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Evania Pelite, who won gold in Olympic Sevens in Rio and competed in Tokyo, is set to make her State of Origin debut after being named in the Queensland side.
Dual Olympian Evania Pelite is among the new faces of a Queensland women's State of Origin squad set to earn match payments equal to the men in this month's one-off clash.
Hunting a third successive victory over NSW, coach Tahnee Norris has named 22 players on Monday ahead of the June 24 battle with NSW in Canberra.
With Ali Brigginshaw captaining the side, Pelite, who won Olympic gold in Rio and was also part of the Tokyo campaign, plays for Gold Coast in the NRLW.
"It's really had a good impact on the girls behind the scenes and will only get better for the NRLW girls to see what it takes to be a professional athlete," Norris said of Pelite's influence.
"We want to build our own platform in the women's game and really dominate and with this team we can really do that."
The match-day 18 will each receive a total of $15,000 as part of Queensland Rugby League's commitment to match the men's Origin payments.
The initiative has ensured Brittany Breayley-Nati will feature after she was forced to miss last year's series with work commitments.
"It's definitely made a difference to us and it's something we want to see across the board ... we want the NSW girls to be getting the same amount too," the coach said.
"It's really important for the women's game that we do that.
"I still think we've got a long way to go; we want to grow the competition, keep improving, getting its own fan base, crowds, media.
"It's on the right path to get there, we just need to keep fighting because it's great to watch, the girls deserve it."
Following an epic grand final between the Central Queensland Capras and North Queensland Gold Stars at Moreton Daily Stadium on Sunday, Capras fullback Tamika Upton and premiership-winning pair Destiny Brill and Romy Teitzel were included.
"Those two NQ teams, an absolute quality game, it showcases the depth of talent from up there and it's definitely time the Cowboys put forward a team," Norris said.
The Maroons squad will meet next Saturday, before assembling in camp on the Gold Coast on June 16.
Queensland: Tamika Upton, Emily Bass, Evania Pelite, Shenae Ciesiolka, Julia Robinson, Tarryn Aiken, Ali Brigginshaw, Chelsea Lenarduzzi, Brittany Breayley-Nati, Shannon Mato, Tallisha Harden, Tazmin Gray, Destiny Brill, Lauren Brown, Jessika Elliston, Steph Hancock, Tiana Raftstrand-Smith, Zahara Temara, Karina Brown, Romy Teitzel, Keilee Joseph, Sara Sautia.
