NRLW win cross code battle; Qld’s top 40 teen talents in Maroons
The NRLW has won a cross code battle for one of Queensland’s top schoolgirl talents. We reveal her name here, along with the states top 40 under-19s named in crack Maroons teams.
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Queensland’s top 40 teenage rugby league talents have been revealed following the announcement of two under-19 maroons teams which will contest for National Women’s Championships in May.
Queensland’s top teen talents have been divided into two squads of 20 – one called the Ruby’s and the other the Sapphires.
CONNELL 16s TEAM OF THE SEASON; HARVEY’S 19s SEASON BEST
The national championship will be played May 17-21 on the Gold Coast and will be a stepping stone for the young women toward the expanding NRLW.
The Gold Coast Titans has not officially named its NRLW squad but they have 10 players across the two Queensland under 19 teams who were invited to play against Newcastle in a pre-season challenge during February, which points to the club scooping up some of the best young talent around.
In the Titans under 19 girls earlier this year were Malaela Su’a, Montoya Hudson, Estanoa Faitala, Sienna Lofipo, Emma Barnes, Rilee Jorgensen, Matisse Bettridge, Matekino Kahukoti-Gray, Kiarah Siauane and Lavinia Kitai.
Logan schoolgirl Su’a recently informed the Queensland Reds Super W arm she has committed to the NRLW for season 2023, which points to her heading to the glitter strip for the NRLW season.
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The Titans also had 2022 Queensland schoolgirls squad members Tiresa Elika (under 17s) and Sienna Lofipo (under 19s) in those pre-season trial squads.
QUEENSLAND’S TOP 40 UNDER 19 FEMALE PLAYERS
MAROONS RUBY SQUAD
Ebony Raftstrand-Smith, Canterbury Bulldogs
Originally from the Richmond Rovers in New Zealand, Raftstrand-Smith hails from a high achieving sporting family and last season was a member of the historic Queensland schoolgirls side. Blessed with agility and footballing knowledge money can’t buy, she is a shrewd signing by Canterbury as the Bulldogs look to work their way into the NRLW later this decade.
Emma Barnes, Wynnum Manly Seagulls
Barnes hails from Beenleigh SHS - the old club of an NRL Broncos legend called Tonie Carroll. A hooker, she had a huge 2023 under Wynnum Manly 19s coach Steve Casey with her control of the game.
Destiny Mino-Sinapati, Wynnum Manly Seagulls
Mino-Sinapati was so impressive this season, she was promoted to the Gulls’ BMD Premiership where she kept her foot on the gas.
Helen Uitualagi, Wynnum Manly Seagulls
She is from the Seagulls heartland of the Capalaba Warriors who starred for the City under 19s last season. A centre or winger, she is fast, but plays above her weight. Uitualagi has no self preservation thoughts coming into contact and goes hard at the defender.
Estanoa Faitala, Brisbane Tigers
A leader within the Tigers this season, Faitala was a thrilling centre prospect who was a part of the Gold Coast Titans under 19 side which played pre-season against Newcastle. From the elite schoolgirl sporting breeding ground of Moreton Bay College, Faitala has been a sporting young gun across basketball, field athletes where she was a QGSSSA record breaker, and in volleyball. But league is lucky to have her.
Alyssa McCarthy, Wynnum Manly Seagulls
McCarthy had a big Harvey Norman under 19 campaign with the Seagulls, with her powerful edge forward running leading the charge in all six games.
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Jacinta Carter, Newcastle Knights
A Whites Hill product from the heart of the Wynnum Manly Seagulls catchment, Carter has been a high achieving middle forward who initially had interest from the Broncos before the Knights stepped up to the plate. She was a two try hero for Queensland Under-17 City side last season and has been likened to NRLW star Millie Boyle with her work rate.
Kiarah Siauane, Souths Logan Magpies
Yet another rookie who came through the Mabel Park SHS’s girls rugby league Academy over the last five years, Siauane is a thrilling outside back talent who the Gold Coast Titans had as a member of its under 19 squad member earlier in the season.
Lily Kolc, Burleigh Bears
A young veteran who played for Queensland at last season’s under 19 national championships, Kolc is a crafty hooker who has already taken the step up to play in the senior QRLW competition. She has led an inexperienced Marymount rugby league squad by example during the school’s formative seasons in the Titans Cup.
Livinia Kitai, Souths Logan Magpies
A graduate of the Keebra Park SHS’s Senior Girls Sport Academy, the exciting NRLW prospect garnished a super 2022 by representing the Cook Islands at last year’s World Cup – just months after playing for the Queensland State of Origin under 19s.
