NSW and Jillaroos fullback Sammy Bremner is excited to be one of the next inspirations for young girls playing rugby league.
Growing up, like most young girls until now, Bremner never saw women playing league.
When she turned on the TV, she would see the men playing the game and never thought girls could play at such a high level but with the introduction of the NRL Women's Premiership, this is changing.
Young girls will now have the chance to turn on their TV's in September, when the inaugural season kicks-off, and see women playing rugby league.
Not only this but pathways have allowed them to keep playing.
"I'm honoured to be part of what can be inspirational for young girls, they can not just turn on the TV and watch women play rugby, they can join up to their local club and they don't have to stop when they are 12 years old, they can keep playing," Bremner said.
"I'm so happy there is a pathway for girls.
"I know how much opportunity it has brought me, I'm feeling so excited that it can do the exact same thing for girls to come in the future," she said.
That's just the tip of the iceberg for women's rugby league this year with the inaugural Women's State of Origin to come on June 22 at the famous North Sydney Oval.
But up until now, the match between the Queensland Maroons and New South Wales Blues, a series which first started in 1980 for the men and in 1999 for women, has been known at the Interstate Challenge.
For the players, they never understood why it was a different name despite everything else about the game being the same.
"We knew we played the same game, the same rules, we played against Queensland and we did the hard yards, we weren't sure why it wasn't Origin," Bremner said.
However, the change will benefit the public more than the players as they will know this is the same game they've been watching and hearing from the men for the last 38 years.
It's not only the public and NRL who are onboard with supporting women's rugby league but companies like Canterbury who Bremner joined forces with 12 months ago.
Bremner, who is big on staying true to herself, has a lot of opportunities pop up but with Canterbury, she is right at home.
"I think it is unreal that a brand that is known for creating men's rugby league jerseys and training gear also wants to include females in the game," she said.
"People with a big brand would usually wait until something is completely successful but Canterbury took me and the women's game under their wing at the early stages."
It's set to be a monumental and history-making few months with a smorgasbord of women's rugby league on offer with Bremner happy to be back out playing the game she loves.
Back at it ... 🐯✨#grateful #tigerlillies
— Sammy Bremner (@SammyBremner) May 7, 2018
AusJillaroos @NSWRL @NRL_Dragons pic.twitter.com/rDIQhADK3c
She suffered five injuries in the space of 12 months including a torn ligament in my hand, a torn quad and a fractured fibula which ruled her out of the World Cup final against New Zealand at the end of 2017.
While Bremner is naturally competitive and has always strived to be the best and do the best for her team, her outlook on games has changed since a horror injury ridden 2017.
Would not change my journey for anyone else’s. A fractured Fibula, but still count myself the luckiest girl alive. Let’s go @AusJillaroos ✨@RLWC2017 #resilience pic.twitter.com/1zsVHoQZIg
— Sammy Bremner (@SammyBremner) November 30, 2017
"I didn't realise how stressful it was being ruled out again until I was allowed to come back and return to play," she said.
"It just feels like a big weight has been lifted off my shoulders.
"I think about playing differently, I'm just grateful to finish every game and its a different view for someone who is very competitive," Bremner said.
Bremner is back on the field tomorrow at the National Championships on Gold Coast where she will be representing NSW Country.
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