For the first time ever, six women have been inducted into the NRL Hall of Fame.
Among them was Wiradjuri woman Katrina Fanning.
Katrina had to fight for her right to play the sport she loved from the age of eight up to the age of 12 which was the age girls were not allowed to continue playing.
She resumed her career as an adult and was selected to play in the first ever women’s test for Australia in 1995.
Katrina went on to play 26 tests for Australia and after retiring she continued to support the sport as a Canberra Raiders director and then as Chair of the Australian Rugby League Indigenous Council.
In accepting the accolade, Ms Fanning spoke about how good it is that these days women have a pathway all the way to the NRLW.
“I think it’s two-fold – girls don’t have to leave the sport anymore and we don’t have to fight to get them back…our country clubs have realised that the inclusion of women’s teams has helped their clubs and grown the game.
Even more importantly, young boys see what girls can do…and that changes things incredibly.”
