Australia bowler Nicola Carey has made the bold call to knock back a national contract in a bid to rejuvenate her game and launch a fresh assault on international cricket.
Carey was a notable absentee from Australia's women's contract list on Wednesday, with Kim Garth, Heather Graham and Phoebe Litchfield the new faces.
Litchfield's ascent to the 17-player list comes as she prepares for her first Ashes tour, with the NSW batter considered one of the future stars of the game.
Grace Harris has also been placed on the full-time list at the start of the year for the first time, having been automatically added during the last 12-month period after playing 20 games.
But it is Carey's absence that is most significant, after she was initially one of 18 players offered contracts.
The seam bowler last played for Australia in December 2022 and was left out of the squad for this year's Twenty20 World Cup after being a fringe player in recent years.
She has since declined the opportunity to tour England as part of an Australia A squad running alongside the Ashes, and has now knocked back a contract to join national camps.
Instead, she wants to have a full pre-season in Tasmania in a bid to have a big domestic season next summer and force her way back into Australia's best XI.
Carey's decision will come at a significant financial cost, given the drop in contract value between national and state level.
"She has been around the squad for while, but hasn't played lots of games," chief selector Shawn Flegler said.
"She wanted to focus on having a really good pre-season for Tasmania. She felt like that would be the best avenue for her to work on some things.
"She certainly hasn't ruled out playing for Australia again, she has made it very clear she wants to play for Australia.
"But at this point of time in her career, she feels like staying in Tassie and working with that squad will give her the opportunity to play for Australia again."
Amanda-Jade Wellington and Sophie Molineux are the other notables player to miss out, with Rachael Haynes dropping off the list following her retirement.
NATIONALLY CONTRACTED WOMEN'S PLAYERS:
Darcie Brown, Ashleigh Gardner, Kim Garth, Heather Graham, Grace Harris, Alyssa Healy, Jessica Jonassen, Alana King, Meg Lanning, Phoebe Litchfield, Tahlia McGrath, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Tayla Vlaeminck, Georgia Wareham.
