The Newcastle Knights have announced Australian rugby sevens star Jesse Southwell as a late signing for the 2022 NRL-W season.
Southwell will back up her Commonwealth Games gold here in Newcastle, completing the 24-woman squad alongside her older sister Hannah.
It has been a busy couple of months for the Knights junior, after helping the Knights charge to the Tarsha Gale Cup finals earlier this season she ultimately missed the Club’s narrow Grand Final loss to the Roosters Indigenous Academy following her selection in the Australian Rugby Sevens team for the World Series event in Langford, Canada.
She also featured in one game during the Harvey Norman Women’s Premiership, scoring a try and kicking five goals at halfback in a 34 – 20 victory over South Sydney in early May.
She would then secure her Commonwealth Games debut following her second World Series event in Toulouse, France in May.
Southwell scored a try and kicked a conversation in Birmingham during Australia’s 50 – nil rout of Scotland, before coming on late in the squad’s pool stage loss to Fiji.
After not seeing game time during Australia’s semi-final win over New Zealand, Southwell was introduced into the action during the second half of the Final, where Australia reversed its earlier loss to Fiji with a 22 – 12 victory to bring home gold.
The 17-year-old five-eighth is already training with Newcastle, which is gearing up for a second season in the NRL-W competition.
Southwell could make her competition debut in Newcastle for the Knights opening round clash against the Broncos in just 12 days time on Saturday, August 21.