for current club Nagoya Grampus in Japan.

Quick-Hit Fact: Though he now sports a shorter cut, a long-haired Kennedy once earned the nickname "Jesus."

Quick-Hit Stat: He has scored an impressive 17 goals in 33 games for Australia, including the crucial winner against Iraq in the final qualifying match which ensured the side's passage to Brazil.

Ben Halloran

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Name: Ben Halloran

Date of Birth: 14 June, 1992

Birthplace: Cairns

Position: Wing/Forward

Caps: 6

Club: Fortuna Dusseldorf

Brief Bio: A product of the Queensland Academy of Sport (QAS), Halloran debuted in the A-League for the now-defunct Gold Coast United before moving to the Brisbane Roar. The speedy wide-man impressed in the 2012-13 season and earned a move to Germany with Fortuna. Regular football in the German second division was surely a selling point for Postecoglou.

Quick-Hit Fact: Another speedy winger in the squad, Tommy Oar, played alongside Halloran as a teenager at the QAS.

Quick-Hit Stat: He made 18 appearances in the league for his club side in the season just completed, scoring six goals.

Adam Taggart

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Name: Adam Taggart

Date of Birth: 2 June, 1993

Birthplace: Perth

Position: Forward

Caps: 4

Club: Newcastle Jets

Brief Bio: Something of a surprise entry in Postecoglou's list, Taggart won his place thanks to an excellent season with the Jets. The young striker shows a natural awareness around the box and has an eye for goal. If he doesn't make the final cut for the World Cup, he will surely be in the coach's future plans.

Quick-Hit Fact: At 20, Taggart is the youngest member of the 30-man Socceroos preliminary squad.

Quick-Hit Stat: Despite his side finishing seventh in a competition with 10 teams, he top-scored in the last A-League campaign with 16 goals.

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