Essay Banu

Essay Banu (born 25 May 2002) is a professional rugby league footballer who currently plays for the North Queensland Cowboys in the NRL Women's Premiership.

Essay Banu

Personal information
Born	(2002-05-25) 25 May 2002 (age 23) Tully, Queensland, Australia
Height	167 cm (5 ft 6 in)
Weight	97 kg (15 st 4 lb)
Playing information
Position	Prop, Second-row
Club Years Team Pld T G FG P 2023– Nth Qld Cowboys 12 0 0 0 0 Representative Years Team Pld T G FG P 2022–24 Papua New Guinea 8 2 0 0 8 2023–25 Indigenous All Stars 2 0 0 0 0 2023–24 PNG PM's XIII 2 0 0 0 0
Source: [1] As of 27 July 2025

She represented Papua New Guinea at the 2021 Women's Rugby League World Cup.

Background

Banu was born in Tully, Queensland and is of Papua New Guinean and Torres Strait Islander islander descent.^[2][3]

She played her junior rugby league for the Tully Tigers and attended Tully State High School.^[4]

Playing career

In 2022, Banu played for the Wynnum Manly Seagulls in the QRL Women's Premiership, where she was named the competition's Prop of the Year.^[5][6]

In November 2022, she represented Papua New Guinea at the Women's World Cup, playing four games and scoring a try in their 34–12 win over Canada.^[7]

2023

On 10 February, Banu signed for the Mackay Cutters in the QRL Women's Premiership.^[8] On 11 February, Banu played for the Indigenous All Stars.^[9]

On 24 April, Banu signed with the North Queensland Cowboys NRLW side.^[10]

In Round 4 of the 2023 NRL Women's season, Banu made her NRLW debut in the Cowboys' 16–12 win over the Wests Tigers.^[11]

2024

In May, Banu started at prop in the Cutters' Grand Final win over the Norths Devils.^[12]

In Round 1 of the 2024 NRL Women's season, Banu came off the bench in the Cowboys' 14–0 loss to the Cronulla Sharks.^[13]

On 9 November, she re-signed with the Cowboys until the end of the 2026 season.^[14]