Roofer to NRLW: Cronulla young gun does it all
Rachel Jackson |
When Cronulla star Georgia Hannaway got the call confirming her Origin debut for Queensland, she nearly fell through the roof, literally.
The 24-year-old will take to the field for Thursday’s opening match of the 2025 NRLW season against Parramatta as a crucial playmaker, with just one season under her belt.
But the five-eighth has gained a wealth of experience in a short period of time, making her debut for the Maroons in May after playing a key role in her side’s 2024 grand final run.
When she got the call-up from Queensland, Hannaway was working with her brother-in-law as a roofer during the off-season.
“I thought, I can’t answer that, I’m going to fall through this roof if I look at my phone,” she told AAP.
“I got home that night and I had a text from Makenzie Weale saying congrats on making the squad. I had no idea what she was talking about.”
The Brisbane-born prodigy had been highly touted as a future sevens star before following her heart into rugby league, first playing for Australia in the 2019-20 world series.
The switch paid off, named the Sharks’ rookie of the year last season on their run to the grand final.
“I think I’d be a little bit starstruck if I did run into my younger self,” Hannaway said.
“I was such a footy head, probably way more of a footy head than I am now.
“One of my biggest quotes is ‘be someone your younger self would look up to’, and I think I’ve definitely gotten there, but I can always go further.”
The Sharks were beaten 32-28 by the Sydney Roosters in last year’s grand final, fuelling Hannaway’s motivation for 2025.
“It still breaks my heart. I can’t watch that game back,” she said.
“But that feeling sits in your stomach, and you just don’t want to feel that disappointment ever again, so it just drives me to want to be better.”
Former co-captain Tayla Preston will don Bulldogs colours for the 2025 season, handing Hannaway more responsibility in the Sharks’ attack.
Canterbury-Bankstown will go into the club’s first NRLW season as hot favourites, along with the New Zealand Warriors, returning after a four-year hiatus.
The expanded NRLW league will feature 12 teams, up from just four in 2018.
Hannaway will be joined in Thursday’s match at Shark Park by new recruits including Indigenous All Stars prop Tommaya Kelly-Sines, and highly touted Newcastle Knight Jacinta Carter.
But Tony Herman’s crew will have their work cut out in Parramatta, who lost to the Sharks by just two points in their 2024 season meeting.
The Eels missed out on finals after finishing fifth, but star prop and Papua New Guinea captain Elsie Albert expects new signings to have an impact.
Englishwoman Paige Travis and Black Fern Martha Mataele will make their NRLW debuts for Parramatta.
“When we played them (Cronulla) last year, we had a pretty tight contest and it should be the same this week as well,” Albert told AAP.
“But having a lot of debutants and a lot of new girls coming into the team this year, we’re pretty keen to see how we go.”
AAP
