By Joshua Papanikolaou (PSG Staff)
All the girls representing Queensland in the 12 and under touch football competition at the 2017 Pacific School Games know what is at stake this week, especially against arch rival New South Wales.
Prior to the team’s 14-0 pool game victory against the Blues, coach Drina Brady was confident that her squad was capable of keeping this age group’s winning record against their likely Grand Final opponents.
The Maroons’ 12 and under girl’s teams at the Pacific School Games have lost just once in their last 19 ‘State of Origin’ clashes.
“Yeah, the girls are aware of the history and the players that have come before them,” Brady said before the game.
“At our training camps we have a lot of those players come back and talk to them about their experiences and share what it means to wear the maroon jersey.
“So, they understand what it means, and what they want to achieve when they come away with us.”
Brady has coached at multiple junior national championships over the years and played touch football herself at a state level for Queensland.
“These girls have come together really well,” she added.
“Sometimes it’s about getting the combinations right, but everyone is doing their job and working as a team.
“Yeah that’s the game they always look forward to the most (against NSW) and what brings the best out of them.
“I think they really want it, absolutely I think they can win it, there are a lot of very talented girls.”
In the Queensland 15 and under girls team Georgia Elmore, daughter of well known rugby league player Peter, is also keen to make sure she is not part of a side that loses to New South Wales.
Elmore, who took up the sport at seven, played alongside Emily Ward, whose father Neil is a former captain of the Australian men’s touch football team, in the 3-0 win against the Blues at Adelaide Shores.
“My dad is really involved in rugby league so that’s where this whole touch football thing came around,” Elmore said before the game.
“I’ve been brought up on league, so I just looked for a girl’s version of the sport, so touch is the way to go.
“I follow the Melbourne Storm in NRL because my brother Jake was in the under 20 team, so the whole family is in on that.
“We were watching New South Wales this morning, we’re onto them, it’s a big game.”
The grand final for the touch football competition will take place on Saturday, 9 December and it is looking to be another memorable State of Origin clash.