Moxon, Albert among stars vying for PNG Orchids spots
Leeds Rhinos star Tara Moxon and St George Illawarra Dragons prop Elsie Albert are among 39 players under consideration by PNG Orchids coach Ben Jeffries for the upcoming World Cup in England.
Jeffries has named a 34-player train-on squad, with a further five players - Moxon, Albert, Sareka Mooka (North Queensland), La-Toniya Norris (Wynnum) and Shae-Yvonne De La Cruz (Brisbane Souths) - exempted from a final selection trial in August.
Moxon is the only player who is not based in Australia or Papua New Guinea after moving to England at the age of 12 from East New Britain with her PNG mother and English father.
She played for the England Knights in 2019 and was a member of the Leeds team which lost last year's Women's Super League grand final to St Helens.
Albert also helped the Dragons the 2021 NRLW grand final against Sydney Roosters earlier this year and will again be a key member of the Red V squad for the upcoming 2022 season.
The 34 women who will gather in Port Moresby next month for an internal Orchids trial match, where final selections for the 23-player World Cup squad will be
made, include returning internationals as well as a host of potential debutants.
The group features the top performers from the recent PNG Women’s Tri-Series in Port Moresby and Australian-based players who have been monitored by coaching staff throughout 2022 and have taken part in several elite pathway programs.
Among them are hooker Therese Aiton, who played for the Parramatta Eels in the 2021 NRLW competition and former PNG Rugby Sevens international Anika Butler, who plays for the Newcastle Knights in the NSW Women's Premiership.
“I have been really impressed by the standard of talent we have available to us both in PNG and Australia," Jeffries said.
"Although I was unable to attend the PNG Women’s Tri-Series due to unforeseen circumstances, I watched videos of all the matches and addressed the players several times during their camp.
"I am really excited to see our PNG and Australian-based talent come together in August’s trial match and begin the World Cup journey.”
PNG Orchids chair Okaro Yogi said: “I am excited with the selection because it is a good mix of debutants and returning Orchids players who came from the four confederates across PNG and which includes our overseas based players".
PNGRFL CEO Stanley Hondina added: “I would like to extend our appreciation to the head coach and his coaching team for the efforts put in to get to this point. With the challenge of COVID and others, you managed to put together a team that’s appreciated.
“The concept that was put in place has been fair and every PNG girl has been given
an opportunity to be selected, and with this trial, which includes the overseas girls,
assists us not only to get a balanced team but also a quality one.”
The 34-player train-on squad is:
ANGELENA WATEGO WYNNUM (QRLW)
ANIKA BUTLER KNIGHTS (Harvey Norman NSW Women’s Premiership)
BELINDA GWASAMUN HIGHLANDS CONFEDERATE (PNG)
BERTSHIBA AWOI SOUTHERN CONFEDERATE (PNG)
CAROL HUMEU SOUTHERN CONFEDERATE (PNG)
DELAILAH AHOSE HIGHLANDS CONFEDERATE (PNG)
ELIZABETH KAPA SOUTHERN CONFEDERATE (PNG)
EMILY VEIVERS TIGERS (QRLW
ESSAY BANU WYNNUM (QRLW)
GEMMA SCHNAUBELT SOUTHS (QRLW)
GLORIA KAUPA HIGHLANDS CONFEDERATE (PNG)
JANET JOHN SOUTHERN CONFEDERATE (PNG)
JANET MICHAEL SOUTHERN CONFEDERATE (PNG)
JESSICA CAREY TIGERS (QRLW)
JESSIKAH REEVES SOUTHS (QRLW)
JOANNE LAGONA SOUTHERN CONFEDERATE (PNG)
LAYNA NONA-BUSCH RABBITOHS (Western Australia)
LEILAH KEROWA SOUTHERN CONFEDERATE (PNG)
LYDIA LUKE NORTHERN CONFEERATE (PNG)
LILA MALABAG SOUTHERN CONFEDERATE (PNG)
LISA-MARIE ALU HIGHLANDS CONFEDERATE (PNG)
LYIANNAH ALLEEN HIGHLANDS CONFEDERATE (PNG)
MARTHA MOLOWIA SOUTHERN CONFEDERATE (PNG)
MELI JOE HIGHLANDS CONFEDERATE (PNG)
MICHELLE JOHN IKUPU NORTHERN CONFEDERATE (PNG)
REGILA WILFRED HIGHLANDS CONFEDERATE (PNG)
ROSWITA KAPO SOUTHERN CONFEDERATE (PNG)
SERA KOROI SOUTHS (QRLW)
SHELLIE LONG TIGERS (QRLW)
SHIRLEY JOE NORTHERN CONFEDERATE (PNG)
TALITHA KUNJIL HIGHLANDS CONFEDERATE (PNG)
THERESE AITON SOUTHS (Harvey Norman NSW Women’s Premiership)
UA RAVU BULLS (NSW Championship)
VERONICA WAULA SOUTHERN CONFEDERATE (PNG)
A further five players are unable to attend the trial match in August due to personal reasons but remain in contention to make the final PNG Orchids squad:
ELSIE ALBERT: DRAGONS (NRLW)
TARA MOXON: LEEDS (UK Super League)
SAREKA MOOKA: NORTH QUEENSLAND (QRLW)
LA-TONIYA NORRIS: WYNNUM (QRLW)
SHAE-YVONNE DE LA CRUZ: SOUTHS (QRLW)
Photos: NRL Photos/RFL/Leeds Rhinos
