Tahnee Norris
Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Born | 26 June 1974 Orange, New South Wales, Australia | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Playing information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position | Second-row | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Coaching information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Source: [1] As of 28 April 2025 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Tahnee Norris (born 26 June 1974) is an Australian professional rugby league coach and former player. She is currently the head coach of the Queensland and Papua New Guinea women's sides.
A member of the NRL Hall of Fame, Norris played for both New South Wales and Queensland during her career.[2] She played in four World Cups for Australia, winning in 2013, and is the most capped Jillaroo of all time.
Playing career
Born and raised in Orange, New South Wales, Norris played netball growing up before moving to Sydney to play for the South Sydney Rabbitohs women's team in the 1990s.[3]
In 1998, Norris made her Test debut for Australia against Fiji on their tour of the country. She was named Playero of the Match in her debut game.[4]
Norris would go on to represent Australia a record-setting 33 times over the next 15 years, playing at four World Cups (2000, 2003, 2008 and 2013). In three of those, she was named in the World XIII Team of the Tournament.[5] After losing the 2008 final, she co-captained the team (alongside Karyn Murphy) to Australia's first ever title in 2013.[6]
In 1999, Norris played in the inaugural Women's Interstate Challenge for New South Wales, going on to play five games for the Blues.[7] After relocating to Queensland for work in the early 2000s, Norris began representing the state due to the eligibility laws of the time, which were based on residency.[8]
Norris never lost an Interstate Challenge while playing for Queensland, who won every game from its inception in 1999 until 2016.[9]
In 2011, Norris represented the Women's All Stars against the Indigenous All Stars in the inaugural women's All Stars game.[10] She would also play in 2012, 2013 and 2014.[11][12]
On 21 August 2024, Norris was one of the inaugural six female players to be inducted into the NRL Hall of Fame.[13]
Coaching career
Following her retirement at the end of the 2014 season, Norris became the strength and conditioning coach for the Jillaroos under head coach Steve Folkes.[14]
In 2015, she became head coach of the Burleigh Bears women's team, winning the South East Queensland Division 1 premiership in her first season in charge.[15] Under Norris, the Bears won six Grand Finals in eight seasons, including the inaugural QRL Women's Premiership Grand Final in 2021.[16]
On 23 March 2021, Norris was appointed head coach of Queensland's State of Origin side.[17] In her first year in charge, Queensland defeated New South Wales 8–6 at Sunshine Coast Stadium.[18]
After losing to New South Wales in 2022, Norris and Queensland regained the shield in the first ever two-game series.[19] In 2024, the series was played using a three-game format for the first time with Norris leading the Maroons to a 2–1 series victory.[20]
On 2 September 2024, Norris was appointed head coach of the Papua New Guinea women's team.[21] They competed in the Pacific Championships, losing 84–0 to Australia and 36–0 to New Zealand.[22]
References
- ^ RLP
- ^ "Tahnee Norris on Hall of Fame honours: 'This is a 'wow' moment'". QRL. 21 August 2024.
- ^ "Top women, cops in cup festival". Courier Mail. 27 September 2008.
- ^ "The Jillaroos had to pay for their own tickets to get thumped in the first three World Cups. Now they fly business class to the final". ABC. 19 November 2022.
- ^ "Queen's Baton honour for female league pioneer". QRL. 10 April 2018.
- ^ "Jillaroos set for World Cup". NRL. 17 June 2013.
- ^ "A Queensland legacy is born – the first women's Interstate Challenge game". QRL. 20 November 2020.
- ^ "Norris calls for three-game Origin series after coaching appointment confirmed". NRL. 23 March 2021.
- ^ "'The start of women's rugby league getting recognition': Norris reflects on journey". NRL. 15 August 2024.
- ^ "Women Brace For Historic Clash". NRL. 8 December 2010.
- ^ "Women's All Stars team announced". NRL. 28 November 2012.
- ^ "QLD women in All Stars teams". QRL. 24 April 2014.
- ^ "NRL Hall of Fame 2024 Class". NRL. 15 August 2024.
- ^ "QLD State of Origin women's coach Tahnee Norris exposes double standards of NRL". Courier Mail. 14 August 2023.
- ^ "Burleigh break Souths stranglehold". QRL. 21 September 2015.
- ^ "Tahnee Norris appointed Maroons coach for 2021 in groundbreaking call". Courier Mail. 23 March 2021.
- ^ "Norris to guide Harvey Norman Queensland Maroons". QRL. 23 March 2021.
- ^ "Queensland downs New South Wales to win Women's State of Origin". ABC. 25 June 2021.
- ^ "Queensland backs fire in opening win of women's Origin". NRL. 1 June 2023.
- ^ "Womens State of Origin 2024 Game 3". The Guardian. 27 June 2024.
- ^ "Tahnee Norris appointed as coach of PNG Orchids". International Rugby League. 2 September 2024.
- ^ "Robinson stars with SIX tries as Jillaroos smash PNG in record 84-0 result". Fox Sports Australia. 18 October 2024.