Moree will be well and truly represented at this Saturday’s Northern Country women’s tackle selections in Muswellbrook.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Nine players from Moree’s women’s nines team have been selected for the Group 19 representative side which will play against other rep teams from all over Northern NSW on Saturday, February 10.
The Moree girls, including Tileah McGrady, Shamarla Duncan, Tara Newman, Bianca Wells, Jessica Karcoe, Lawanna Brown, Shai-Lee Smith, Carly Walton and Shirley-May Swan Jnr, will make up half of the Group 19 women’s side, which also includes players from Warialda, Armidale Rams and Narwan.
Moree coach Lorilie Haines was also chosen as the Group 19 coach, while Moree’s Antoinette McNamara is the team’s manager.
On Saturday, the Group 19 team will play Group 4 and Hastings, while Group 21, Central Coast and Newcastle will play each other.
From these players, a Northern Country side will be chosen, which will play Southern Country on April 12 for the opportunity to be selected for the 2018 Country side.
Haines said it’s a fantastic opportunity for the Moree girls.
“It’s the first time they’ve been provided the opportunity to further themselves; it’s a foot forward for women in league,” she said.
“There is a large majority of indigenous girls in our team; all the Moree girls are indigenous.
“They have now become role models for younger girls. It’s showing them there’s something else out there.
“These girls are making a statement by just turning up to play.”
Haines is confident the Group 19 will do well, especially because half the team are already familiar playing with each other.
“I think they’ve got a good chance of beating the two sides we’re up against,” she said.
“They’re going to be tight games but we’ve got the skill and talent to come out on top. It’s a matter of whether they gel together, which I think they will as Moree girls are in some of the key positions. That’s a bonus.”
The team have had two training sessions together and will have another one prior to their matches on Saturday at Muswellbrook’s Olympic Park.
The girls are all looking forward to it and thanked Lorilie for helping them get there.
“We’re excited and pumped for it; we can’t wait to take heads off,” Jessica Karcoe said.
“Thanks to Lorilie for pushing us.”