Former Tully Tigers' rugby league player Essay Banu was selected in NRL All Stars Women's Indigenous squad

MARIA GIRGENTI

AFTER impressive performances for the PNG Orchids in last year's Women's Rugby League World Cup (RLWC), former Tully Tigers product Essay Banu has been named in the NRL All Stars Women's Indigenous squad.

Tahlulah Tillett, a former Cairns Kangaroos junior, North Queensland Gold Stars and Newcastle Knights NRLW player, joins Banu.

The squad coached by Ben Jeffries is made up of Banu, Tillett, Shaylee Bent, Jaime Chapman, Bree Chester, Kirra Dibb, Quincy Dodd, Taliah Fuimaono, Shakiah Tungai, Ahlivia Ingram, Keilee Joseph, Bobbi Law, Mia Middleton, Sareka Mooka, Jasmine Peters, Kaitlyn Phillips, Shaniah Power and Jada Taylor.

The women's team plays the NRL Maori All Stars at Rotorua International Stadium this Saturday, February 11, in the inaugural NRL Harvey Norman All Stars match in New Zealand.

The men's and women's teams' games follow a curtain-raiser match between the Maori and Indigenous All Stars touch football teams.

At last year's RLWC, Banu scored her first international try on debut for the PNG Orchids in their opening game against Canada in England.

Banu, aged 20, has come a long way in only a year after grappling with the stark realisation she would have to leave her hometown of Tully to pursue her rugby league career.

For six years, Banu played rugby league for the Tully Tigers, following in the footsteps of her father and brothers.

Banu impressed whilst representing Tully State High School in Queensland school leagues and State tournaments before she caught the eye of the Wynnum Manly Club.

In 2019, Banu was part of the victorious Under 17 Girls' Tully Tigers team, who won the Cairns District Junior Rugby League Under 17 Girls' grand final and took out the Best and Fairest Player award.

In the metropolitan areas, there are opportunities for women's rugby league; however, these opportunities are restricted in small regional areas such as Tully.

Banu said everyone suggested she move from Tully to Brisbane for footy; however, this was scary as she did not know anyone there and would be away from her family.

It was a life-changing and favourable decision for Banu last year as she made her Queensland Rugby League Women's premiership debut with Wynnum Manly and gained invaluable playing experience.

In 2022, Banu was named Prop in the BMD Premiership Team of the Year at the Queensland Rugby League awards and gained selection in the Papua New Guinea Orchids team.

Banu has a robust Papua New Guinea heritage, as her mother is from Kerema and Tatana village in Port Moresby, whilst her grandfather is from Meruku, West Papua.