With the Rio Olympic Games Rugby Sevens team announcements fast approaching, we take a closer look at some of the Queensland Women in the Australian squad.
Charlotte Caslick
Charlotte Caslick made her debut for the Australian Womens Sevens team in 2013 at Amsterdam, Netherlands.
Since then she has gone on to be named in the World Rugby's 2014-15 and 2015-16 Dream Teams and also nominated for 2015 World Sevens Player of the Year.
Coming from a touch football background Caslick is vying for her spot in the 2016 Rio Olympic Games team.
Throughout her career with the Australian team she has scored 190 points (38 tries).
Emilee Cherry
Emilee Cherry was named World Rugby Womens Sevens player of the year in 2014.
After making her debut for the Australian Womens Sevens team in Dubai, UAE in 2012 Cherry has made an impressive 464 points (83 tries and 27 conversions) throughout her Australian Sevens career.
The 23 year old from Toowoomba, Queensland will be hard to resist in the 2016 Rio Olympic Games team.
Shenae Ciesiolka
Toowoomba product, Shenae Ciesiolka already has an Olympic gold medal under her belt from the 2014 Youth Olympics in Nanjing.
As well as this Ciesiolka has put on the green and gold jersey in the 2015 Commonwealth Youth Games in Apia, Samoa.
Like many other Queenslander’s in the squad Ciesiolka came from the Queensland Academy of Sport Women’s Sevens Academy and made her debut for the Australian Womens Sevens team in Langford, Canada.
Dominique Du Toit
Qantas Australian Women's Sevens Head Coach Tim Walsh said 19 year old Dominique Du Toit is a player who has a big future in the game.
After a successful performance at the 2014 Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing, Du Toit joined the Australian Rugby Sevens program at the start of 2015.
The former touch football player made her Australian Sevens debut in Atlanta, USA this year (2016) in the third round of the HSBC Women's World Series.
Gemma Etheridge
Gemma Etheridge made her debut for the Australian Womens Sevens team in Dubai, UEA in 2012 and has 64 points (8 tries and 12 conversions) to her name.
The qualified radiographer who calls Toowoomba home is on her fight back from injury to secure her spot on the 2016 Rio Olympic Team.
Australian Womens Sevens coach Tim Walsh said Etheridge is an inspiration to the team and hopes she is successful with her recovery to mark her spot in the Olympic team.
Georgina Friedrichs
Toowoomba born and bred, Georgina Friedrichs joined the Australian Womens Sevens squad in March this year (2016).
The 21 year old switched codes from touch football like many of her fellow team mates in the Australian squad and made her national Sevens debut, alongside fellow Queenslander Shenae Ciesiolka, in the fourth leg of the 2015-16 HSBC Women’s World Series in Langford, Canada.
Demi Hayes
Even though Demi Hayes is newest member of the Australian Womens Sevens Squad she is no stranger to putting on the green and gold jersey.
At the young age of 18, Hayes has already represented Australia in the Commonwealth Youth Games in September 2015 in Samoa.
Hayes made her Australian Womens Sevens debut against Brazil in Langford, Canada in April 2016.
Shannon Parry
Co-Captain of the Australian Womens Sevens squad is Queenslander Shannon Parry.
Parry is no stranger to captaining an Australian side as she captained the Australian Womens XV team at the 2014 Womens Rugby World Cup in Paris.
Parry made her debut with the Australian Sevens team in 2013 at Amsterdam and has become a valuable asset to the Australian side making her a probable contender for the Olympic side.
Along side fellow Queenslander Charlotte Caslick, Parry was named in the 2015-2016 Dream Team from a successful 2015-16 HSBC Women's Sevens World Series.
Evania Pelite
Evania Pelite developed her love for Sevens when she was apart of the Queensland Schoolgirls side that won the National Schools Rugby Sevens Tournament in 2012.
Since then Pelite made her Australian Womens Sevens debut in Amsterdam, Netherlands in 2013.
Known for her ability to break the line at a searing place Pelite is hoping to make her Olympic debut in Rio.
Amy Turner
Amy Turner made her Australian Womens Sevens debut in the Houston leg of the 2012-2013 IRB Women's Sevens series.
Turner born in Tokoroa, New Zealand represented New Zealand in touch football before crossing the ditch to take up residency in Mount Isa, Queensland and began her Sevens journey.
Turner hopes her hard work will pay off and she’ll receive a call up for the 2016 Olympic side.
Laura Waldie
After displaying an impressive performance at the Youth Olympics in Nanjing, Laura Waldie was signed with the Qantas Australian Women's Sevens the same day as Shenae Ciesiolka.
Yet to make her Australian Sevens debut coach Tim Walsh said Waldie is a playmaker who has a clever football brain.
Brooke Walker
Originally from New Zealand, Brook Walker was granted Australian citizenship in early 2015 and a month later was representing the country making her Australian Womens Sevens debut in Atlanta, USA.
As described by some other team mates, her ‘gazelle’ like features make her unstoppable on the field.
Walker will be hoping to secure her spot on the plane to Rio with the Olympic team.
Keep up to date with Queensland Reds website for the full team announcements coming soon.
