MELBOURNE has announced its 24-player squad for the AFL Women’s Exhibition Game against Queensland at the MCG on Sunday 22 May.

The squad is comprised of 22 Victorians and two Northern Territorians, with 17 of the former retained on Melbourne’s list from the game against the Western Bulldogs earlier in the season.

With 11 Victorian teams represented in the squad, community manager Debbie Lee said the team showcased the state’s ever-increasing talent pool.

“The nice thing is we’ve got players from a cross-section of teams from across Victoria – there are 11 sides that have been represented in the team,” Lee told melbournefc.com.au

“We’re looking forward to providing some of Victoria’s best footballers with an elite experience.

“We have taken this approach with a view to continuing to develop women’s football, while also building a strong and highly competitive team for the game against Brisbane.”

Among Melbourne’s new recruits is dual sports athlete Jessica Cameron.

Having previously made her name as a cricketer for both Victoria and Australia, this football season saw Cameron join VFL Women’s team Diamond Creek.

A dynamic forward, Cameron’s strengths lie in her marking and goal kicking ability on both feet.

Also joining Melbourne’s ranks is elusive small forward Ainslie Kemp.

An All Australian in the 2015 Youth Girls Championships, Kemp prides herself on her speed and overhead marking.

Adding experience to Melbourne’s back line is St Kilda Sharks captain Penny Cula-Reid while Seaford youngster Jess Hosking will provide extra grunt around the stoppages.

A good news story is Cecilia McIntosh’s return to the Melbourne lineup.

McIntosh, a hard-running defender/midfielder, was selected in Melbourne’s 2015 squad but tore her anterior cruciate ligament in the opening minutes of the first game against the Western Bulldogs.

Having made her return to senior football with Melbourne University earlier this year, McIntosh’s selection is a reward for her work in rehabilitating from her injury.

Meanwhile Angela Foley and Amy Chittick will travel down from the Northern Territory to join the squad for the game against Brisbane.

Lee said there was a focus on compiling a list with the ideal mix of young talent and more mature players.

“We’ve added some more experience to the team in Penny Cula-Reid, who’s been a state representative player and is the current captain of a state league team,” Lee said.

“Cecilia McIntosh is another highly experienced player who adds plenty of football smarts and composure to our line-up.

“We’ve gone with a mix of young and old players – Ainslie Kemp is a talented young forward while Jess Hosking is another youngster who will bring us that grunt and intensity around the contest.”

The AFL Women’s Exhibition Game kicks off at 10.05am, ahead of the men’s game against Brisbane Lions at 1.10pm.

Watch both games for $15 by purchasing your general admission ticket by Thursday 12 May at http://melbournefc.com.au/tickets

Melbourne Squad v Brisbane