Bears star resolute
SHE will spend four days bonding with her Jillaroos teammates but Chelsea Lenarduzzi won’t be gifting her jersey to any of them.
The 24-year-old forward is one of five Burleigh stars who yesterday gathered with 24 other leading players, including Tweed’s Tarryn Aiken, for a four-day Jillaroos camp on the Gold Coast.
With next year’s World Cup in England on the horizon, fellow Bears Millie
Boyle, Karina Brown, Tazmin Gray and Tallisha Harden have joined her ahead of another groundbreaking year for female football.
A Queensland Origin representative in 2017 and 2019, Lenarduzzi broke through for a maiden Jillaroos appearance in October’s 28-8 win over New Zealand, just three weeks after leading Brisbane to back-to-back NRL Women’s crowns.
With the inaugural QRL Women’s competition also kicking off next weekend, she is determined to build on last season’s success and keep her Test jumper for this year’s battle with the Kiwi side.
“(The camp) is about growing the culture of the Jillaroos and getting us all together because there’s not many games we play together as a team,” the three-time national shot put champion said.
“Ideally I want to keep my jersey in the Jillaroos team, hopefully play well for Burleigh (in the QRLW), for the Broncos in the NRLW and Origin as well. Being here you get reminded there are a lot of people here trying to get a Jillaroos jersey.”
Chasing a fifth consecutive SEQ division 1 title, Burleigh’s run of dominance came to an end as West Brisbane
prevailed 20-8 in August’s premiership decider.
With a grand final rematch in Round 1 of the QRLW at Pizzey Park on Sunday week, Lenarduzzi said the Bears want revenge.
“The culture has been built so we’re taking that into the QRLW. It has gone to that extra level of professionalism,” she said.
The QRL yesterday announced the new eight-team competition would officially be known as the BHP Premiership.
THE CULTURE HAS BEEN BUILT SO WE’RE TAKING THAT INTO THE QRLW BURLEIGH’S CHELSEA LENARDUZZI