Seven inaugural St George Illawarra Dragons NRL Holden Women's Premiership players have been named in the New South Wales Country Origin team ahead of the National Championships in Burleigh between Thursday, May 30 and Sunday, June 2.
Kezie Apps, Keeley Davis, Rikeya Horne, Melanie Howard, Hannah Southwell, Shakiah Tungai and Holli Wheeler will play for NSW Country in the six-team competition, which includes NSW City, Queensland City and Country as well as Combined Affiliated States and the Australian Defence Force.
Country Rugby League CEO Terry Quinn believes the National Championships provides a fantastic opportunity for players from regional New South Wales to test themselves against some of the best female talent in Australia.
"We're extremely proud to be a part of the inaugural National Championships [in 2018] and we're eager to see an exciting mix of regional, origin and Jillaroos representatives from Country NSW compete together on a national stage," Quinn said.
"The women's game continues to grow in all areas of Country Rugby League and having 11 players selected from the CRL Women's Country Championships is testament to the quality of players coming from regional NSW."
NSW Country Women's Representative Squad
- Kezie Apps (Illawarra South Coast Dragons)
- Keeley Davis (Illawarra South Coast Dragons)
- Kirra Dibb (Central Coast Roosters)
- Vanessa Foliaki (Western)
- Emma Hickey (Riverina Bulls)
- Kylie Hilder (CRL Newcastle)
- Rikeya Horne (Illawarra)
- Melanie Howard (CRL Newcastle)
- Ellie Johnston (North Coast Bulldogs)
- Takilele Katoa (Riverina Bulls)
- Isabelle Kelly (CRL Newcastle)
- Bobbi Law (CRL Newcastle)
- Shellie Long (North Coast Bulldogs)
- Kaitlyn Phillips (Western)
- Ruan Sims (Illawarra)
- Simone Smith (CRL Newcastle)
- Hannah Southwell (CRL Newcastle)
- Tess Staines (Riverina Bulls)
- Gabrielle Suckling (Riverina Bulls)
- Shakiah Tungai (Illawarra)
- Holli Wheeler (CRL Newcastle)
- Bec Young (CRL Newcastle)
