Harvey Norman NSW Sky Blues players Kezie Apps and Sam Bremner will co-captain the Jillaroos alongside Maroons star Ali Brigginshaw at next month’s Rugby League World Cup.
While the men’s tournament begins in a fortnight, the women’s round-robin games don’t start until 1 November with Australia’s first match against the Cook Islands in York the next day.
Jillaroos coach Brad Donald has named his 24-member side with 14 players from NSW – 10 of those were part of the Harvey Norman NSW Sky Blues team that won the 2022 Ampol State of Origin shield.
There are six NSW-based players on debut – NSW U19s captain last year Jaime Chapman, 2021 Sky Blue Kennedy Cherrington, Dragons NRLW five-eighth Taliah Fuimaono, along with three from the Origin-winning team in Canberra last June, Olivia Kernick, Yasmin Clydsdale and Caitlan Johnston.
For Clydsdale and Johnston it has turned out to be a stellar week as they – along with incumbent Jillaroos prop Millie Boyle – won a maiden NRLW premiership for the Newcastle Knights against Parramatta on Sunday.
While for Cherrington and Simaima Taufa, who were in that Eels side, Jillaroos selection may ease some of the disappointment of the Grand Final loss.
“We had to make some difficult decisions in selecting this team but we have faith every player selected will do our country proud," Donald said.
“We can’t wait to travel to England as we look to retain the World Cup trophy.”
Four of the five survivors from that 2017 World Cup-winning squad are Sky Blues players - Apps, Bremner, Isabelle Kelly and Taufa, with Maroons captain Ali Brigginshaw being the fifth.
The Jillaroos squad will head into camp in a fortnight before heading to the UK in late October.
There are eight nations at the Women’s World Cup, split into two pools.
Along with the Cook Islands, the other two countries in Australia’s pool are France and New Zealand.
The Jillaroos squad is: (* denotes players on debut)
Tarryn Aiken* (Brisbane Broncos)
Kezie Apps, co-captain (St George-Illawarra Dragons)
Millie Boyle (Newcastle Knights)
Samantha Bremner, co-captain (Sydney Roosters)
Ali Brigginshaw, co-captain (Brisbane Broncos)
Lauren Brown* (Gold Coast Titans)
Jaime Chapman* (Brisbane Broncos)
Kennedy Cherrington* (Parramatta Eels)
Shenae Ciesiolka* (Brisbane Broncos)
Yasmin Clydsdale* (Newcastle Knights)
Keeley Davis (St George-Illawarra Dragons)
Taliah Fuimaono* (St George-Illawarra Dragons)
Tallisha Harden (Brisbane Broncos)
Caitlan Johnston* (Newcastle Knights)
Keilee Joseph* (Sydney Roosters)
Isabelle Kelly (Sydney Roosters)
Olivia Kernick* (Sydney Roosters)
Shannon Mato* (Gold Coast Titans)
Evania Pelite* (Gold Coast Titans)
Julia Robinson (Brisbane Broncos)
Jessica Sergis (Sydney Roosters)
Simaima Taufa (Parramatta Eels)
Tamika Upton* (Newcastle Knights)
Holli Wheeler (St George Illawarra Dragons)
