With a love for the physical nature of the game, Taneka Todhunter should be perfectly suited to the State of Origin arena.
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The Dubbo has spoken about her love of the battle and there's few better than any time a NSW side meets a team from Queensland.
On Friday night Todhunnter will be part of the Blues side which meets the Maroons in an under 19s State of Origin match.
The clash will be the curtain-raiser for the main women's match between the two fierce rivals.
Ahead of the match, Todhunter spoke to NSWRL.com spoke about how special the opportunity is after putting in so much work.
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The teenager regularly traveled to Sydney in recent years to train or play while she now lives in the city and dreams of playing at the very top level.
"Coming from Dubbo I just wanted to make something of myself. And I loved football, so doing those hours was just something I had to do to," she said.
"Obviously with a great bunch of girls, great staff, in the NSW team I'm just learning a lot and bettering myself as a player.
"I just love the contact, the physical side of things."
Todhunter is one of two Western Rams juniors who will play for the Blues on Friday night.
Orange's Lilly Baker is the other and she has been named at lock for Friday's match while Todhunter will start from the bench.
The pair have been hard at work on their own and with their Blues teammates since the state squad was named a month ago, and coach Blake Cavallaro is keen to see all his newcomers to their best to help NSW defend their Origin crown.
"They are excited to represent their state, even more excited to bring that trophy home again," Cavallaro told NSWRL.
"They've been preparing themselves for four weeks since we named the team, and now they get to pull on that NSW jersey."
Cavallaro has nine players from the NSW City and nine from the NSW Country sides from the Nationals.
"It's a really good balance," he said.
"A lot of these girls played up in Nationals a few weeks ago, so we've got some good combinations already. A lot of them play club footy together too."
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