ADELAIDE United’s stellar A-League season has been rewarded with two key stars chosen for Ange Postecoglou’s squad to face England on Saturday 28 May (AEST) after impressing with their ability to handle the cauldron of finals football.

Stefan Mauk’s extraordinary second-half of the A-League season, after moving from Melbourne City to Adelaide United, has seen him catapulted into Socceroos midfield reckoning.

The squad announcement caps a huge week for Craig Goodwin as well, with the left-sided flyer earning his first call-up since 2013, off the back of confirming a transfer to Dutch club Sparta Rotterdam for next season.

The A-League’s top Australian striker, Jamie Maclaren, is also likely to get a call-up to the international stage as well.

After the announcement, Postecoglou revealed that he felt that the nature of a finals series, with sudden death football, was a good guide as to a player’s temperament on the big stage.

“The finals set-up in Australia gives a good indication of guys who can handle knockout football,” Postecoglou said.

“Both Craig and Stefan performed really well. It’s a reflection of their strong form this year. Overall, you can get some opportunities in this game because of guys unavailable because of the FIFA dates.”

He added that he has tracked Mauk, 20, for a “long time” given his involvement in the Olyroos set-up.

“Even when he first came on the scene he performed strongly as a young guy … and he finished the season strongly in Adelaide.

“He’s fairly versatile in midfield, he’s one we want to look at.”

Postecoglou continued: “I’m also mindful that we don’t just lock into a certain group of players. In terms of the way we want to play our football I want to look at players who are versatile through those midfield areas.

“It will be interesting to see how he lines up at this point of his career against the likes of Luongo, Rogic, Mooy, McKay.”

While he has no injury concerns to mull over, the first clash with England since 2003 is not on an international FIFA date. With Asian leagues in full swing, clubs do not have to release the likes of Socceroos regulars Tim Cahill, Trent Sainsbury, Nathan Burns and Matthew Spiranovic for the clash. Those players will become available for the double header with Greece in Sydney and Melbourne in June.

It means the door opens for a number of fringe Socceroos to get a chance to impress Postecoglou in camp for the game against England, who will be preparing for the European Championship finals in France. That list will include a number of A-League stars who will be considered for selection, despite the date with Roy Hodgson’s side coming some six weeks since many will have last played a competitive game.

Craig Goodwin with his Aurelio Vidmar Medal. Source: News Corp Australia

The selection of Mauk and Goodwin alongside Bradden Inman is not just a huge nod of approval for the A-League premiership and championship winner, but a fillip for football in South Australia, with both hailing from Adelaide.

Ryan McGowan is the state’s other prominent Socceroo, while Asian Cup final goal scorer James Troisi is another.

Mauk, 20, was a revelation for Gui Amor in midfield when he moved to Coopers Stadium, making 11 starts in Adelaide’s unstoppable run to the grand final.

Mauk, is a hard working midfielder with a great passing range and engine, qualities which prompted his former Melbourne Heart teammate and Socceroos legend Harry Kewell to say he reminds him of “a young Francesco Totti”.

Goodwin, who was capped by Holder Osieck at the 2013 East Asian Cup, has worked his way back into contention and adds another valuable left-sided option to Postecoglou’s mix. He can play either at left-back or further forward.

Stefan Mauk with his Rising Star award. Source: Getty Images

The 24-year-old, who started at the Munno Para City club, won the club’s Aurelio Vidmar Club Champion award this season. He has taken a circuitous route, having been overlooked for Adelaide’s youth team, before playing for Heart and Newcastle Jets before returning to the Reds, where he has now made his mark.

It’s an extraordinary opportunity for Mauk, Goodwin, Maclaren and the other fringe Roos, who will take on an England side in the midst of a three-game warm-up series of games to mimic their Euro 2016 group stage.

The game against Australia is sandwiched in between a date with Turkey in Manchester and Portugal at Wembley.

Hodgson is set to announce his 23-man Euros squad on Monday, plus six standby players, well ahead of the May 31 deadline required by UEFA.

With the likes of Harry Kane, Jamie Vardy, Daniel Sturridge and Wayne Rooney set to spearhead England’s attack, ahead of a line-up full of Premier League stars familiar to Australian audiences, the friendly shapes as an outstanding shop window for the Socceroos.

It has been reported that the likes of Jack Wilshere, on the return from long-term injury, and Dele Alli and Eric Dier, Tottenham youngsters tipped to play a role for the Three Lions, will be auditioning for starting spots during this friendly series.