Young gun Ginn shows PNG depth is blossoming in the NRLW

“Fleur, she’s from PNG as well, so we’re looking at getting her over there (into the Orchids) as well,” Albert said.

“Our assistant coach Kate (Mullany at the Eels), she identified her and then she messaged me and said that we’re keeping an eye on her and I said 'that's good' and eventually she came over (to Parramatta).

“She's been going pretty well.”

Scoring her first try in the NRLW in her side’s Magic Round win over the Dragons, Ginn – who make her debut earlier this season after transitioning over to rugby league from rugby sevens – said playing with her Eels team-mate for the national squad was a future goal of hers.

“One hundred percent, my mum's from Papua New Guinea, my family are diehard rugby fans, I'd do anything to represent them, so if the opportunity came up, I 100% would represent my country and my family,” Ginn said.

“There has been talk, leading into Pac Champs and Prime Minister’s … nothing confirmed yet, but it's definitely something that's up in the air that could be a possibility.

“(Playing NRLW with Albert), a fellow PNG, it's awesome.

“It feels like having family basically on the team; we're both playing for our country, representing our families, it's definitely something special.”

Ginn also has family ties to former PNG Kumuls representatives John Wagambie, Richard Wagambie and Nigel Hukula.

“Uncle Nigel, he's really involved in the Kumuls … hopefully one day if I do play as well, he could get involved (with the women’s team); but like I said, my family are diehard rugby fans.

“They always wanted me to (play rugby league); they were in my ear, but they supported me throughout whatever I did honestly.”

While Albert has been a beacon of hope for Papua New Guinean girls aspiring to live out their rugby league dreams, the emergence of players like Ginn are a good sign for the Orchids as they gear up for this year’s Pacific Championships.

As well as the NRLW, there are many more players featuring in statewide competition clubs in Queensland and New South Wales, while the national-based Santos Cup also recently launched for its second year.

Further pathway programs saw six PNG women also take part in the recent Harvey Norman Rising Talent Invitational, while others, like PNG Orchids mainstay Emily Veivers have been getting valuable experience playing in the Super League in England.

“Hopefully some of the girls who came down to the combine (will be given an opportunity),” Albert said.

“I just came down to say hi to them … it was good to have girls from PNG coming over to have crack as part of the pathways, they are a good bunch of girls.

“A few of them have been in the system for quite a while and for them to get the call out to come and put up what they can do, it's good for our PNG Orchids and for them as well to expose their talent (to NRLW clubs).

“Emily Veivers is in the Super League (with Wigan), so good to get that exposure there as well, bringing that experience from Super League back with our NRLW, BMD, Harvey Norman, it will be a good mixture and I am keen to see how we will go at the end of the season.”

Last year, the Orchids were grouped in the Pacific Cup competition along with top two nations Australia and New Zealand, eventually losing the promotion-relegation game against a rising Samoa.

This year, the PNG Orchids will host the Pacific Bowl competition where they will play against Cook Islands and Tonga.