To whet the appetite ahead of the 2018 Rugby League season, NSWRL.com.au looks at some of the up-and-coming male and female stars who will hope to represent NSW. Today, we run the eye over a NSW Women’s debutant who starred in her first interstate outing.
Jess Sergis had a rather unusual path to her Women’s Interstate Challenge debut, having only played five games of Rugby League following stints in both Rugby Union and Aussie Rules.
The supremely talented athlete wasn’t drawn enough to either sport to carry on with them, before she had a small taste of Rugby League and found an instant love with the Greatest Game of All.
Not only was she accelerated through the Pathways Programs and selected in the interstate side to debut, she was the absolute star of the show at WIN Stadium. NSW had only won their first game in 18 years just 12 months prior, but Sergis was not at all flustered by the occasion, bagging a memorable hat-trick on the wing.
Sergis was then rewarded with her first Jillaroos jersey over in a one-off Test in Papua New Guinea, but unfortunately missed out on World Cup selection. That, for Sergis, is clearly the ultimate goal. Her achievements in the space of a year are nothing short of remarkable – next on the list will be securing a second chance in the Jillaroos jersey, then keeping it for years to come.
At just 20 years old, Sergis is one of the best up-and-coming athletes in the game – and she recently won the national championship with her Oztag mixed under-20s team too! 2017 was a big year for Sergis, but 2018 could be even bigger.
