Five players from the Sharks Harvey Norman Women’s Premiership squad, including Kenndey Cherrington who will be making her Origin debut, have been named in the NSW Women’s State of Origin team to play Queensland on June 25.
Tiana Penitani has been named on the wing, Corban Baxter and Maddie Studdon in the halves, with hooker Quincy Dodd and Cherrington on the interchange bench, giving the Sharks the highest representation of any HNWP club.
Along with Mounties and the Central Coast Roosters, the HNWP Sharks are undefeated through round 11 of the 2021 competition.
Kezie Apps will captain the NSW side while Keeley Davis joins Cherrington as an Origin debutant.
The team also includes 12 players from the City team which won the Country v City representative match at Bankwest Stadium on May 15 and five players from the Country team.
Harvey Norman NSW Women’s State of Origin coach Kylie Hilder said she was looking forward to going into camp with the players next month as they look to return the Shield to NSW.
“We’ve named a very strong team to take on Queensland and I was really impressed by the form the players showed in the Country v City match this month,” Hilder said.
“I can’t wait to get into camp and I’m confident the players will give a good account of themselves and are looking forward to the opportunity to take on Queensland again.”
NSW won the first two Harvey Norman Women’s State of Origin matches in 2018 and 2019 – and had not lost an interstate match against Queensland since 2015 – before last year’s narrow 24-18 loss.
Hilder became the first female coach in the professional era to be appointed for the NSW Women’s Origin team in February and will be assisted by former Manly Warringah Sea Eagles coach Geoff Toovey.
Harvey Norman NSW Women’s State of Origin team
1. Botille Vette-Welsh (Wests Tigers)
2. Yasmin Meakes (Central Coast Roosters)
3. Jess Sergis (Helensburgh Tigers)
4. Isabelle Kelly (Central Coast Roosters)
5. Tiana Penitani (Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks)
6. Corban Baxter (Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks)
7. Maddie Studdon (Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks)
8. Simaima Taufa (Mounties)
9. Keeley Davis (Mounties)
10. Millie Boyle (Burleigh Bears)
11. Kezie Apps (c) (Helensburgh Tigers)
12. Sarah Togatuki (St Marys Saints)
13. Hannah Southwell (Central Coast Roosters)
14. Quincy Dodd (Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks)
15. Filomina Hanisi (Mounties)
16. Kennedy Cherrington (Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks)
17. Holli Wheeler (North Sydney Bears)
18. Brydie Parker (Central Coast Roosters)
19. Renee Targett (North Sydney Bears)
Lead photo - from left - NSW Origin reps Tiana Penitani, Maddie Studdon, Quincy Dodd, Kennedy Cherrington, Corban Baxter
