IT'S been a break out year for Bathurst talent Jakiya Whitfeld.
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She got more minutes in the NRLW, she scored for tries for the Australia Prime Minister XIII and was named the Winger of the Year at the Dally M Awards.
And after originally missing out on Brad Donald's Jillaroos squad for the Pacific Championships, Whitfeld was a late call-up to the Australian squad last week.
But now she has a new challenge waiting in 2024, after signing with the North Queensland Cowboys.
"This is exciting for the Cowboys," Cowboys NRLW head coach Ben Jeffries said.
"To attract a player of Jakiya's qualities on and off the field proves to us we're heading in the right direction as a club.
"Jakiya is highly competitive with fantastic speed and agility. She also embraces being out in the community which is important to us here at the Cowboys.
"Jakiya wants to become one of the best outside backs in the NRLW and will immediately come in and compete with our current group in the centre and fullback positions.
"Finally, we love our players playing at the highest level and we know Jakiya has a strong desire to play more representative football after a taste of the PM's XIII arena recently against the PNG Orchids."
The 22-year-old registered an almost unfathomable 70 tackle breaks, the third most in the competition, including 16 alone in round two against the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks.
She also averaged an enormous 157 running metres per game and finished with four tries and 10 line-breaks.
Whitfeld's remarkable chase on Sydney Roosters's Isabelle Kelly to save a certain try was voted NRLW Tackle of the Year.
A former Australian rugby sevens star, Whitfeld moved to rugby league in 2022, making her NRLW debut for the Knights the same year.
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