Time to leave league: Heather
‘Other things that I need to do’, says Ballinger, 38
A CAIRNS and District Rugby League premiership-winning player, who went on to become a pioneer of the women’s game, is hanging up her boots.
Former Jillaroos, Queensland Maroons and Brisbane Broncos prop Heather Ballinger announced her retirement from the game on the weekend.
At a women’s development clinic at Ivanhoe Rugby League Club in Cairns, where Ballinger started her rugby league career back in 2005, the 38-year-old said she believed now was the right time.
“I’ve probably in the last week made a decision that I’ll be hanging up my boots this year,” she said.
“I am fit, there’s nothing holding me back there, it’s just that there’s other things that I need to do, particularly with work.
“There’s more demand with what’s required from the players and with the commitment of work, you just don’t have that flexibility and time-off that you used to.
“I’ve done it for 10 years and through that time I’ve chewed through all my leave, I’ve got no sick leave and I’m hoping to buy leave to even get time off to play for the Broncos.
“So the time has come and this is probably the moment where I’ll be hanging the shoes up and saying thank you to the game and enjoying watching the younger ones come through.”
Ballinger debuted for the Jillaroos in 2011 and was part of their World Cup final wins in 2013 and 2017.
As well as representing her country, she has represented Queensland for the best part of a decade.
While she had previously announced her Jillaroos retirement in 2018, she represented Queensland in last year’s Women’s State of Origin clash.
Reflecting on her rugby league career, Ballinger said it had been “unexplainable”.
“To actually achieve those goals, there’s nothing more proud for me,” she said.
“To show that you can go through and do anything you want to do if you put your mindset to it.”
She said winning the inaugural NRLW premiership with the Brisbane Broncos in 2018 was “the icing on the cake”.
“I never thought I’d be playing for an NRL, or NRLW team,” she said.
“To have that opportunity and come away with a premiership is just mind-blowing.”
Ballinger said the highlight of her career was seeing how far the game had come.
“With the junior girls coming through, they’re being
I’VE DONE IT FOR 10 YEARS AND THROUGH THAT TIME I’VE CHEWED THROUGH ALL MY LEAVE, I’VE GOT NO SICK LEAVE AND I’M HOPING TO BUY LEAVE TO EVEN GET TIME OFF TO PLAY FOR THE BRONCOS HEATHER BALLINGER
taught at such a young age all the techniques and the finetuning to become better players when they get to the opens, and you’re just like ‘wow’,” she said.
“I remember when I came into the opens, we were all sort of still learning the game.
“Now you’ve got these young ones coming through that know everything from the bare-bottom all the way up and their skills are amazing.
“We’ve got to make sure it stays that way for all the girls coming through and growing the game even more to give them those opportunities that we never had.”
While her playing days are over, Ballinger said she hoped to give back to the game she loved in an off-field role.
“If not with the Broncos, with any local junior girls or school comps, just helping with assistant coaching and, in particular, mentoring,” she said.
“There’s a lot more to the game than just playing.”
More from Heather Ballinger’s visit in tomorrow’s junior sport section.