SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - JUNE 01: Jesse Southwell of the Blues looks on during the warm-up before game one of the Women's State of Origin series between New South Wales and Queensland at CommBank Stadium on June 01, 2023 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)
Jesse Southwell is set to follow in her big sister Hannah's footsteps and run out for the Newcastle Knights NRLW side in this upcoming season.
The only difference? Jesse will be doing it all before her 18th birthday.
Following a successful Commonwealth Games Rugby Sevens campaign for Australia, Southwell has flown home to join the Knights side and follow the same process that allowed Sydney Roosters winger Joseph Suaalii to debut at just 17 years-old.
"We went through an exemption process and had a couple of meetings like with Andrew Abdo, and I did some physical tests and that all went well," Jesse told NRL.com.
"He wanted to make sure we knew what we were getting into, like the media, playing well and not well, we went through all those processes and they thought it was all right.