Richmond’s very own Abigail Roache will don the black and white jersey for the first time when the Kiwi Ferns take on Australia this Thursday, 7.30pm local time (8.30am NZT) in York.

Roache, who received the 2022 Cathy Friend Women’s Player of the Year Award (awarded to Auckland’s top female player), will start in the halves alongside this year’s NRLW Dally M winner Raecene McGregor.

Following a solid performance and debut against the Cook Islands last Thursday, Mele Hufanga returns and shifts to centre, while Georgia Hale, Roxette Murdoch-Masila, Autumn-Rain Stephens Daly and Katelyn Vahaakolo all return to the side.

Head coach Ricky Henry also named Brianna Clark at starting prop.

Tune in LIVE on Spark Sport at 7.30am NZT (November 11) and delayed on Three at 9.30am.

Kiwi Ferns team v Australia: By touring number and position 

1 | Apii Nicholls (Fullback)
3 | Autumn-Rain Stephens Daly (Wing)
24 | Mele Hufanga (Centre)
4 | Page McGregor (Centre)
2 | Katelyn Vahaakolo (Wing)
15 | Abigail Roache (Five eighth)
7 | Raecene McGregor (Halfback)
23 | Brianna Clark (Prop)
9 | Krystal Rota (Hooker)
10 | Annetta-Claudia Nu’uausala (Prop)
11 | Roxette Murdoch-Masila (Second Row)
12 | Amber-Paris Hall (Second Row)
13 | Georgia Hale (Loose Forward)
14 | Nita Maynard (Interchange)
8 | Mya Hill-Moana (Interchange)
18 | Otesa Pule (Interchange)
17 | Christyl Stowers (Interchange)
22 | Karli Hansen (18^th Woman)
5 | Madison Bartlett (19^th Woman)