Hale an inspirational figure
Being a captain is never easy. You have to bring a team together, create a good environment and lead by example.
But for the Warriors’ Georgia Hale, it possibly couldn’t be any tougher.
It was a bizarre season for the Warriors men’s team this year, but for the women’s team, who begin their campaign against the Broncos today, things are a whole lot crazier.
Only four other players from New Zealand are in the Warriors squad this season, with the rest of the team being pick ups from around Australia and their coach Brad Donald was a late replacement for Slade Griffin, who couldn’t travel to Australia.
So Hale has her hands full helping to bring everything together, but she’s doing it with the same ‘can do’ attitude she has for everything in her life.
‘‘Being the captain, I was thinking it might be a challenge,’’ admitted Hale. ‘‘But the group has formed such a nice culture and environment that it’s been nice to sit back and watch a huge mix of girls from various places around the world, with various cultures and heritages.
‘‘There are also various levels of experience within the game. But the girls are not only great people, but amazing players so you just leave it to itself for everything to mix together.’’
For a while, it looked like the Warriors wouldn’t have any Kiwi players in the team this year and there’d be a side running out each week for the NRLW season that would be the Warriors in name only.
But Hale along with Kanyon Paul, Madison Bartlett, Crystal Tamarua and Hilda Peters, put their hands up to apply for exemptions to get into Australia, then undergo the 14-day quarantine period.
Even though they’re in the squad, it’s a vastly different Warriors side to the one that’s played the past two years in the NRLW. So does it still feel like the Warriors?
‘‘It does,’’ Hale answered. ‘‘Obviously the girls are in kit and we have a couple of staff members who we’ve brought from home.
‘‘So it’s easy to look around the room and still feel Warriors. Myself and the other four girls from New Zealand have brought over through our culture and sharing our experiences, reflecting on experiences in the last two years and past players, it’s been nice to keep it as the Warriors’ way.
‘‘The girls that have joined the group and the staff as well have been open minded and understanding to the foundation we’d put in place.’’
Hale should have been forewarned about what it was like to go through quarantine, then play in a bubble in Australia, because her father is Laurie Hale, the long-time NRL manager for the Warriors.
But while Hale is about to start her season, dad is going through his two weeks in managed isolation in an Auckland hotel with the rest of the Warriors. So by the time Hale comes back to New Zealand and completes her isolation it will be nearly seven months since she’s been able to be face to face with her dad.
‘‘The months are definitely adding up,’’ Hale said. ‘‘It’s part and parcel of what dad and I do in the footy environment. You are used to having time away from home, but not time away from each other, so it has been a testing year.
‘‘But dad’s doing what he loves and I’m able to do the same. I’m obviously looking forward to seeing him post campaign, when we get our job done over here.
‘‘He’s shared his experiences, because we’re in similar positions,’’ she added.
‘‘The boys were in Tamworth and we were on Milson Island through
‘‘The girls are not only great people, but amazing players so you just leave it to itself for everything to mix together.’’ Georgia Hale
that quarantine period and for me now being away from home and the family, he was in that same position for months.’’
Outside of the NRLW season, Hale works for the Warriors as their community coordinator.
It was for her work in the communities that she won the award for Young New Zealander of the Year in 2020.
It was an achievement that Warriors CEO Cameron George said made the whole club proud.
‘‘It was unbelievable,’’ George said.
‘‘We know how good Georgia is at work and what she does for the club, but for her to be acknowledged at the highest level in New Zealand is a testament to her character, energy and commitment to doing good in life. Her mum and dad are great people and I can see where it comes from. She’s got a great appetite for life and it’s leading her to good things.
‘‘From an employee perspective, she’s a real team player,’’ George added.
‘‘She leads from the front, she’s great in creating a wonderful culture and she’s amazing with what she does in the community space.’’
George isn’t just proud of Hale, but the sacrifices all five of the New Zealand-based Warriors players have made and says it’s comparable to what the NRL team went through.
‘‘It’s equal to the men and it’s a massive ask,’’ he said. ‘‘They wanted to do it and I’m really proud of them.
‘‘They could see from afar what it was like for the NRL team to go through it, so they understood how tough it is. But they’re doing really well.
‘‘Unfortunately for the ladies who couldn’t go, they’re still a part of this club, but due to the circumstances they weren’t able to make it.’’