KNIGHTS skipper Romy Teitzell has been rewarded for her outstanding form in Newcastle's inaugural NRLW season with selection in the Queensland women's squad for the one-off State of Origin clash with NSW in Canberra on June 24.
Teitzel, a 23-year-old from Townsville, will be joined in the 22-player Maroons squad by Newcastle's new signing Tamika Upton, who has played the past three seasons with Brisbane.
Upton has twice represented her state, while Teitzel is yet to make her debut.
Teitzel helped North Queensland Gold Stars beat Upton's Central Queensland Capras 14-12 in last week's Queensland Cup grand final in Redcliffe.
Their NSW opponents in the interstate clash will include Knights centre Bobbi Law and Newcastle's star off-season recruits Hannah Southwell and Millie Boyle.
Law has previously represented the Prime Ministers XIII and Indigenous All Stars.
Dual Olympian Evania Pelite is among Queensland's other new faces. The Maroons are hunting a third successive victory over NSW.
With Ali Brigginshaw captaining the side, Pelite, who won Olympic gold in Rio and was also part of the Tokyo campaign, plays for Gold Coast in the NRLW.
"It's really had a good impact on the girls behind the scenes and will only get better for the NRLW girls to see what it takes to be a professional athlete," Maroons coach Tahnee Norris said of Pelite's influence.
"We want to build our own platform in the women's game and really dominate and with this team we can really do that."
The match-day 18 will each receive a total of $15,000 as part of Queensland Rugby League's commitment to match the men's Origin payments.
The initiative has ensured Brittany Breayley-Nati will feature after she was forced to miss last year's series with work commitments.
"It's definitely made a difference to us and it's something we want to see across the board ... we want the NSW girls to be getting the same amount too," the coach said.
"It's really important for the women's game that we do that. I still think we've got a long way to go; we want to grow the competition, keep improving, getting its own fan base, crowds, media.
"It's on the right path to get there, we just need to keep fighting because it's great to watch, the girls deserve it."
The Maroons squad will meet next Saturday, before assembling in camp on the Gold Coast on June 16.
Queensland: Tamika Upton, Emily Bass, Evania Pelite, Shenae Ciesiolka, Julia Robinson, Tarryn Aiken, Ali Brigginshaw, Chelsea Lenarduzzi, Brittany Breayley-Nati, Shannon Mato, Tallisha Harden, Tazmin Gray, Destiny Brill, Lauren Brown, Jessika Elliston, Steph Hancock, Tiana Raftstrand-Smith, Zahara Temara, Karina Brown, Romy Teitzel, Keilee Joseph, Sara Sautia.
Meanwhile, the Knights confirmed on Monday the retention of five players who were members of their foundation team: Law, Emma Manzelmann, Kyra Simon, Autumn-Rain Stephens-Daly and Kirra Dibb.
