LeagueNews.co | Jess Malloy
The PNG Orchids squad for their Pacific Championships match against Cook Islands on October 22 has been announced, featuring seven NRLW players, including five from the North Queensland Cowboys.
Inspirational captain Elsie Albert, who had a limited NRLW campaign for Parramatta due to a calf injury, will be joined by Raiders hooker Ua Ravu and the Cowboys quintet of Essay Banu, Jessikah Reeves, Sareka Mooka, Sera Koroi, and Shellie Long.
Albert, a 27-year-old prop, has been a trailblazer for Papua New Guinea players in the NRLW since her move to Australia in 2020.
Banu, Reeves, Mooka, Koroi, and Long all made their NRLW debuts for the Cowboys this season, as did Ravu, who was born in Papua New Guinea and moved to Australia in 1997.
Cowboys coach Ben Jeffries, who also coaches the Orchids, offered these five players an opportunity with the new NRLW team after being impressed by their performances at last year's World Cup.
Along with Albert and Ravu, they are among the 12 members of the World Cup squad named for the Pacific Championships.