Australia’s risk of losing a handful of NRLW stars to international rivals has started, with firebrand forward Kennedy Cherrington defecting to New Zealand.
It was announced in March that the international tier system would no longer be used in the women’s game, opening the door for players to represent England or New Zealand despite having worn Australia’s colours in the past.
Kennedy Cherrington represented the Jillaroos six times. X/@kcherrington99
It came after an NRL-enforced rule change that also allowed players to represent New Zealand or England but still play State of Origin, if they met the criteria, which has already seen the likes of Kalyn Ponga, Addin Fonua-Blake, Victor Radley and Briton Nikora become available to represent different parts of their heritage.
Maroons prop Shannon Mato was the first female player to change under the new ruling, with Cherrington now joining her former Jillaroos teammate.
Mato and Cherrington’s decision is a major coup for the Ferns leading into the 2026 Rugby League World Cup, but the decision to part ways with the Australian jersey wasn’t easy for Cherrington.
“It has been sitting on my mind for about two years now to make this switch,” she told NRL.com on Tuesday.
“I did inquire about how someone would change because I just felt like I would really love to don the black jersey but it was a really hard process.
“It is just about connecting with who I am, and I think the rules have worked for players like me. At the forefront of this decision is my culture, my family and where I come from.”
Kennedy has been representing Australia since she was a teenager playing rugby sevens. In 2020, she made the switch to the NRLW where she started playing with the Roosters.
Cherrington still has fond memories of donning the green and gold jersey back in 2022 for the Rugby League World Cup – but it was the moments where she stood and watched as the Ferns performed the haka that left her conflicted.
“The haka, when the Ferns challenge you, it asked questions of myself,” she said.
“It was like my heart was calling for that side, but my heart belongs on this side, as well. I said to my family after All Stars that I decided I wanted to do it because I heard that the rules were going to be changed.
“I called my family … and they said ‘it is completely up to you, but we would absolutely love and support you in that jersey’.”
Kennedy Cherrington and Tamika Upton embrace. NRL Imagery
With the likes of 2024 Dally M medallist Olivia Kernick and premiership-winning prop Rima Butler also eligible to represent the Kiwis if they desired too, Australia could find their long-standing position atop the women’s game under threat.
New Zealand have long been in second place behind Australia in those rankings, but Cherrington is confident that the upcoming World Cup could change things.
“We want to see the international game go to a different level and hopefully match State of Origin because representing your country should be the highest level,” Cherrington said.
“They have got an amazing, rich history of being so dominant against the Jillaroos, back in the 1990s and 2000s, and I think that with this international rule change we can definitely match the Jillaroos.”