Elsie Albert will be leading the Papua New Guinea Prime Ministers XIII womens side today against Australia.
Albert has been power house in the Women’s National Rugby League Competition in Australia. She is currently playing for the Paramatta Eels women’s team. Elsie will be one of only four women that play in the WNRL in Australia.
Others include Essay Banu and Sareka Mooka who play for the North Queensland Cowboys and Ua Ravu with the Canberra Raiders. There is a handful of players from the Queensland Cup and other Australian based competitions. The rest of the team is made up of women from Papua New Guineas National Women’s Rugby League Competition the Santos Cup. The squad comprises of 22 women.
Elsie Albert as captain of the Women’s Prime Ministers XIII side is confident the team will be up for a win against the Australian side.
“You have to have confidence in the team and I am confident that the team that we have can get the job done for Papua New Guinea.
“Its always a proud moment when we put on the jersey and it will be the same this Sunday and we will be giving our best shot to get the win this Sunday,” Albert said.
Coach Tahnee Norris says the team has jelled well and after a few training sessions together they are looking well prepared for todays match. She said the Prime Minister XIII match will help in her selection for the Orchids side that will take part in the Pacific Championship.
She is eager to see how the women selected from the Santos Cup will perform on Sunday.
“We had a couple of training sessions and the girls have come together.
“There are a few girls that featured well in the Santos cup and have put their hands up for selection in the Prime Ministers 13 side.
“It has given them every opportunity to make that side for the Pacific Championships and I am very keen on seeing how they perform on Sunday,” Norris said.
The Australian Womens Coach Jess Skinner said they are anticipating a tough encounter with the PNG womens side.
She added that some of the women will also be looking to impress the coaches for their chance to make the Australian Jilaroos side for the Pacific Championship as well.
“The games going to be really tough and there is a lot of experience in the Papua New Guinea Prime Ministers 13 team as well. We are looking forward to the match on Sunday it will be really entertaining.
“We have the Pacific Championships and some of the other girls will be joining us then but we have a job to do this weekend,” Skinner said.
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