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Chelsea Lenarduzzi (born 26 November 1995) is an Australian rugby league footballer who plays for the Brisbane Broncos in the NRL Women's Premiership and the Burleigh Bears in the QRL Women's Premiership.

An Australian and Queensland representative, she has won three premierships with the Broncos.

Background

Born in Bowral, New South Wales and raised in Moss Vale, Lenarduzzi moved to the Gold Coast, Queensland in 2015 to attend university, where she began playing rugby league for the Burleigh Bears. In 2015, 2016 and 2018, she won Australian national titles in shotput.

Lenarduzzi's older brother, Rhys, is an Italian rugby league representative.

Playing career

In 2017, Lenarduzzi made her debut for Queensland in their 6–22 loss to New South Wales.

In 2018, while playing for the Burleigh Bears, Lenarduzzi represented South East Queensland at the Women's National Championships. On 21 June 2018, she signed with the Brisbane Broncos NRL Women's Premiership team.

In Round 1 of the 2018 NRL Women's season, she made her debut for the Broncos in their 30–4 win over the St George Illawarra Dragons. On 30 September 2018, she started at prop in the Broncos' Grand Final win over the Sydney Roosters.

In 2019, she represented South East Queensland at the Women's National Championships and was selected for Queensland in the Women's State of Origin. On 6 October 2019, she came off the bench and scored a try in the Broncos' 30–6 Grand Final win over the St George Illawarra Dragons. On 25 October 2019, she made her Test debut for Australia in their 28–8 win over New Zealand at WIN Stadium.

On 25 October 2020, she won her third NRLW premiership with the Broncos, scoring a try in their 20–10 Grand Final win over the Sydney Roosters.

In 2023, she entered the 6th season with the Brisbane Broncos. She played all 10 games, including their semifinal loss against the eventual premiers, Newcastle Knights, of the 2023 NRLW campaign, picking up three tries. One of the main leaders of the Brisbane pack, she averaged 125 metres a game.

References

1. "Chelsea Lenarduzzi reflects on State of Origin and talks about her future". Southern Highland News. 28 June 2019.
2. "Chelsea Lenarduzzi". World Athletics.
3. Willacy, Gavin (26 September 2018). "Six clubs battle for Super League places as Qualifiers reach crazy climax". The Guardian.
4. "Lenarduzzi brings muscle to the Maroons". QRL. 17 June 2019.
5. "Women's Nationals the perfect Origin appetiser". NRL. 29 May 2018.
6. "Four More NRLW Signings". Brisbane Broncos. 21 June 2018.
7. "Brisbane Broncos defeat Sydney Roosters in women's NRL Grand Final". Southern Highland News. 1 October 2018.
8. "Line-ups named for Women's National Championships". NRL. 22 May 2019.
9. "Lenarduzzi Gets Her First Try On Grand Final Day". Brisbane Broncos. 6 October 2019.
10. "Lenarduzzi back to where it all began for Test debut". NRL. 22 October 2019.
11. Smale, Simon (26 October 2020). "Brisbane Broncos in third straight NRLW premiership with narrow win over Sydney Roosters". ABC News.
12. https://www.broncos.com.au/teams/womens-premiership/brisbane-broncos-women/chelsea-lenarduzzi/
13. https://www.broncos.com.au/draw/?competition=161&season=2023

External links

• Brisbane Broncos profile
• NRL profile

• 1995 births
• Living people
• People from Bowral
• Australian people of Italian descent
• Sportspeople of Italian descent
• Australian female rugby league players
• Australia women's national rugby league team players
• Australian female shot putters
• Brisbane Broncos (NRLW) players
• Queensland Rugby League State of Origin Women players
• Rugby league props
• Rugby league players from New South Wales
• Sportswomen from New South Wales
• Australian Athletics Championships winners