Marley Cardwell selected for Penrith Panthers Tarsha Gale squad

Whether it's busting tackles with the Orange Vipers, running amuck with CYMS, or impressing for Emus during the pre-season, the forward has always been someone you want to line up next to, not against.

It's that grit and determination, along with some bulldozing strength, that has seen the teenager selected in the Penrith Panthers Tarsha Gale squad for 2023.

"They rang my dad and I was sitting at home when he rang me. He asked if I knew I'd made it and I was just like 'what'. It was crazy," Cardwell said of how she found out she'd done enough to take part in the under 18s competition.

"I've been wanting to play representative footy for a while and it's not ever really happened up until now."

Her selection all stemmed from a match between that very Panthers side and an under 18s Western Rams side, which Cardwell played for.

This led to Panthers development manager Sam Jones calling her down for another trial against the South Sydney Rabbitohs Tarsha Gale side and the rest, as they say, is history.

"It was a lot different, a lot more physical," she said of the trial games.

"I didn't feel like I went as well as I have played against the country girls, but I must have played alright. It was one of those games where everything was a lot different."

It's been a summer full of selections for Cardwell, who prior to being picked to represent the Panthers, was among the 23 women selected to represent the Western Rams opens side this season.

But after Penrith came calling, Cardwell was forced to forgo the Rams as she pursues an NRLW dream.

"That would be amazing, that would be the dream and something I really want to do," she said of one day playing at the highest level.

"I want to keep going and see how far I can go. This is the last year I can do Tarsha Gale, so there are more comps that I'm looking to push for. I want to go further."

Although the Panthers do not currently have an NRLW side, talk of competition expansion has been on the cards for many years.

But as for the present, Cardwell and the rest of her family are just excited to see the forward dominate this season.

"Everyone is really excited. Everyone is offering to drive me down and do anything I need," she said.

"I'm really grateful that everyone is just as excited for this as I am."

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