Tina's terrific milestone makes it all worth it for Outback workhorses

It has taken some time, but those who helped develop the Outback representative program were able to celebrate arguably one of their proudest moments in Miles.

While Activate! Queensland Country Week was a hit and despite going down 18-14 to NSW Outback, Queensland Outback winger Tina Ah-One’s achievement just by running on the field marked a major highlight.

The 19-year-old from Mt Isa (pictured above) has now played for the Outback under 14s, under 17s and finally the senior women, the first player to have done so.

The pocket rocket said the experiences had all taught her so much in giving her confidence on the field and open mindedness to the people around her outside her community.

Ah-One reflected on her journey beyond club and school footy in Mt Isa, which started with the Rees Orman City Country Cultural Exchange at Coolum in 2018.

“It was exciting but kind of new going away and playing other girls instead of playing girls you play locally every weekend, and a very good experience and good to meet new people," she said.

“It really changed my mindset of what footy is about. It's not just about going away and getting picked and stuff, it's about meeting new people, getting new experiences and learning actually how to play footy.

“It's very important that I’ve had people to look after me while I was away from home and just getting out there to make my family proud.”

Getting to rub shoulders with former representative stars including Outback women’s coach Nicole Richards were among the highlights of her trips away.

“She’s very calm, understanding and when she talks, she projects it and clearly, which is what I like about her,” Ah-One said.

QRL Outback league and club coordinator Peter Rafter said the 17-hour, 1700km trip to Miles for this event was just a snippet of the effort players put into the game and in pushing for the incentive of representing Queensland Outback - and Ah-One's achievement was an example of why volunteers put in the time to make it happen.

"That's something that five or ten years ago, we never thought would ever happen," he said.

"But now it has, and it's a good thrill for all of us that have been involved in the Outback program.

"It's just so good to see the development of them all.

"It presents different opportunities for the kids and they see what it is like in the big wide world and get out there and just being able to experience playing against different teams at different levels, they definitely benefit from it.

"They'll go back to their own teams now better football players for coming down here."

The extra levels might just ensure a player of the ilk of Reeghyn Beardmore, a Central Queensland Capras BMD Premiership mainstay from St George, can access higher quality rugby league sooner and can make the leap into QRL pathways.

And just watching the Queensland Outback women in action, from Beardmore at No.7 to fullback Daniela Mudu - the former who NSW Outback anointed player of the match and latter the official player of the match - giving it their all as if their lives depended on it, it's clear many more Outback players wouldn't look out of place at the next level if given the opportunity.

Outback players will again be striving for the same honour when they travel even further into NSW in a bid to bring the interstate title home.

Queensland Outback's women were coming home with a wet sail on Saturday - another five minutes and they may have broken through - but despite the result it's another experience they will treasure for life.