State of Origin: NRLW Dragons gun Shaylee Bent named in Blues squad
UPDATED: She was 18th woman for the NSW Blues in the last State of Origin when just a teenager. But Dragons gun Shaylee Bent wants so much more. FULL BLUES ORIGIN SQUAD.
Penrith
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Her life was getting so hectic Shaylee Bent put her job and university degree on hold for rugby league earlier this year only to see COVID-19 derail all her plans.
Now the youngster, who stormed onto the rugby league scene in 2019, is on a mission to make her State of Origin debut with the NSW Blues.
Bent, named on Wednesday in the Blues squad, last year made her debut for the Dragons, played in the City v County match, debuted in the NRL 9’s and then for the Jillaroos
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She was also named as 18th woman for Origin - an honour which has left her wanting more.
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“I’m a passionate Blues supporter. I was grateful for the opportunity but it just made me more eager,’’ she said.
“It was the hardest thing ever. I warmed up with the girls but couldn’t go on. That was a bad feeling.’’
The 20-year-old, who played for Souths in the this year’s Harvey Norman women’s premiership and the Dragons in the NRLW, lives at Glenmore Park and works as a case worker at Link Up at Rope’s Crossing.
She had hoped 2020 would be her best season yet - then the coronavirus pandemic broke out.
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“At the start of the year I quit my job and deferred uni to take this more seriously. I wanted to give it a real go,’ said Bent, who has managed to enrol in a community services course at TAFE but could not resume her teaching studies.
“Then COVID hit and I couldn’t get back into uni so I have sacrificed almost a whole year.’’
But with her selection in the Blues on Wednesday, Bent has a chance to make all the sacrifices worthwhile.
The 20 player Harvey Norman NSW State of Origin squad to take on Queensland at Sunshine Coast Stadium on November 13 has numerous players in line to make their debut, including Keeley Davis (Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks), Kennedy Cherrington (South Sydney), Filomina Hanisi (Wests Tigers), Shanice Parker (North Sydney Bears), Quincy Dodd, Sarah Togatuki (Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs) and Melanie Howard, Yasmin Meakes and Brydie Parker (Central Coast Roosters).
NSW Squad: Kezie Apps (Helensburgh Tigers), Shaylee Bent (South Sydney Rabbitohs), Millie Boyle (Burleigh Bears), Kennedy Cherrington (South Sydney Rabbitohs), Keeley Davis (Cronulla Sharks), Quincy Dodd (Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs), Filomina Hanisi (Wests Tigers), Kylie Hilder (Central Coast Roosters), Melanie Howard (Central Coast Roosters), Isabelle Kelly (Central Coast Roosters), Corban McGregor (Cronulla Sharks), Yasmin Meakes (Central Coast Roosters), Brydie Parker (Central Coast Roosters), Shanice Parker (North Sydney Bears), Tiana Penitani (Cronulla Sharks), Jessica Sergis (Helensburgh Tigers), Hannah Southwell (Central Coast Roosters), Simaima Taufa (North Sydney Bears), Sarah Togatuki (Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs), Botille Vette-Welsh (Wests Tigers).