General News
20 June, 2022
Hobbler takes on the maroons
LOCAL NRLW legend Aerielle “May May” Hobbler is putting her name in the spotlight, heading to Queensland's capital next month to compete against the Blues for the Australian Schoolgirl Rugby League Challenge.
May May has been in the league for several years, training endlessly for hours to prepare for some of the highest level of competition out.
With the support of Mareeba State High School, her family and her beloved mother from heaven, May May will represent Far North Queensland and hopes to make the Australian team.
“We are playing against a New South Wales and Australian Capital Territory combined team and the best players get picked to be on the Australian Schoolgirls Team,” she said.
“It is a really great feeling and I have been doing a lot of training to lead up to it – mainly strengthening and conditioning with my little brother.”
Training harder than ever, May May is one of only two girls north of the South-East corner to be selected for the team, giving her a sense of great pride.
Her ultimate goal in the end is to make it to the Australian Team and compete against other players from across the globe.
If she is selected, her first global competition will be against the girls from New Zealand.
Manager for the Australian Schoolgirls side and principal at Mareeba High, Scott Whybird, has watched May May come a long way in her career and is helping push her to her goals.
He believes she is worthy of her place in the Australian Schoolgirls Queensland side and is proud to see her name in the history books.
“May May is the sole representative from the Peninsula region to make the first ever Queensland side and it is a tremendous honour for her and is a reflection of the time and effort she has put in to make this side,” he said.
“Her talent was recognised by the selectors who picked the Queensland side.
She can play in a number of positions from front row to the halves.
“Being in the first ever side picked this year will have May May recorded in the history of Queensland School Sport Rugby League.”
May May will have a jersey presentation in Brisbane on Tuesday 12 July alongside other players picked for the side and have their achievements recognised.
The first game of Australian Schoolgirls will be hosted on 13 July in video, just before State of Origin Game Three.
