Bree Chester
{{Short description|Australian rugby league footballer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2022}}
{{Use Australian English|date=February 2022}}
{{Infobox rugby league biography
|name = Bree Chester
|fullname = Bree Chester
|image =
|imagesize =
|caption =
|birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|2002|06|28}}
|birth_place = Port Stephens, New South Wales, Australia
|height = {{convert|171|cm|ftin|abbr=on}}
|weight = {{convert|72|kg|stlb|abbr=on}}
|position = {{rlp|SR|LK}}
|club1 = Nth Qld Cowboys
|year1start = 2023
|year1end = present
|appearances1 = 17
|tries1 = 3
|goals1 = 0
|fieldgoals1 = 0
|points1 = 12
|teamA = Indigenous All Stars
|yearAstart = 2023
|yearAend = 25
|appearancesA = 2
|triesA = 0
|goalsA = 0
|fieldgoalsA = 0
|pointsA = 0
|teamB = Prime Minister's XIII
|yearBstart = 2024
|yearBend =
|appearancesB = 1
|triesB = 0
|goalsB = 0
|fieldgoalsB = 0
|pointsB = 0
|retired =
|updated = 15 February 2025
}}
Bree Chester (born 28 June 2002) is an Australian professional rugby league footballer who currently plays as a {{rlp|sr}} and {{rlp|lk}} forward for the North Queensland Cowboys in the NRL Women's Premiership. She is an Indigenous All Stars representative.
Background
Chester was born in Port Stephens, New South Wales and is of Indigenous Australian descent.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nrl.com/news/2023/02/11/chester-celebrating-her-second-chance-in-all-stars-camp/|title=Chester celebrating her second chance in All Stars camp|date=11 February 2023|website=NRL.com}} She played her junior rugby league for the Mallabula Panthers.{{Cite web|url=https://www.portstephensexaminer.com.au/story/8074309/homegrown-talent-cross-the-ditch-for-all-stars/|title=Port Stephens rugby league players Bree Chester, Bobbi Law, Shanice Parker and touch footballer Andi Law in New Zealand for All Stars|date=10 February 2023|website=Port Stephens Examiner}}
Playing career
=Early years=
In 2019, Chester played for the Penrith Panthers in the Tarsha Gale Cup.{{Cite web|url=https://www.penrithpanthers.com.au/news/2019/02/16/panthers-overcome-slow-start-to-bury-bulldogs/|title=Panthers overcome slow start to bury Bulldogs|date=16 February 2019|website=Penrith Panthers}} In 2020 and 2021, she played for the Newcastle Knights Tarsha Gale side.{{Cite web|url=https://www.newcastleknights.com.au/news/2020/02/04/round-1-junior-rep-team-lists/|title=Round 1 Junior Rep Team lists|date=4 February 2020|website=Newcastle Knights}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.newcastleknights.com.au/news/2021/02/02/round-1-junior-rep-team-lists/|title=Round 1 Junior Rep Team Lists|date=2 February 2021|website=Newcastle Knights}}
In 2022, Chester played for the Knights in the NSWRL Women's Premiership and was a member of their NRLW squad.{{Cite web|url=https://www.newcastleknights.com.au/news/2022/04/19/2022-senior-reps-team-lists-round-7--1/|title=2022 Senior Reps team lists Round 7 & 1|date=19 April 2023|website=Newcastle Knights}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.newcastleknights.com.au/news/2022/02/21/full-nrlw-squad-and-development-list-for-2021-season/|title=Full NRLW squad and development list for 2021 season|date=21 February 2022|website=Newcastle Knights}}
=2023=
In February, Chester represented the Indigenous All Stars in their loss to the Māori All Stars.{{Cite web|url=https://www.newcastleknights.com.au/news/2023/01/25/knights-selected-in-womens-all-stars-squads2/|title=Knights selected in Women's All Stars squads|date=25 January 2023|website=Newcastle Knights}}
On 10 May, she signed a two-year contract with the North Queensland Cowboys.{{Cite web|url=https://www.cowboys.com.au/news/2023/05/10/cowboys-announce-six-nrlw-signings/|title=Cowboys announce six more NRLW signings|date=10 May 2023|website=NQ Cowboys}}
In Round 1 of the 2023 NRL Women's season, she made her NRLW debut, starting at {{rlp|sr}} in a 16–6 loss to the Gold Coast Titans.{{Cite web|url=https://www.cowboys.com.au/news/2023/07/22/final-team-list-eight-cowboys-named-to-make-nrlw-debuts/|title=Final team list: Eight Cowboys named to make NRLW debuts|date=22 July 2023|website=NQ Cowboys}} In Round 2, she scored her first NRLW try in a 31–20 win over the Newcastle Knights.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nrl.com/news/2023/07/30/dibb-sinks-former-club-in-cowboys-upset-over-knights/|title=Dibb sinks former club in Cowboys upset over Knights|date=30 July 2023|website=NRL.com}}
=2024=
In May, Chester started at {{rlp|sr}} in the Mackay Cutters' QRL Women's Premiership Grand Final win over the Norths Devils.{{Cite web|url=https://www.qrl.com.au/news/2024/05/25/for-the-north-mackay-cutters-claim-bmd-premiership-title/|title='For the north': Mackay Cutters claim BMD Premiership title|date=25 May 2024|website=QRL}}
In Round 1 of the 2024 NRL Women's season, she started at {{rlp|lk}} in the Cowboys' 14–0 loss to the Cronulla Sharks.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nrl.com/news/2024/07/27/tonegato-leads-the-way-as-sharks-shutout-cowboys/|title=Tonegato leads the way as Sharks shutout Cowboys|date=27 July 2024|website=NRL.com}} On 16 August, she re-signed with the Cowboys until the end of the 2026 season.{{Cite web|url=https://www.cowboys.com.au/news/2024/08/16/chester-tillett-extend/|title=Chester, Tillett extend|date=16 August 2024|website=NQ Cowboys}}
On 30 September, she was named the Cowboys' Player of the Year.{{Cite web|url=https://www.cowboys.com.au/news/2024/09/30/6full-list-of-winners-from-the-cowboys-2024-presentation---night30th/|title=Full list of winners from the Cowboys 2024 Presentation Night|date=30 September 2024|website=NQ Cowboys}} On 13 October, she represented the Australian Prime Minister's XIII in their win over Papua New Guinea.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nrl.com/news/2024/10/11/australian-and-png-pms-xiii-squads---men-women-schoolboys-schoolgirls/|title=Australian and PNG PM's XIII squads - men, women, schoolboys, schoolgirls|date=13 October 2024|website=NRL}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.cowboys.com.au/teams/womens-premiership/north-queensland-cowboys-women/bree-chester/ North Queensland Cowboys profile]
{{North Queensland Cowboys women's squad}}
{{Inaugural North Queensland Cowboys women's side}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Chester, Bree}}
Category:21st-century Australian sportswomen
Category:Australian female rugby league players
Category:Indigenous All Stars women players
Category:Indigenous Australian women rugby league players
Category:North Queensland Cowboys (NRLW) players
Category:Rugby league players from New South Wales