Malaela Su’a, Brisbane Tigers
Malaela Su’a is a Mabel Park SHS year 12 student who last year had the distinction of earning selection in the senior Super W Queensland Reds squad alongside Skyla Adams, and then playing for the history making Queensland schoolgirls rugby league side. Now she is settled in league as a mobile No. 13 or edge forward, Su’a earned promotion into the Tigers BMD squad after starting the year as a prolific tryscorer in the 19s competition.
Su’a is a Waterford West and Logan Brothers junior.
Matekino Kahukoti-Gray, Burleigh Bears
Courted by the Titans who had her as a part of the club’s under 19 trial squad, Gray was an interchange strike weapon for the Bears during its Harvey 19s campaign. He was originally from Rotorua Girls’ High School where she was a NZ Maori Rugby League selection.
Mattisse Bettridge, Burleigh Bears
Bettridge hails from a talented sporting family blessed with great natural ability. Bettridge is an exciting halfback prospect who challenges teams with probing running and clever passing.
Rilee Jorgensen, Burleigh Bears
She is a schoolgirl prodigy who had her formative years under state coach Veronica White at Ipswich SHS. She has been ahead of the curve when it comes to rugby league development playing within her age group.
Shaylee Joseph, Central Coast Roosters
The sister of Jillaroo Keilee, Joseph is also a mobile middle forward who grew up playing at Waterford Demons, a hot bed of junior talent in Logan City. A fan of Penrith growing up, Joseph does the simple things to perfection, often finding her stomach in a tackle and smothering ball carriers in defence. She has been improving her skills playing in the Open Women’s NSW Cup this season alongside her representative sister Keilee. Shaylee is also very close to earning an NRWL deal with one of the clubs.
Skyla Adams, Indigenous Roosters
From the Nerang Roosters via Keebra Park SHS, Adams is a glorious young talent with time and plenty of it. She is a lovely ball playing halve who puts players into gaps, while also challenging the line with her own fleet-a-foot forays. A youngster who scored her first try in the under 8s playing against the boys, she is one to watch in the future.
Alenna Whipp, CQ Capras
A Rockhampton Grammar School alumni, Whipp is a tough tackling dummy half who learned to tackle playing with Emerald Brothers earlier in her career. But she can threaten from the ruck with the ball also, and last year scored a crucial try in Queensland country’s under 17 win over their city cousins.
Tarleah Fisher-Pearson, Brisbane Tigers
Yet another who learned her trade under the Ipswich SHS banner, Tarleah Fisher-Pearson is a young veteran of the national championships having played in the same Queensland team last season. She has been on the Titans radar since first being invited to the Titans female Academy last season.
Tayla Sykes, Norths Devils
A touch football young gun as a youth, Skyes was an outstanding five-eighth for the Devils with her strong running, footwork and great kicking game an asset. She is a St Aidan’s Anglican Girls’ School alumni.
Tavarna Papilii, Indigenous Roosters
Once a Rooster, always a Rooster? Papilii grew up a Nerang Roosters junior and now finds herself recruited into the Roosters NRLW system. A beautiful mover with balance and a swerve, the outside back was a member of the history making Queensland schoolgirls team of 2022. She learned the hard way, playing against the boys as a junior, but is showing the benefits of that tough on field upbringing now.
Trinity Veetutu, Wynnum Manly Seagulls
Veetutu is a ripping edge forward talent who was one of the best down on the bayside this season.
Head Coach: Veronica White
Assistant Coaches: Ana Fotu and Paul Nieuwenhuyzen
The Queensland Sapphires squad
MAROONS SAPPHIRES SQUAD
Aerielle Hobbler, Northern Pride
What a fabulous player. It was a development season for the young Pride Harvey19s, not an easy season at all, but through it all Hobbler showed her inexperienced troops the way. A middle or edge forward, she was a member of the history making Queensland schoolgirls in 2022 and later represented Australian schoolgirls.
Dakota Taputoa, Brisbane Tigers
Gosh Far North Queensland can produce a rugby league player and they can claim another Queensland Maroons representative – elite centre Dakota Taputoa. The Cairns West State School and Trinity Bay SHS past student went to school with Canberra Raiders NRL star Xavier Savage before being immersed into the Keebra Park SHS’s rugby league Academy on the Gold Coast.
Dmaris Setu, Ipswich Jets
The Ipswich SHS prospect was the Jets best forward in 2022 and she would be close to the club’s best overall player again in 2023. Having excelled last year, Setu was back and better than ever, rucking it up the middle with no remorse for her rivals.
