Mia Byrnes knows State of Origin is unlike any other game of rugby league.
Growing up, the Bond University Bachelor of Exercise and Sports student eagerly watched the intensity and passion of the interstate clash on the television at her family’s cattle farm in Queensland’s rural Texas.
Last month, she got to experience the hype for real as part of the under 19 Emerging Origin game at North Sydney oval.
“Playing for Queensland is something I’ve dreamed about for so long,” Byrnes said.
“When I was selected, it didn’t feel real and it wasn’t until I pulled on the jersey and ran out onto the field that it all really hit me.
“It’s a moment I’ll never forget and one I’ll always be so proud of.”
The matchup provided a fierce contest. The Blues took an early lead before the Maroons staged a strong second-half comeback to take the victory 18-22, snapping New South Wales’ two-season winning streak.
“I was playing five-eighth and got to start, which was amazing,” Byrnes said.
“It was a very physical, tough game - you’re versing the very best in New South Wales so there’s a lot of talent on show.
“The coaches told us to keep it simple, so that’s the way we played.”
The under 19 men also took a victory for the cane toads, cementing Queensland’s reputation as a breeding ground for future rugby league stars.
Trading one maroon jersey for another, Byrnes returned to the Gold Coast to continue her debut season with the Burleigh Bears in the BMD Queensland Rugby League Premiership.
Moving from the Toowoomba Clydesdales in the off-season, Byrnes is a utility for the star-studded Bears, who sit atop the ladder five games in.
The high standard of the playing group has proven a catalyst for improvement within her own game.
“At the Clydesdales, the team is full of all of the girls you grow up with, whereas the Bears have a much bigger range of players to choose from,” Byrnes said.
“The quality is awesome but makes it harder to get selected.”
As one of the youngest in the team, the 19-year-old is embracing the opportunity to learn from some of the best in the game.
“There’s a lot of experience in the squad - girls who have played NRLW before and just know the game so well,” Byrnes said.
“Our captain, Teaghan Hartigan (ex-New Zealand Warriors), is pretty much a coach on the field which is really cool.
We also have Indie Bostock (Titans), Tavana Papali (Broncos), and Tara Mcgrath-West (Broncos).
“They have a lot of knowledge and it’s so good learning off them and seeing the game in a different way.”
With five games left of the regular season, Byrnes aims to help the Bears take their eighth Queensland premiership.
“I don’t have a set position at the moment, so I’ve just got to work hard wherever the coach puts me,” she said.
“I’m going to try my hardest and do my best, whatever position I’m in.”
The Bears take on the fourth-placed Ipswich Jets away this weekend, with kick-off scheduled for 12pm Saturday