Jenni-Sue Hoepper never got to play in the NRLW but the inaugural Women’s Dally M Medallist is helping to ensure the next generation of North Queensland talent don’t miss that opportunity.
Hoepper, the 2015 Dally M winner, has captained Northern Pride to the finals in their debut BMD Cup season while overseeing the women’s rugby league excellence program at Trinity Bay State High School.
It has been a full circle moment for the former Jillaroos star and Papua New Guinea captain, who will retire after the Pride's season ends, as she finishes her career in Cairns where she began playing as a 10-year-old.
While Hoepper never had the chance to play for the Cowboys, she is now helping to develop young players for the club.
“Trinity Bay State High School has provided an opportunity for me to be a mentor and role model in my own community,” Hoepper said.
“For me, l am just happy that I can watch and support these amazing athletes in such a fabulous arena.”
Elishima Suavai, who is on a long-term development deal with the Cowboys, said Hoepper is an inspiration who makes the Year 11 student and her team-mates want to “level up”.
“People don't understand how grateful we are to have Jenni-Sue and how much of an impact she has made, not only for me but the team,” said Suavai, who is now playing alongside her mentor for the Northern Pride.
“She understands us as people, not just as players, and that makes a big difference. The way she coaches is tough but fair, and it really helps us grow in confidence.
“She's someone we all look up to, and having her believe in us makes us believe in ourselves more. Having Jenni-Sue around has honestly been such a blessing”.
Hoepper, who will captain the Pride in Sunday's elimination final against Ipswich Jets, has achieved almost every honour, playing for Queensland and Australia, representing Indigenous All Stars and captaining Papua New Guinea.
Recognised as the best female player in the game with the awarding of the first Dally M Medal in 2015, Hoepper took time away from playing after the birth of her daughter and then again for personal reasons.
Growing up in Far North Queensland, she began playing league as a 10-year-old for Cairns Brothers Juniors Rugby League Club.
"I was a tomboy and always played footy in the backyard with my brothers. It was there that I grew the love for the game,” Hoepper said.
“I played in a mixed team from under 10s to under 12s, and then I had to stop. I didn't get to play rugby league again until I turned 17.”
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After careful consideration Hoepper decided she wanted to pursue league seriously but to do so, she would have to relocate to Brisbane, as Cairns had no active women’s competition.
“I was lucky enough that my older siblings had moved down [to Brisbane] a couple of years prior for their own reasons,” Hoepper said.
“If they hadn't of been down there I probably wouldn't have been able to relocate and get any real opportunity to go further.
“Deep down inside I always wanted to strive to be the best in rugby league, but I honestly wasn't aware of the representative teams until I moved to Brisbane.
“To achieve my goals and accomplishments at such a young age was really surreal and one of the greatest feelings ever.”
Yet Hoepper never got to play in the NRLW after moving back to Far North Queensland to raise her growing family before the women's premiership was established in 2018.
It's why the role Hoepper plays in her community is bigger than just inspiring the next generation of athletes, it’s about shifting the mindset across the region.
'You have to see it to be it' has been the motto echoing across the Far North this season, as the Northern Pride women’s side was introduced into the Queensland Rugby League BMD season for 2025, with Hoepper as the inaugural captain.
Her coaching position enables many to have access to invaluable resources at a high level, in their own backyard; something that she had to move some 1600kms away to find when she was young.
“Being part of a school that offers a proper rugby league program means I get access to great coaches, training, and support that I wouldn't have had otherwise,” Suavai said.
“It makes me feel like my goals are taken seriously, and it's helped me grow not just as a player, but as a person too.
"It's also created such a strong team environment where everyone's pushing each other to be better not only physically but mentally. It's been such a huge opportunity.”
As the NRLW continues to grow, Suavai credits the success of the game to past players like Hoepper.
“Growing up in North Queensland has definitely had its challenges when it comes to footy opportunities," she said.
"It's not always as easy to get noticed up here compared to players in the bigger cities. But at the same time, it's made me work harder and appreciate every chance I do get.
“There's so much talent in North Queensland and having people like Jenni-Sue around who believe in us, and create those pathways makes a huge difference.
“I think the NRLW is just going to keep getting better, faster, more competitive, and with more eyes on the women's game. By the time I step into it, I feel like it'll be on another level, and I'm so excited to be a part of that growth.
“I know girls before me didn't always have the same pathways or support, so I try not to take any of it for granted. It motivates me to work harder, not just for myself, but to make the most of the doors that have been opened.
“I feel like it's also our job to keep pushing things forward for the girls coming up next, and knowing there are girls out there who want it just as bad as me makes me feel driven to work harder.”
As for Hoepper, she said: “I am just so excited for the future, and love that I can be a massive fan of the female game whilst also knowing that I was a part of that journey”.
