In October last year, Kaitlyn Phillips set her sights on 2020 as being the year that could make her in rugby league, and the new decade has "absolutely" started off in the best way possible for the Orange star.
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She's been selected for the Indigenous All Stars side to take on the Maori All Stars on the Gold Coast on February 22, giving her the chance to strut her stuff and show the country what she's made of.
While selection didn't blindside the ACT Mounties and Vipers star, it wasn't something Phillips was taking for granted.
"I was hoping it would happen for me this year. I wouldn't say I was expecting it but I had a good season last year," she said.
She was part of the two All Stars camps to pick the squad as it was trimmed down from over 30 to just 21, then to the final 18.
"The camps were really good ... we got the chance to know each other and the girls have such a good vibe," she said.
"We had a trial game at the first camp and it was crazy, getting picked knowing the talent which missed out means a lot."
As crazy as the intra-squad trial match was, she knows it'll have nothing on the All Stars game, both in terms of the physicality of the game and what it means for everyone involved.
"It'll be a tough match, that's for sure, both teams will play a tough game through the middle."
"It's good to have the games and an honour to have the chance to represent our cultures, it's the stage it deserves."
It also gives Phillips the chance to put her case to NRLW selectors.
"They'll be watching it for the season coming up and that would be the ultimate goal to end up there, but also my club season with Mounties is coming up and it will be great to get a good start with them," she said.
The star-studded side will also give Phillips the chance to learn from some of the best in the game.
"It's such a talented team, Bec Young has done everything in football and then you've got players like Talisha Harden, Shaylee Bent, Shakiah Tungai, those girls have repped at the highest level," she said.
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