Rep jerseys up for grabs at Under 17 Girls Central Region Carnival

One of Chloe Pallisier’s rugby league goals is to play for a Queensland team.

And her eyes are firmly on the prize when it comes to this weekend’s Under 17 Girls Central Region Carnival, which will act as selection tournament for the Queensland Under 17 Girls Country team.

This side - picked in conjunction with the Northern region - will go on to play against City on Hostplus Cup grand final day.

Pallisier will pull on the jersey for the Western Clydesdales this weekend and, while she is one of the younger players in the side at age 15, she is keen to see how herself and her teammates match up against other teams from across the region.

The Cydesdales will meet Sunshine Coast, Central Queensland and Wide Bay across Friday and Saturday.

“I was pretty excited,” Pallisier said of making the Toowoomba team.

“I thought I wasn’t going to make it because of the high level of girls talent in Toowoomba.

“I want to see where everyone else is and how everyone else is developing, as well as Toowoomba.

“It would be a huge honour to make the Country side but I know it will be quite tough with the talent and skills that everyone else has.”

The young five-eighth started playing the game after her dad, Michael, introduced her to it when she was eight. She was also inspired by some of the women’s players at the time, including Queensland Maroons great, Steph Hancock.

She said she is forever grateful for her dad's support, as well as that of her mum, Terri, and younger brother, Joel.

“I’m really grateful that my dad got me into it,” she said.

“I live and breathe rugby league.”

Now with the Southern Suburbs Tigers, Pallisier – who has represented the Central Crows and played schoolgirls - loves the game of rugby league and continues to be inspired by the older generations, with Ali Brigginshaw, Tarryn Aiken, Millie Boyle and Tamika Upton among her favourite players.

“I used to live in Chinchilla so that’s two hours from Toowoomba,” Pallisier said.

“I used to play with the boys until under 12s. Then we moved into Toowoomba when I was about 13 for high school and that helped me play with the girls.

“The pathways are pretty amazing. Looking at Ali Brigginshaw and how she had to stop playing rugby league altogether, there’s so many more pathways for us girls to improve our game and show that girls can do what boys do as well.

“I just love the toughness that everyone puts into the game and the aggression. We don’t go at half pace. We’re full out, nonstop.

“I’d like to make a Queensland side one day. Queensland Country or Schoolgirls Queensland or one day an Origin side. That would be crazy amazing.”