The 20-year-old is joined by six of her Aberglasslyn Ants teammates in Chantelle Graham, Olivia Higgins, Amy Waterhouse, Sophie Higgins as well as Muswellbrook based Cressa Harris.

“I just couldn’t believe it when I read the Facebook post that I had been selected and now I can’t wait to run out with the girls,” Ford explained.

“It will be good to play alongside some of my teammates but there will also be a lot of new faces in the rep team so I’m sure I’ll be able to learn off them as well because they made it this far.”

The rising star only made her tackle debut at 2017 Hunter Valley Charity Rugby League Knockout Competition.

Yet she proved to be the standout on debut when guiding her BHP side to victory before a crowd of 1000 at Pirtek Park.

And such has been the prop’s progression in the past year that she now casts her eyes on guiding Newcastle to victory.

“That was my very first game of tackle and from then I just loved it,” she recalled.

“Last year I then had the opportunity to trial for the Singleton nine-a-side team and then got into that and I had the best day and absolutely loved it.”

She then helped guide the Ants to the final of the 2018 Newcastle-Central Coast Nines Competition (only to fall short to West Newcastle 14-4).

“We played against West Newcastle for the title and even though they were undefeated all season we fought so hard in the final,” she added.

“I know I tried my best and did what I had to do and I think everyone in the team could say the same for their respective efforts.”

Ford now hopes to make her Aberglasslyn coaches Chad Solman and Phoebe Desmond proud at representative level.

“I had a lot of help along the way with a wide range of teammates and experienced coaches; Chad and Phoebe were both instrumental to my development,” she said.

 “They’ve given me a lot of guidance along the way and you just have to be committed if you’re getting somewhere.”

“This next chapter is going to be such a big learning curve and help me improve so much as a player.”