Blues, Jillaroos rugby league star Kezie Apps receives high praise and top award

THIS is quite some compliment and goes a long way to explaining why Kezie Apps secured women’s Player of the Year at the Brad Fittler awards.

Kezie Apps front and centre in the blue dress with her NSW teammates at the awards last night. Picture: Kristi Miller

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THIS is quite some compliment and goes a long way to explaining why Kezie Apps secured women’s Player of the Year at the Brad Fittler awards on Monday night.

Former Bulldogs premiership wining player Jamie Feeney rates Jillaroos and NSW Origin star Apps as tough and committed as any male rugby league player he has ever had under his guidance.

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Now the NSWRL Performance Programs Manager, Feeney played eight years in the NRL with Canterbury and the Melbourne Storm, winning a premiership with the Bulldogs in 2004.

Kezie Apps in action for the Jillaroos against the Kiwi Ferns. Pic: Mark Evans

“I coached the boys country side as well and she is as tough as any male player I have coached,’’ Feeney said of Apps.

“If she was allowed to play in the men’s game I’d pick her.’’

Second rower Apps won the women’s Player of the Year award for her performance on and off the paddock.

Jillaroos and Blues rugby league players Kezie App, Maddie Studdon, Ruan Sims, Alana Ferguson and Jen Latu with the Nellie Doherty Cup.

The Bega footballer was a key member of the NSW Blues side which defeated the Maroons to win the women’s Origin crown for the first time in 18 years earlier this year.

“Her commitment is second to none,’’ Feeney said of Apps, whose trip to training and back home again requires six-hour stints in the car.

“She turns up to all of our sessions, is a real leader and was one of the three best players for NSW in the Origin match. She’s the all-round package.’’

Kezie Apps with origin teammates Rebecca Riley, Allana Ferguson and Nakia Davis-Welsh.

Apps and her Origin winning teammates, including captain Ruan Sims, were presented with “championship-style” rings to honour their historic win at the Interstate Challenge at the Sydney function.

The rings are similar to those presented to Paul Gallen’s 2014 State of Origin team after they ended Queensland’s eight-year unbeaten run.