The North Queensland Cowboys have secured their spot in the NRLW, carving a new elite pathway for women in rugby league heartland.
The club will join the Canberra Raiders, Cronulla Sharks and Wests Tigers as part of a major expansion of the women's competition for the 2023 season.
It was a pinch-me moment for players like 19-year-old Jordii Mahendrarajah from Townsville.
"I've been playing since I was 10 years old with the boys," she said.
The teenager plays for the Gold Stars – North Queensland's premiership-winning team in the state league.
Now, she has her sights set on a Cowboys debut.
"Seeing this team being built is just insane — it's really emotional," she said.
The NRLW was established in 2018 with just four teams.
Ten teams will compete from 2023, and the NRL has flagged its intention to eventually have a women's side at every club.
Cowboys chief executive Jeff Reibel said the creation of an elite North Queensland women's team was the culmination of years of investment in local talent.
"Our club was born [in 1995] to give North Queenslanders the opportunity to stay in North Queensland and shine on the national stage," he said.
"With our admittance into the NRLW competition, we can now do that for males and females."
Eight players from the Gold Stars – who come from Cairns, Townsville and Mackay – were contracted to other NRLW teams this year.
Cowboys head of football, Michael Luck, said he hoped most would come home for the 2023 season.
"That's why we put the bid in and why we waited five years to do it – so that we could fill the team with players from up here."
The Cowboys will be the third Queensland team in the NRLW, joining the Gold Coast Titans and the three-time premiership-winning Brisbane Broncos.
The club will have about a year to recruit players and coaching staff.
The NRL has forecast "significant growth" in the salary cap, which is currently set at $350,000 per team.
But Mr Luck said he could not envisage players being able to quit their day jobs immediately.
"But if it continues to grow how it has grown over the last couple of years, I wouldn't think it would be far away that we could see our first couple of full time professionals within the next couple of years," he said.
Mr Reibel said the name of the new women's team was still under consultation.
"No matter what we are, we'll all be Cowboys," he said.
