State of Origin battle lines split rugby league glamour couple Shaylee Bent and David Fifita
They’re the ultimate rugby league power couple about to complete a remarkable 24 hours, but state loyalties have Origin stars David Fifita and Shaylee Bent on very separate pages.
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If David Fifita has his way, Shaylee Bent will be wearing a Queensland jersey on Wednesday night, before swapping it out for a NSW jumper on Thursday night.
The rugby league power couple will be divided down state lines this week as both prepare to run out in their respective State of Origin series openers.
Fifita has been named to start in the Maroons’ back row in Adelaide on Wednesday. Meanwhile, less than 24 hours later and 1300km away, Bent will come off the bench for the Blues in the women’s game at Parramatta’s CommBank Stadium.
Despite Fifita’s assurances that Bent “will be wearing my jumper” when she sits down to watch the men’s game with her Blues teammates, the 22-year-old Glenmore Park junior had a sobering message for her partner.
“I’m NSW through and through and I want NSW to win in his game,” the second-rower said.
“Even though I live in Queensland – and I say that with a lot of dread – you can’t escape that he (Fifita) is Maroon and I’m Blue.
“Obviously I want him to play really good and kill it as well, but we’re both two passionate people and the fact is I was born in NSW and he was born in Queensland.”
Bent has been in camp with the Blues in Sydney, while Fifita, 23, has been at Sanctuary Cove on the Gold Coast preparing for a return to the Origin arena, having missed selection last year.
“It’s all love at the end of the day. I’m here to represent Queensland so it’s all good,” he said.
“She (Bent) will be wearing my jumper with Fifita on the back, Queensland, I guarantee. Go Queensland!”
The remarkable feat of playing in Origin games 24 hours apart comes after both players enjoyed strong starts to their seasons.
Bent lives in Queensland, plays in the QRL Women’s Premiership and has just signed with Fifita’s team, the Gold Coast Titans.
The couple said despite representing opposing states, they “don’t talk much footy” at home.
“It never worries us at home. We’re just like any couple who support two different footy teams,” Bent said.
Bent will take the field for her third State of Origin appearance for the Sky Blues, as they look to retain the Origin shield. This year will be a two-match women’s series, with the result decided by aggregate following Origin II in Townsville on June 22.
She will be in front of the television screen with her teammates — and a bag of popcorn — on Wednesday, cheering on the Blues.
“We will watch each other (play) but it will only be on the television unfortunately,” said Bent, who is a World Cup winner.
“His match is the day before my game so I won’t be flying to Adelaide and on Thursday he has to fly home with the rest of the team so he’ll just have to watch me on television too.
“I will have my Blues shirt on and I will try to stay quiet in the room when David is running, but that might be hard.”
Tongan International Fifita said split state loyalties wasn’t ideal.
“It’s hard. I was talking to Billy (Slater) about it not long ago and she’s a Blue. He laughed,” he said. “She is proud of me and I love her.”
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Originally published as State of Origin battle lines split rugby league glamour couple Shaylee Bent and David Fifita
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