Papua New Guinea quartet link up with North Queensland Cowboys
Photo: Mark Cosgrove/News Images
North Queensland Cowboys have snapped up four Papua New Guinea internationals for the upcoming NRLW campaign.
Sera Koroi (pictured), Essay Banu, Shellie Long and Jeesikah Reeves, all of whom represented the PNG Orchids at last year’s World Cup, have signed deals with the Cowboys for their maiden 2023 season in the NRLW.
Banu and Long are both North Queensland products with Papua New Guinean heritage, who relocated to South East Queensland as teenagers, but will return north to play for the Cowboys.
Reeves, a former Queensland Under-18s representative, was named Player’s Player for the Orchids at the World Cup. She arrives at the Cowboys from the Central Coast Roosters.
Half-back Koroi, 20, burst on to the international scene at the World Cup. She links up with the Cowboys from Souths Logan.
Ben Jeffries delighted with Papua New Guinea reunion
Former Super League star Ben Jeffries, who led the PNG Orchids at the World Cup, is the Cowboys NRLW head coach. He says he is deighted to welcome his international quartet in to his side.
He said: “These four PNG Internationals will bring a real diversity to our squad in terms of culture in addition to their experience from playing in the recent World Cup.
“All four players were regular starters at the recent World Cup and just as importantly, are great humans, which is what we look for when attracting players to the Cowboys.
“Shellie, Jess, Essay and Sera are at the infancy of their NRLW careers as they search for their debuts, but we know they’re hungry for the opportunity. This will bring energy to our squad, which is infectious within elite sport.
“A major part of our recruitment drive was to bring Queensland players into our team and we’re grateful they have chosen to come to the Cowboys.”
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