Jillaroos debutants Isabelle Kelly, Zahara Temara earn Swoop Play of the Weekend
DEBUTS can be the stuff of nightmares. But Jillaroos pair Isabelle Kelly and Zahara Temara made such memorable ones they have earned SWOOP Play of the Weekend.
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FOR a lot of athletes a sporting debut can be the stuff of nightmares.
Dropped balls, missed opportunities, under-pressure fumbling.
But not for young Jillaroos players Isabelle Kelly and Zahara Temara.
The young pair made spectacular debuts for the Australian women’s rugby league team on Friday night to earn Swoop Play of the Weekend.
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In her first Test for the Jillaroos, Central Coast fullback Kelly made sure it was a memorable one.
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Kelly opened the scoring in the 10th minute of the match with the Kiwi Ferns in Canberra.
Teammate and playmaker Temara then celebrated her debut with a try on the half-hour to give the Jillaroos a well-deserved 12-4 halftime lead in the match.
“I was so proud of not just us, but the Kiwi Ferns,’’ said captain Ruan Sims after the game won by the Jillaroos 16-4.
“As I said earlier in the week, it’s always a torrid affair when Australia and New Zealand play each other, and today was a true showing of how fantastic womens’ rugby league is, and it’s here to stay.
“Internationally, interstate and domestically, we’re here, we have a strong presence, and I’m so proud to be a woman who loves rugby league.’’
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