The Wagga City Wanderers goalkeeper used it as a spur to improve, and the 16-year-old has been rewarded by being one of three Wagga players to be chosen in a Young Matildas elite match in Sydney on Wednesday night.

Harden's Emms and Albury duo Ava Tuksar and Piper Lockley will play in the match, where 29 players will vie for selection to go into Young Matildas camp.

In the past Emms would leave Harden at 5am to complete a session with Wanderers goalkeeping coach Liam Dedini, before returning home for school.

Dedini didn't choose her for the under-12 Riverina team, but ever since has been influential in getting Emms onto the periphery of the Young Matildas.

"I used to do a 7am session every Thursday morning before school, then go back and be half an hour late. It's all been worth it and I've been very lucky to have Liam around," she said.

"(He's taught me) pretty much everything I know. When I was in under-12s he was the goalkeeper selector and he cut me from the Riverina team, but I took it as motivation.

"From then on he wanted to train me and taught me all the techniques I needed to know.

"I'm not the type to get nervous, but I'm sure some nerves will come up come Wednesday morning."

Attacking midfielder Lockley, 16, said it was a pleasant surprise when told she'd feature in Wednesday's game at Valentine Sports Park in Glenwood.

"Usually Young Matildas selections comes from national tournaments and the last one I played in was 2019, so it was a bit of a shock when I got the email," she said.

"It's very nerve wracking but a great opportunity. I just want to treat it as a normal game and let the feet do the talking.

"I've learned a lot about commitment (at Wanderers), it's a big job but there's rewards at the end of it.

"We've got a few older players you learn off and it's pretty beneficial."

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Defender Tuksar, 17, said she hopes to learn as much as possible from coming up against Australia's best under-20 players.

"Being so young, I'll just take it as a good opportunity and try and learn out of it," she said.

"When Sam (Gray, Wanderers women's coach) and my dad told me I was shocked but excited, it's such a good opportunity."

"It definitely makes it (trips to Wagga for matches and training) worthwhile."

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