Bathurst's Kate Fallon makes team of tournament at Women's National Championships

Fallon, who played for the First Nations Gems side, was named as a starting second rower in the team of the tournament on Sunday after impressing over the course of her four games on the Gold Coast.

Making the team was a big achievement for the South Sydney Rabbitohs Tarsha Gale Cup player, who is used to going up against players of her own age during the season.

Fallon was joined in the second row by fellow Bathurst player Cheynoah Amone at the tournament, where the Gems finished with a win, a draw and two close defeats.

Fallon said it wasn't just the on-field action that made her time with the First Nations Gems so memorable.

"I'm really grateful for the whole experience. It's one of the greatest football trips that I've ever been on," she said.

"We were in camp for four days before going off to play. That camp was all about connecting spiritually with my culture, which was really great. Even after my football career is finished that's something that I'll always be able to carry with me.

"It was great meeting girls from other mobs and tribes. Working under Jess Skinner as my coach was amazing as well."

Fallon and her Gems would be the first ever opponents for the New Zealand Ahi Ka Aotearoa team, who were making their national championships debut.

The Gems survived a late try scoring attempt from the Kiwi team to open their tournament with a 14-8 win.

Fallon and her side fought back from a half-time deficit to go ahead 10-8 against the NSW Country Women side before a try to their opponents led to a 12-10 final score.

First Nation threatened to cause an upset in their next match against reigning champions Queensland Rubys when they jumped out to an early 6-0 lead, but they would go down 12-6.

The Gems wrapped up their championship with an entertaining 10-all draw with the NSW Emerging Country team.

"Our first game was against New Zealand. It was awesome to meet people who were Indigenous to New Zealand in that game," Fallon said.

"The games were really hard. I've never played at such a strong level. It was challenging but I had a great team alongside me."

Fallon's excellent campaign and team of the tournament prize comes only half a year after giving birth to her first child.

"That meant so much to me, especially after having a baby just six months ago," she said.

"I started training a month after that and it was great to know that all that hard work has paid off.

"This is such an amazing opportunity for me, definitely one of the biggest opportunities I've had in my football career so far."

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