Pathways named in honour of inspirational Queenslanders
The Queensland Rugby League's female youth pathway competitions will now proudly bear the names of two pioneers whose contributions helped shape the future of women’s rugby league.
In a fitting tribute to their outstanding impact on the sport, the QRL today announced its youth competitions will be renamed the Jo Barrett Premiership (Under 17s) and Jenni-Sue Hoepper Premiership (Under 19s). Both are proudly presented by Westpac.
The two pathway competitions provide aspiring players, coaches, high-performance staff and match officials with a platform to develop and progress to the BMD Premiership, NRLW and representative programs.
QRL Chief Executive Officer Jeff Reibel said the re-naming of the competitions was a significant recognition of two women whose influence on rugby league extended well beyond their playing careers.
“These competitions are producing the next wave of players, coaches and officials, many of whom will go on to be involved in the NRLW and Queensland State of Origin programs,” Reibel said.
“By attaching Jo and Jenni-Sue's names to these pathways, we are ensuring their stories continue to inspire young women to chase their rugby league dreams."
Today's announcement follows a thorough process led by the QRL History Committee, which carefully considered the contributions of many stars of the women's game before recommending Barrett and Hoepper to the QRL Board for endorsement.
A true pioneer of women's rugby league, Barrett represented both the Queensland Maroons and Australia during a distinguished playing career that helped create opportunities for future generations of female athletes.
Raised in the regional community of Warwick, rugby league has always been part of Barrett's DNA.
Her connection to the game extends far beyond her own achievements, with her family continuing to dedicate countless hours to supporting and strengthening community rugby league across the region.
Like Barrett, Hoepper's contribution to rugby league is both significant and enduring.
From winning the inaugural Women's Dally M Medal in 2015 to representing Papua New Guinea, the Indigenous All Stars, Queensland and Australia, Hoepper has long been a trailblazing figure in women's rugby league.
At a time when female pathways were limited, particularly in regional areas, Hoepper made the difficult decision to leave Cairns and relocate to Brisbane in pursuit of greater opportunities within the game, making considerable sacrifices along the way.
From today, her name will inspire the next generation of aspiring female athletes attached to the Under 19 competition.
The QRL media and content and team recently spent time with Hoepper in Cairns and Barrett in Warwick, retracing their remarkable rugby league journeys.
Their stories, which celebrate the challenges overcome and the legacies created by both women, will be shared across QRL digital channels over the coming days.
