For North Queensland Cowboys star Jasmine Peters – representation matters.
A proud Wagadagam and Badu woman, Peters has been a feature of the Indigenous All Stars team for a number of years, helping inspire women and girls from the Torres Strait Islands to pursue their rugby league dreams.
With events like Multicultural Round shining a light on the diverse cultures of those in the game, Peters is hoping as a person who also comes from an Asian family, she can encourage girls from less traditional rugby league backgrounds take up the sport as well.
Overall in the NRL and NRLW, there are 65 different national heritages represented across the playing squads, with players like Peters who have mixed backgrounds and a growing number who identify as Asian.
“On mum's side of the family, I'm Torres Strait Islander, Samoan, Malaysian, a little bit of Filipino as well; and then I have PNG blood. I have some European as well – which we don't really know too much about – and then I have on dad's side of the family; we are French Filipinos, so that's kind of rare, usually you're a Spanish Filipino. A little bit of Indian I'm pretty sure, Chinese, and maybe a little bit of Japanese. I'm very much everything under the sun,” Peters said.
“Growing up … (I would more) identify as Filipino and Torres Strait Islander, as I feel like that's where I'm more closely related to.
“In terms of representation, I've never really saw a player that fully identified as Asian or … showcased that until I came into this industry … I think it's just me and Payne Haas and Klese Haas that identify as Filo, I think we're the only ones (now).
"Being able to proudly identify as Filo and Torres Strait, I feel it gives the younger generation confidence that they can play whatever sport they want, regardless of what you identify as and what is traditionally a sport that you would play.
“I think it's important to show that representation for the younger kids coming through to say that, ‘okay, it is realistic for me to be a footy player. I can do it if she can do it or if he can do it'.
"It is an actual genuine pathway and career choice.
“Growing up, there wasn't a lot of mes out there, so it was a bit hard to connect and I grew up in country Queensland, I grew up in Moranbah, which is a mining town, and there wasn't a lot of brown kids or Asian kids at the time until I moved more onto the coast in Mackay where I saw more of mes.
“I think if I had grown up around more of me, I'd be a little bit more confident in trying to learn more about both sides of my cultures and probably more specifically my Filo side, because I don't really have too much connection because I've only got a small amount of my Filo side in Australia.”
Peters debuted in the NRLW in 2022 and said during that time, she had seen a growth in the diversity in the game, as well as an understanding from those in it about the different backgrounds and circumstances of players.
With Multicultural Round being a celebration and chance to share culture, All Stars week also provided a chance for education and a safe space for learning, no matter where you are on your journey of embracing your identity.
In their own voice: What Multicultural Round means to us
“From when I started watching footy and playing footy, it has evolved in that way of involving everyone's culture and it's becoming more of a safer place or a sport where you are just a player (and) you can make whatever you want out of this sport," Peters said.
“For me it's about, obviously it's about culture, but I think it's showing how proud you are and where you've come from.
“It doesn’t matter where you are in your journey of learning your culture.
“Some people come from Stolen Generations and don't know exactly whereabouts and how they're Aboriginal, but they just feel it and … you know how you feel. Sometimes people grow up not knowing, but they have that feeling.
“So I think for me it's just feeling pride in who you are.”
The 2025 NRLW season will kick off on July 3, with the Cowboys playing their first match on on Saturday, July 5 at home against the Gold Coast Titans.
