Jess Gentle celebrated an NRLW premiership with the Newcastle Knights last Sunday. This weekend the centre will be out to lead Newcastle University to success in the opening round of the Uni 7s series in Adelaide.
Gentle wasn't in the Knights match-day squad that beat Parramatta 32-12 in the grand final at Accor Stadium.
She made her NRLW debut in the final round, scoring a try, in a 30-6 win over St George.
The 26-year-old is in her second season with University in the seven series - which helped launch the career of Australian Commonwealth Games gold medalist and now Knights start Jesse Southwell.
"Jess is pretty pumped coming back from the win with the Knights," Newcastle Uni coach Stu Pinkerton said. "She will play in the centre for us. She is a good ball player, really fit and will play a lot of minutes."
Newcastle meet Adelaide, Bond, Sydney and Canberra univeristies on day one before taking on West Australia and Melboune on Sunday.
In the highlight of a disrupted preparation, Newcastle Uni made the final of the Sawtell Sevens last weekend where they lost to crack Sydney side Burraneer.
"Girls have had commitments with Super W, NSW Country and rugby league," Pinkerton said. "I'd like to think whatever we do this weekend we will improve on."
Newcastle University: Jess Gentle, Danielle Buttsworth, Georgie Ball, Ella Morris, Eve Keeling, Georgia Page, Jess ten Broek, Kyah Watters, Maddie Marmion, Maddy McArthur, Peta Salter, Rebecca Gordon, Susannah Cooke, Tahlia Goldsmith.
