Why 2021 means so much to Blackhawks captain Mahendrarajah
Jordii Mahendrarajah is fit, firing, and regaining the confidence she needs for a serious tilt at securing a North Queensland Gold Stars jersey ahead of kick-off in the BHP Premiership.
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JORDII Mahendrarajah is fit, firing, and regaining the confidence she needs for a serious tilt at securing a North Queensland Gold Stars jersey ahead of kick-off in the BHP Premiership.
The Townsville Blackhawks captain is coming off a tough 2020 during which COVID-19 ruined the rugby league season and she was forced to work her way back from a tough knee injury.
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A Kangaroos junior, she returned to FNQ for the first time in a Blackhawks jersey on Saturday but fell to the Northern Pride 22-10, as the home side secured their first win in the Queensland Rugby League’s new statewide under-19 competition.
It was an afternoon of mixed emotions for the promising prospect, who lined up against her best friend, Pride captain Kaiyla Ward, and former coach in Alby Anderson in a city she used to consider a home ground.
“It was like versing family on the field,” Mahendrarajah said. “Kaiyla is my best friend, Alby is one of the best coaches I’ve had. It was good to see them all.”
Mahendrarajah started her rugby league journey as un under-8s player at Kangaroos in Cairns, playing against - and dominating - the boys as a young girl.
She, along with Ward and Kayla Taputoa, who plays for the Burleigh Bears, were the original members of a group of talented junior female rugby league players who received specialist coaching from Anderson in their early teenage years.
But the lack of a pathway for female footballers meant Mahendrarajah stopped playing rugby league when she was 15, and while she dabbled in other sports her true love has been for the rugby league.
She tried her hand at hockey and rugby union, but decided to head to Townsville to pursue the dream of playing professional rugby league - a dream she had since she was nine years old.
When you see Mahendrarajah on the field, it’s easy to see why she was named captain of this Blackhawks team.
She is explosive, a hard-runner with supreme footwork, and is always the one to put up her hand and put in the hard yards when the going gets tough.
Mahendrarajah will have the chance to stake her claim for a Gold Stars jersey in a trial match this weekend, her clear goal in a season in which she’s already made a successful return to the field.
“I’m very thankful for this year because of last year with COVID and my injuries,” she said. “I’m trying to make this my bounce back year.
“I’m going to do my best in everything in can, especially the Gold Stars, trying to crack that side at a trial game this weekend.
“I’m just trying to work my confidence back up so I can get on the field and do what I do. I’d say I’m 100 per cent right now, I’m ready to go.
“I have a good family around me, good girls around me, I’m just thankful for everything and this year, I’m ready to go.”
Anderson said Saturday’s season-opener was among the toughest assignments as a coach, but would love to one day see her in the famous blue jersey of the Pride.
“One of my toughest moments coaching against Jordii," he said. “She was part of this group when we first got this going.
“She had to take a crack in Townsville, but to see where she is now is fantastic. She gets a crack at Gold Stars in the next couple of weeks but, mate, I’d love to have her in a blue jersey.”
TONGALEA LEADS PRIDE TO HISTORIC VICTORY
A BARNSTORMING performance from Brooke Tongalea helped the Northern Pride make history, with the front-rower helping to power the under-19s to victory in their first game.
It took just one minute for Tongalea to score the Pride’s first try in the new statewide competition, while a massive defensive effort across the board ensured her team beat fierce rivals Townsville Blackhawks 22-10 at Barlow Park.
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Coach Alby Anderson and captain Kaiyla Ward praised powerhouse forwards Tongalea and Teleai Fredriksson for their performances, as they pushed through hot, tough conditions to lay the platform for the Pride to keep control.
“Brooke Tongalea was outstanding, she really led from the middle - scored the first try - but her defence was outstanding as well,” Anderson said.
“She’s got quick feet at the line and is a powerful athlete.
“Taleai, off the bench, once again, the pressure Brookey got going in the first half she came on and kept that rolling with some strong runs and good defence.”
Tries to Tongalea, Jalleala Riley Georgetown and Michaela Stephen put the Pride in a commanding 14-0 position at the break.
The Blackhawks brought the deficit back to 18-10 after the sides traded tries - Angela Barley crossed for the Pride between Babetha Neliman and Jacinta Maurangi’s four-pointers - and threatened to mount a comeback, but captain Ward capped the historic afternoon with a try to seal the side’s first win.
“I have to give a big shout-out to the forwards in the middle,” Ward said.
“I know it was hot out there, but despite that they did the most work. Brookey, Teleai, and our hooker Etuina (Suavai), really laid that platform and moved us forward.
“It feels very good winning, we came out with a goal and we stuck with that.
“I said to the girls, ‘Don’t put too much pressure on yourself, just know your role, and as long as we work as a team, we will get up there.
“There’s no need to overthink or complicate it, it will just come. Everyone understood their roles really well and they just did it.”
Anderson said he was proud of the team’s work, in particular in defence.
“I’m very proud of the girls’ efforts,” he said. “The first game ever - a little bit clunky - but a fantastic effort by each and everyone of them.
“Their defence was absolutely outstanding, I couldn’t fault it, apart from two missed tackles, that was about it.
“We were just willing to work through the middle.
“We got a couple of tries then earning that space out wide where our half took over and she scored one for herself.
“But the best part was (Townsville) didn’t score a try in that first half.”
Blackhawks captain Jordii Mahendarajah, who played her junior rugby league for Kangaroos, said her side simply wasn’t ready when the whistle sounded.
“I have to give it to the Pride girls, they were strong and they were getting their plays right,” she said.
“We weren’t really ready, we didn’t get the plays right, we weren’t working together at that time, but the second half we picked it up.”
The Pride will face Mackay Cutters at Townsville on Saturday afternoon.
Originally published as Why 2021 means so much to Blackhawks captain Mahendrarajah
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