Duo in line for debuts
GOLD Coasters Amber Pilley and Jessika Elliston will make their State of Origin debuts for Queensland this month.
Joining the duo in playing their maiden match on the big stage will be Stephanie Mooka, from Cairns, and West Brisbane’s Amy Turner.
For Pilley, her selection comes 12 months after she went heartbreakingly close.
A centre who offers prowess in both attack and defence, she was knocking on the door for Maroons selection until being knocked out at the 2018 Women’s National Championships.
This time around, there were no such setbacks in her way, with the 21-year-old propelling herself over the line with some strong showings for South East Queensland in nationals.
While she didn’t win Origin selection in 2018, the year did bring her two premierships – one at SEQ division one level for Burleigh and the other as part of Brisbane’s inaugural NRLW triumph.
Elliston meanwhile is a bolter.
Also 21, she entered the season with minimal experience in rugby league – her background is predominantly in rugby sevens – and by her own admission faced a steep learning curve just to
get her head around the rules. That has not stopped her from making quite the impression in the secondrow for Tweed, as well as in SEQ colours.
There are several more familiar names from the Coast in the Queensland list.
Burleigh forwards Tazmin Gray, Tallisha Harden and Chelsea Lenarduzzi all were selected.
Multiple Bears premiership-winner Rona Peters also got the nod, despite moving to division two club Runaway Bay.
Queensland will go into camp on the Gold Coast next Friday ahead of the June 21 showdown with NSW at North Sydney Oval.