Jaime Chapman and Kimberley Hunt lead women’s Indigenous All Stars to dominant win

Jarred Cross Published February 17, 2024 at 11.30am (AWST)

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Indigenous All Stars player Kimberley Hunt (centre) after scoring a try during the NRL All Stars match. Image: Scott Radford-Chisholm (AAP)

The Indigenous All Stars have cruised to a 26-4 win over the Māori All Stars in a wet and humid contest in Townsville with Jaime Chapman and Kimberley Hunt scoring each crossing the try line twice.

Both sides struggled early to complete their sets with a slippery ball, defensive pressure and in the first competitive football since last winter after a powerful haka and war dance from the respective sides.

The Māori All Stars looked the better side in the contest before the Indigenous All Stars started converting strong field position to points.

The hosts failed to complete a handful of their opening sets inside their attacking half, while Māori winger Zali Fay let opening points go begging in the 8th minute by spilling a loose pass on the overlap close to the line.

Kirra Dibb executed a 40/30 to give her Indigenous side their first proper crack at the tryline.

2023 Dally M medallist Tamika Upton set up first points with a grubber for Shaylee Bent to pick up over the for her first try in six All Star appearances before the first of four breaks.

Going forward, it was Chapman and Hunt who added to the scoreboard.

Chapman twice broke the Māori line to score, her first going untouched from 45 metres out, and the second from 70 metres to put the contest all but beyond doubt shortly after halftime.

Hunt put the finishing touches on two pieces of ballwork close to the line, making the most of the overlap off a Bobbi Law pass to go up 16-nil before adding her second, and the teams fifth, in the dying minutes to seal the win off a Kira Dibb kick.

It was rewards for hard work in the offseason for the 31-year-old Hunt.

The former Eel had been making four-hour round trips from her home in Cairns to Far-North Queensland Rugby League team Tully Tigers to train with the men's A Grade side in preparation for her debut with the Indigenous All Stars.

Indigenous All Stars player Kimberley Hunt scores a try during the NRL All Stars match. Image: Scott Radford-Chisholm (AAP)

2023 Dally M medallist Tamika Upton looked dangerous with the ball through limited opportunity, and safe under the high ball in the wet at fullback.

Indigenous All Stars no.7 Dibbs was awarded the Trish Hina medal as best on ground after a strong kicking performance, including a 40/30 early in the contest.

Following the match, winning co-captain Tallisha Harded thanked the supporters for coming along in the wet, and sent a message back into the homes of viewers.

"We appreciate you, we wanted to do our old people proud do our ancestors proud. Make everyone in our families proud and we hope we did that today," Harden said.