INDIGENOUS HONOUR

READY TO GO: Lehgend Paul, Zythera Maynard with Trish Hina and Rage Killeen and Nico Walker. Trish works as a kaimahi at Kaiti School but this weekend she is off to be the Māori ambassador for the NZ Māori NRL Women's team. Picture by Rebecca Grunwell

One of the most successful Ngāti Porou sports women will play an important role this weekend at the NRL All-Stars Māori and Indigenous games in Rotorua.

Hailing from Rangitukia, Trish Hina, an ex-Kiwi Ferns captain, is the Māori ambassador for the NZ Māori NRL Women's team who will play against the Indigenous Women's team representing Australia.

This is the first time the Indigenous games fixture is being hosted by Aotearoa, and is a popular event on the international rugby league calendar.

Hina played in three successful Women's Rugby League World cup campaigns — 2000, 2003 and 2008.

In 2000, she was named New Zealand Rugby League Player of the year, and last year was inducted by the NZ Rugby League to its prestigious Legends of League alongside fellow Kiwi Fern greats Luisa Avaiki, Nadene Conlon and Leah Witehira, and Kiwi players; Howie Tamati, Ruben Wiki and Stacey Jones.

Hina has represented her country in four sports — league, rugby union, touch and softball.

She feels blessed to be part of the NRL All-Stars kaupapa.

“I think that the coming together of our two cultures through rugby league, a sport I absolutely love, is awesome.

“As part of my ambassador role, I will get to select and present the player of the match after the women's game.”

Hina comes from a long line of talented sportswomen and men, including her brothers and sisters.

She says they have given her the inspiration to success, and also credits her parents in helping her to realise her dreams to make a career in sport.

In her day jobs working as a Whānau Ora navigator for Te Runanganui o Ngāti Porou, and as a kaimahi at Kaiti School supporting tamariki within the school's rugby academy, Hina uses her skills and experiences to help rangatahi realise their sporting aspirations.

“I am passionate about supporting our tamariki to achieve their goals.

“I tell them talent is simply not enough. They need to work hard, train hard and be committed in everything they do — not just sport.”

Hina has also been instrumental in leading and developing women's rugby in Te Tairāwhiti, turning out dynamic Black Ferns players like Kaipo Olsen-Baker, Kelsey Teneti and Renee Holmes, to name a few.

The NRL All-Stars Māori and Indigenous matches are being held at Rotorua International Stadium tomorrow.

The mixed touch football game starts at 2.15pm; the women's league clash is at 3.30; and the men's league clash is at 5.45pm.