Knights NRLW coach Ronald Griffiths expects Jesse Southwell to handle the intensity of State of Origin after the playmaker was confirmed as the Sky Blues' five-eighth for next week's first game.
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The 18-year-old has been named to wear the No.6 jersey in her NSW debut against Queensland at CommBank Stadium in Parramatta on Thursday week.
It will be the first time she has played senior representative rugby league.
The Cameron Park product won a gold medal playing rugby sevens for Australia at last year's Commonwealth Games, but missed selection in the Australian Jillaroos side for last year's World Cup.
Southwell, who required special approval to play in the NRLW last year as she was not yet 18, proved her age was no barrier in her first campaign helping Newcastle to a maiden title.
Origin will pit her against the best of the best in the sport's toughest arena, but Griffiths believes she will handle the step up.
"If Jesse sticks to the process of playing tough, uncompromising football, which she's good at, she'll be OK," Griffiths told the Newcastle Herald on Wednesday.
"Jesse will understand that it's a simple game, and the bigger the game the more simple you keep it.
"She'll handle it well."
Southwell was due to begin training with the Sky Blues in Sydney on Thursday alongside Newcastle teammate Yasmin Clydsdale. Fellow Knight Tamika Upton is in camp with Queensland.
Griffiths, who will begin Newcastle's pre-season initially without the representative players next week, said the Origin experience should be particularly beneficial for Southwell.
"You spend the whole week leading up to it training, against and with quality players," he said.
"People that are looked at as the upper echelon, the elite players of the game.
"Your skill set is better. You've got to be on at every play at that level.
"What you learn there you're able to bring back to club land and teach your teammates how to prepare and play like that."
Meanwhile, Newcastle have all but finalised their 24-player NRLW squad for the upcoming season.
The club has confirmed the recruitment of 22 players and is expected to announce the last two imminently.
Last year's premiership stars including Southwell and Clydsdale remain as the core of the side but about half of the squad will be fresh additions.
"Above all else, we were able to keep players with a lot of experience who are from our local area and understand what it means to play in Newcastle," Griffiths said.
"I'm excited about the new prospects we've brought in as well."
The club was not able to keep 2022 co-captain Millie Boyle, who has signed with Sydney Roosters.
As expected, Mackay product Emma Manzelmann joined the Cowboys for their inaugural season and North Queensland's Romy Teitzel returned to the Broncos.
Knights football director Peter Parr said the recruitment process had been a challenge given every player was on the market, but the club had secured just about everyone it went after.
"It's not often you have every player in the game a free agent. That doesn't happen very often in professional sport," Parr said.
"To have every player a free agent, and four new teams coming into the competition, as premiers you're going to face some significant challenges when that happens.
"I think we've done pretty well in maintaining the core of our team."
Knights 2023 NRLW squad
Gains: Rima Butler (Eels), Jasmin Strange (Roosters), Nita Maynard (Broncos), Sheridan Gallagher, Abigail Roache, Laishon Albert-Jones, Jules Kirkpatrick, Tamerah Leati, Jayde Herdegen, Felila Kia
Re-signed: Tamika Upton, Yasmin Clydsdale, Hannah Southwell, Jesse Southwell, Caitlan Johnston, Shanice Parker, Tayla Predebon, Simone Karpani, Olivia Higgins, Tamsin Barber, Kayla Romaniuk, Caitlin Moran.
Losses: Millie Boyle (Roosters), Bobbi Law (Dragons), Romy Teitzel (Broncos), Emma Manzelmann (Cowboys), Kirra Dibb (Cowboys) Kiana Takairangi (Sharks), Makenzie Weale (Cowboys), Jakiya Whitfeld (Wests Tigers), Autumn-Rain Stephens Daly (Cowboys), Kyra Simon (Eels).
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