FORMER Orange rugby league star Vanessa Foliaki has unknowingly found herself at the centre of a social media storm after playing for the winning NSW side in the inaugural women’s State of Origin match.
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The National Rugby League (NRL) hit back at critics of a Facebook post featuring a photo of Ms Foliaki and her partner Karina Brown kissing after the game on Friday night.
The image captured an embrace between the Orange-product and her Queenslander girlfriend in the centre of North Sydney Oval.
The couple, who have been together since 2014, are usually teammates for the national side, but on Friday faced off against each other in a competitive match.
As of Sunday, the post had been liked by more than 20,000 people and shared in excess of 3000 times, as well as attracting a myriad of comments both for and against the NRL’s decision to publish the photo.
Replying to one critic on Facebook, the NRL wrote: “Welcome to 2018 ... can't wait for you to join us!”, while responses to the Central Western Daily’s online story suggested others shared those sentiments.
“All I see is two people in love, embracing after a bloody good game of football,” Lizzie Peebles commented on the Central Western Daily Facebook page.
“It also shows great sportsmanship, something we want our kids to learn from.”
The Jillaroos make it feel like home. The coaching staff are supportive. We're feeling all the love.
- Vanessa Foliaki
Arthur Falconer added people need to “appreciate love when you see it, it is a great image”.
Describing their relationship to NRL earlier this month, Ms Brown and Ms Foliaki said they had been openly competitive with each other in the lead-up to the highly-anticipated Origin match, at times not even talking with each other so they could focus on their teams’ preparations.
Speaking to nrl.com, Ms Foliaki said “being a part of the Jillaroos and how open everyone was to our relationship helped a lot”.
“I think it's more accepted now and the Jillaroos make it feel like home. The coaching staff are supportive. We're feeling all the love.”
Ms Foliaki played rugby league with Orange Hawks and the Group 10 league tag sides, as well as playing rugby union for Orange Emus and a host of top-flight representative sides.
The NSW Blues prevailed in Friday evening’s clash, winning 16-10.
The game attracted a nationwide television audience of more than one million people.