A group of under-13 rugby league girls from Stockton will have front row seats to cheer on the Sky Blues at the Women's State of Origin on Thursday.
NSW Blues star Millie Boyle secured tickets for the girls, after making a surprise visit to their training session last Thursday at Lynn Oval.
The Stockton Sharks team didn't win a game last season and mostly lost by the "mercy rule". This means matches stop when one team hits 60 points.
Stockton under-13s manager Jay Bell said Boyle heard about the girls' season last year and "how they just kept persevering".
"They held their heads high and just kept turning up to play week after week," Ms Bell said.
This season, the team has improved dramatically with two wins and two losses.
"When they won their first game this season, it was like they'd won the State of Origin," Ms Bell said.
"The way they celebrated, it was just great to see. Win or lose, they try their best and that's the attitude they have developed and it's something to be very proud of and it's really paying off."
Ms Bell said the Stockton club recognised the need for a junior girls team, but it wasn't easy getting the numbers in such a small community.
"We know that young girls having something that they can all bond over is really important," she said.
"They might not have been friends off the field before, but they are friends now from the field. We're all about inclusion and making sure no-one is left out, it's something that is really important to us and it's created a great team atmosphere."
Boyle led the Newcastle Knights to their first NRL Women's title last year, but moved to the Sydney Roosters this season.
When Boyle attended training, she ran the girls through some drills.
"We had no idea she was coming and the girls were just blown away to have the opportunity," Ms Bell said.
After training, Boyle invited the girls and parents to Thursday's Origin clash in Sydney, with Westpac paying for a bus and the match tickets.
Westpac sponsors the women's Origin team jersey and supports a female pathway program called the "Junior Sky Blues".
Diana Diab, Westpac NSW regional general manager, said she was proud to support "pathways for girls like those at the Stockton Sharks to participate in the sport".
Stockton player Adana Bell, 12, said her brother influenced her to start playing rugby league.
"I was at football every weekend watching him play and he always had a smile on his face, so I figured it was time to give it a go," she said.
"Last season we didn't win a game, but we just kept turning up to training and the games and trying to improve.
"To have a couple of wins so far this year, it's just changed the whole outlook. We now know we can do it, so we are playing even harder and building confidence and really coming together as a team."
Adana said it was "great to have such a good bunch of girls to play with".
"We're having a lot of fun and there is a really good vibe amongst the girls. It's been awesome."
She was delighted that women were playing Origin matches.
"While I wouldn't say things are completely equal at the moment between men and women in footy, it's getting there," she said.
"As girls we now know that we can play State of Origin if that's a goal. I'm sure as more and more people see how awesome women and girls play, things will be equal one day soon."
Stockton player Ivy Ambler, 12, says rugby league is "a great social sport".
"I had no sport going on and mum really encouraged me to give footy a go, and I just fell in love with it," she said.
"I've made a lot of new friends. We have a lot of fun at training and playing, but there is also the serious side where we want to do our best to win games."
Ivy added that "Millie is one of my favourite players".
"I have always wanted to meet her. It was very cool for her to turn up and train with us. It was actually hard to believe she was here and taking the time to help with our skills. We were all pretty shocked," she said.
The team is coached by Shane O'Sullivan and managed by Ms Bell.
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