History will be made at Leichhardt Oval on Friday for the NSW Police Rugby League, when they field their first women’s Origin team.
The 19-strong squad, coached by Gavin Lennon, boasts a number of players who play or have played in the Harvey Norman NSW Women’s Premiership or Harvey Norman Tarsha Gale Cup.
Now they get to pit their strength against a Queensland unit for the first time.
The match is scheduled for Leichhardt Oval at 2pm, with the women hoping to emulate the success of the men’s NSW Police team after they defeated Queensland 28-12 in the curtain-raiser to Game One of the Ampol State of Origin series.
“It’s pretty exciting although the Queensland women have been playing together for a few years now in their own regional competitions up there,” NSWPRL vice president Rod Sheraton said.
“But for our NSW women we kicked things off last year with the first women’s Country-City game and that led into our State Police Carnival this year, where we had enough officers to form five women’s teams.”
The 2022 City and Country women’s police teams were selected from that carnival in Tamworth in April, which dovetailed into the first NSW women’s side after Country beat City 14-0 in May.
“It’s been a great journey for us because we’re developing a lot of players, who haven’t necessarily had a Rugby League background,” Sheraton said.
“But they have excelled at other sports like AFL, rugby, so they’re natural athletes. They’ve really taken to Rugby League and are enjoying it immensely.”
That has led to female officers seeking out club teams in their areas – such as the Western Rams, Mudgee Dragons, Dubbo Goannas, Campbelltown Kangaroos, Corrimal Cougars, Bankstown Giants - so they can keep playing the game on the weekends.
“We intend to keep building strong and stronger with our female players,” Sheraton said.
“They bring a lot of enthusiasm and energy and that’s so infectious for us blokes who have been around longer.
“The women have really livened things up, which has been awesome.”
Kiara White, who will play fullback for the NSW Police women’s team tomorrow, has just signed with the Wests Tigers Harvey Norman NSW Women’s Premiership side. She was also the No.1 for the Bankstown Giants, who won the women’s trophy at the Tamworth State Carnival.
“The Tigers been watching her play in our competitions,” Sheraton said.
“She had three or four clubs chasing her so hopefully that’s a sign of more to come for other female players.”
She joins NSW teammate Brooke Walker, who has played Tarsha Gale and now Harvey Norman NSW Women’s Premiership with the Wests Tigers.
Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs Tarsha Gale Cup halfback Nerida Gregory has been named No.7 for NSW, while Katerina Hinton is on the bench for NSW and is a member of the Mounties squad in the Harvey Norman NSW Women’s Premiership.
