Rugby league prodigy ready to replace Alyssa Healy
Scott Bailey |
Georgia Voll reckons she was always a better rugby league player than cricketer.
That seems unbelievable given the 22-year-old is about to fill the shoes of one of Australia’s greatest ever cricketers against India this month.
The breakout star of last summer, Voll will officially replace retiring captain Alyssa Healy at the top of Australia’s T20 order at the SCG on Sunday night.
The spot is soon set to be Voll’s in one-day cricket too when Healy retires at summer’s end, with the youngster averaging 59.6 in seven ODIs since her 2024 debut.
But for much of her childhood and teenage years rugby league was Voll’s first love, playing in Queensland state programs alongside several current NRLW stars while juggling underage cricket commitments.
“I’d always been a footy player,” Voll told AAP.
“That was always my dream to continue that and go on and play for Australia and be the best possible player I could be.
“But obviously that wasn’t to happen and I turned cricketer, which is pretty ironic. I would never have picked it.”
Voll’s rapid shift to putting cricket first was partly due to timing with COVID-19 killing off her chance to play lock for Queensland in under-18 State of Origin in 2020.
At the same time she was being fast-tracked through cricket, going from an underage state talent to helping Queensland to a WNCL title as a 17-year-old in 2021.
Ultimately cricket won out with Voll one of the very few to have excelled in league and cricket this century, with Manly prop Nathan Brown and England half Courtney Winfield-Hill going the other direction.
“It’s obviously very different sports,” Voll said.
“You see players like Phoebe Litchfield playing hockey, something that resonates with cricket. It’s definitely helped her being able to bat right and left-handed.
“But footy, there’s not much that correlates which is pretty sad to be honest because I was definitely more gifted playing footy than cricket.
“Really it’s just work ethic that crosses over, otherwise I was definitely starting from scratch.”
Identified as Healy’s long-time replacement ever since she blasted runs for the Sydney Thunder last summer, Voll looms as one of Australia’s hardest-hitting openers.
She hit a century in her second ODI last summer while filling in for an injured Healy before making an 81 against India through limited chances there late last year.
“Sometimes it’s difficult trying to sit on the sideline and then try and take your opportunity when you get it,” Voll said.
“But that’s what I’ve tried to do.
“I’ve just tried to keep learning off those players and finding ways to deal with different conditions.
“That’s probably the best thing being a part of that in India. When I got a chance I messed up in the first one, before being able to fix it and adapt.”
AAP
