Queensland name debutants for women’s State of Origin
THE Queensland women’s rugby league team are bracing themselves for a NSW side led by injured skipper Ruan Sims, after the Maroons today named a squad with six debutants.
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THE Queensland women’s rugby league team are bracing themselves for a NSW side led by injured skipper Ruan Sims, after the Maroons today named a squad with six debutants.
New Queensland coach Jason Hetherington revealed his line-up for the June 22 showdown this morning, with the women to play under the State of Origin banner for the first time.
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Many of the side’s incumbent players were there, including hooker Brittany Breayley, veteran forward Steph Hancock and utility Kody House, but Hetherington and his support staff in Karyn Murphy and Nat Dwyer have also opted for a number of fresh faces.
Jillaroos winger Meg Ward will make her state debut alongside Kiwi Ferns utility Maitua Feterika and Burleigh Bears skipper Tallisha Harden.
The bolters however include Blackwater forward Mariah Storch, Queensland City standout Frieda Faulato Seu and teenage gun Rhiannon Revell-Blair.
Hetherington said it will be a fresh start for Queensland, after two straight years of disappointment.
“It’s a little bit of a rebuild,” he said.
“We have new faces and more experienced faces to help the younger ones coming through.
“What I look for at this level is the tenacity of the girl. I’m inexperienced with it too but I think we’ll find 80 per cent of (the game) will be roll the sleeves up and hook in, and in among that there’s a little bit of footy played.
“I’m hoping the side that we’ve picked will just roll the sleeves up.”
The Queensland team will need to do just that against a strong NSW outfit, even if the Blues have been hit by a string of injuries in recent weeks.
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NSW have lost star half and recent Broncos signing Caitlin Moran to a season-ending knee injury while Sims broke her hand at last weekend’s National Championships.
But marquee player House said the team will prepare for Sims’ presence as they expect the tough forward will find a way to play.
“They’re tough … any money you’ll probably see Ruan back in there,” she said.
“She’ll do anything. Being captain as well, she’ll do anything to play. That’s just the type of person she is and that’s the rivalry we have.
“We want to both win that trophy.”
QUEENSLAND WOMEN’S STATE OF ORIGIN SQUAD: Chelsea Baker, Heather Ballinger, Annette Brander, Brittany Breayley, Ali Brigginshaw, Karina Brown, Frieda Faulato Seu*, Maitua Feterika*, Tazmin Gray, Steph Hancock, Tallisha Harden*, Kody House, Amelia Kuk, Rona Peters, Rhiannon Revell-Blair*, Mariah Storch*, Zahara Temara, Meg Ward*.
Coach: Jason Hetherington. Assistant coaches: Karyn Murphy and Nat Dwyer
*Debutants
Originally published as Queensland name debutants for women’s State of Origin