2023 Queensland Reds Academy players named

The region’s brightest rugby stars are stepping on to the big stage as part of the Queensland Reds squad named ahead of the 2023 season.

Wide Bay rugby union stars Aleena Greenhalgh, Caitlin Urwin and Sarah Lewis have been named to the 2023 Queensland Reds Academy Squad ahead of the Buildcorp Super W season.

Three of the Wide Bay’s rugby union stars are stepping onto the next big stage named as part of the 2023 Queensland Reds Academy Squad.

Gympie’s Caitlin Urwin, Bundaberg’s Aleena Greenhalgh, and Hervey Bay’s Sarah Lewis have been revealed among the 41 women selected to the squad which has started training at Ballymore ahead of the Buildcorp Super W season.

Urwin, who was captain of the Gympie Hammers women’s team in 2018 and was named Best and Fairest, left a mark in the region’s rugby league scene too.

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She was selected for the Gympie Devils squad in 2019, her first season in the sport.

Former Gympie Hammers captain and award winner Caitlin Urwin has been named to the 41-strong Queensland Reds Academy Squad.

Greenhalgh learned the sport in England and played for the Bristol Bears in 2019 before moving back to Australia.

In 2020, she made her Queensland Reds Super Womens debut.

Lewis has been a fixture in the Wide Bay sports scene for years, including being part of the Under 16 Hervey Bay team which competed for the 2013 Junior State Cup.

The team includes 26 previously capped Reds players and 10 with Wallaroos caps.

“I believe we’ve put together a really strong Academy squad leading into the 2023 season,” coach Simon Craig said in a released statement.

Bundaberg’s Aleena Greenhalgh has been named to the Queensland Reds Academy Squad again.

“We have a strong contingent of the 2022 cohort returning, whilst we’ve also identified new talent from the Queensland Premier Rugby competition and Country pathways.

“From this group we will select our final Reds squad for the Super W campaign.

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“With the Women’s Rugby World Cup Grand Final on this weekend, we’ve seen over the last month the excitement that continues to build around the women’s game and I’m looking forward to seeing what we can achieve with this group next year as we look forward to 2023 and beyond.”

The competition’s draw will be announced at a later date.

Hervey Bay’s Sarah Lewis is the third Wide Bay player to be named to the 2023 Queensland Reds Academy Squad.

2023 Queensland Reds Super W Academy Squad

Forwards

Alapeta Ngauamo – GPS

Aleena Greenhalgh – Wests/Bundaberg

Annabelle Codey – Wests/Easts

Hana Lane – Wests

Liz Patu – Wests

Madison Schuck – Bond University

Shannon Parry – Easts

Tazmin Sheppard – Bond University/Gold Coast

Theresa Soloai – Easts

Tiarna Molloy – Wests

Tina Campbell – GPS

Bree-Anna Cheatham – Wests

Carola Kreis – Bond University

Ema Masi – University of Queensland

Melehifo Allana Sikimeti – Wests

Christina Sekona – Sunnybank

Haidee Head – Easts

Megan Prinsloo – Nambour Toads/Sunshine Coast

Veiongo Koloamatangi-Lamipeti – Souths

Nina Poletti – Brothers

Joana Rabaka – Sunnybank

Ta Tupou – University of Queensland

Vua Rasolea – GPS

Miki Trbojevic

Backs

Briana Dascombe – Wests/Darling Downs

Cecilia Smith – Sunnybank

Ellie Draper – Souths

Imogen Hei – Bond University/Gold Coast

Ivania Wong – Sunnybank

Malaela Su’a – Easts

Melanie Wilks – Bond University/Caboolture

Renae Nona – Sunnybank

Sarah Lewis – GPS/Hervey Bay

Terri-Anne Egan – Sunnybank/Gold Coast

Claudia McLaren – Easts

Alana Elisaia – Wests

Caitlin Urwin – University of Queensland/Gympie

Heleina Young – GPS

Georgia Sim – Souths/Darling Downs

Meg Jakins – Roma Echidnas/Darling Downs

Rachel Crothers – Easts/Sunshine Coast