Emily Bella, Mackay Cutters
A North Queensland Gold Stars BMD player, the former Queensland country under 17 representative is an elite halfback who last year plunged City under 17s into defeat with a stunning sideline conversion. She is the niece of Martin Bella, a Queensland State of Origin front row ironman. But unlike Martin, Emily is a fleet-a-foot half.
Grace Gampino, Norths Devils
Originally from the famous Caboolture Snakes club, Giampino is a prop forward leader every club in the land would love to have. She has long been touted a player of the future, being invited into the QAS Academy as an under 15 player in 2019. She was a “follow me’’ leader for the Devils this season and had a knack of scoring a try.
Jaydah Tofae, Indigenous Roosters
Tofae and Gampino grew up playing alongside each other at the Caboolture Snakes where they inspired each other on a pathway toward playing in the NRLW. Years later both girls were closer to NRLW recognition, and strong showings at the national championships will only enhance their growing reputation.
Jayde Herdegen, Wynnum Manly Seagulls
Herdegen has long been on the Brisbane Broncos radar as a development contracted player. She has vast representative experience, including for the Queensland Under-17 Country in 2021 when she scored the match winning try against City. Originally from Banksia Beach, she first learned her craft at the Beachmere Junior Rugby League Club and has been an elite player in her age groups ever since.
Kate Ellem, Sunshine Coast Falcons
A centre or edge forward, Kate Ellem is an excitement machine who is so talented, she could have chosen touch football or rugby union as a ball sport career. But rugby league is lucky to have this Chancellor State College product who, as talented as she is, is noted for her consistency from match to match.
Kayla Shepherd, Mackay Cutters
The young women’s Cutters were blessed with two of the best halves in the Harvey 19s competition when they fielded both Emily Bella and Shepherd. A Queensland country representative, the Mercy College product has been earmarked for representative football after first making the Mackay Cutters Junior squad in 2018 and earlier this season made her way into the club’s BMD senior squad.
Kirby Richardson, CQ Capras
Richardson is light on her feet and it is little wonder – she was once an outstanding dancer with the Expressions Dance Company who took out the Rockhampton’s 84th eisteddfod, and also a touch football player. But the Yeppoon Seagulls player ramped her league career up a gear in 2022 and this season played her way into the Sapphires Queensland under 19 side.
Libby Suhra, Mackay Cutters
The strong back rower will be playing in back-to-back national championships after representing the Queensland under 19s last season.
Lily Peacock, Mackay Cutters
The St Catherine’s Catholic College student is coming off a bumper 12 months in the sport after initially being a member of the historic Queensland schools side which defeated the NSW/ACT last year, and then this season playing Harvey 19s with the Cutters. She is an exciting outside back.
Luca Howarth, CQ Capras
Like a lot of this generation, Howarth first started playing league against boys. Inspired by one of country Queensland’s greatest ever, Billy Slater, Howarth is a classy runner who can play either fullback or wing. She was a 2022 Queensland schoolgirls member.
Lylla Williamson, Townsville Blackhawks
Is there a more improved player in this age group than Williamson? The Blackhawks have been spoiled to have Williams, both an edge forward or a mobile middle forward who has gone from strength to strength in a short period. It is great to see her back after injury.
Mackenzie Zeller, Western Clydesdales
Highfields junior Zeller was one of the young members of the competition, but that did not stop her ploughing her way into the Queensland under 19 representative squads. A natural leader, she can score tries herself or impact games with her powerful play and physical approach.
Montaya Hudson, Brisbane Tigers
Originally from Townsville Brothers where she was inspired into contact sport by her four brothers and her dad, Hudson was a 2022 Queensland and Australian schoolgirls team member. A fullback, she lit up last season’s Titans Cup playing with Marsden and continued to progress in the under 19 Harvey Norman season this year at Brisbane Tigers.
Paityne Johns, Mackay Cutters
From rugby league proud St Patrick’s College, Mackay, where she is a 2023 senior house captain, Johns is a terrific dummy half product who has been a Queensland representative as early as her under 11 OZTAG days.
Prue Peters, Wynnum Manly Seagulls
Yet another product originally from the rugby league rich Rockhampton region, Peters was a Harvey 19s forward powerhouse who could both school tries herself, or create them directly or through strong running and a quick play the ball.
Relna Hosea, Ipswich Jets
Fleet-a-foot, the Ipswich SHS product is a thrilling wing talent who, in a foot race, can match strides with the best in the business
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