Young footy stars raise bar

The U15 and U12 southwest rugby league girl's teams have been selected .

READY FOR THE CHALLENGE: Under-15 southwest rugby league players are looking forward to hitting the footy field at the Invitational State Titles. Picture: Molly Hancock

Rugby LEAGUE: In a series of trials at Roma State Middle Campus School, 19 girls were selected to represent the southwest in the under-15s rugby league side.

After a record number of nine injuries in the lead-up to last year's state titles, coach Brad Lines emphasised the need for all the girls in the team to take extra care until they play.

"Today we selected 19girls to be part of the U15 southwest rugby league side that will go to Maroochydore on August 17 for the Schools Invitational State Titles,” he said.

"Looking at the trials today, the girls will most likely perform better than last year because last year we lost about nine players to injury between the trials and the game.

"Hopefully this year we will keep all the girls wrapped in cotton wool,” Lines joked.

This year, Pania Cash, Antonia Henry, Rilleigh Lawson, Lily Pedding, Charley Anderson and Lily Upton, all from Roma, were selected in the U15 side.

Tanaisha Bradley, from Chinchilla, and Pania Cash, from Roma, saw the opportunity as another step to help them reach their dream of making a career from rugby league.

"I actually met the Australian team and meeting my idol helped me realise I do want a career in footy and I will aspire to do that,” Tanaisha said.

The U12 girls' team coach Phil Coleman said he believed the level of play by the girls had greatly increased.

"There have been more girls at this year's trials, but the main improvement is the level of standard of footy being played,” Coleman said.

"They were all really good.”

Emmie Creevy was the only girl from Roma selected to play in the U12 side.

Originally published as Young footy stars raise bar