NEITHER has ever played rugby league. On Wednesday they’ll stare down Queensland’s best young female players.
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Elle Thomas and Jordan Brooker (pictured below) have been thrust into the deep end of a contact sport dominated by men.
They’re ready to tackle the challenge.
In just one training session the Trinity Catholic College students earned selection in the Canberra Raiders under 16s representative team.
The squad on Wednesday buses to Penrith for the Australian All Schools Championships.
Their preparation comprises a one-off match with Canberra outfit the Valley Dragons, a handful of sessions at Raiders HQ and a run with the Stockmen under 15s outfit.
On Wednesday afternoon they took to the Recreation Ground basketball stadium for training.
Upon completion they jumped in their parents’ cars before bailing out at North Park for a hit-out with the boys.
While a football field is foreign, rugby league is not.
“It hasn’t been that distant for us because we’ve both grown up with league around us,” Brooker, a Canberra Raiders supporter, explained.
“I’ve played a few games of union for school, but that’s it.
“We’re having a little run with the Valley Dragons [tonight], so that’ll get us warmed up. Training’s been alright to get us used to it.”
Raiders selectors earmarked Brooker as a dummy-half and Thomas a backrower.
Rugby league nous will serve them well on game day. Neither is perturbed by the prospect of barnstorming prop forwards.
“We’ll just send our big forwards at them and drift back a little bit,” a tongue-incheek Brooker said.
The Canberrans’ All Schools campaign begins at 10.15am on Wednesday. Its commencement may change the local league scene forever.
Goulburn Stockmen committee members have flagged an interest in fielding under 14s and 17s female teams in the Canberra Region Rugby League competition from 2014 onwards.
Brooker and Thomas are itching to lead that 17s team.
They’re on a search for teammates.
