Grateful group
It has previously had stints as a hospital for World War I soldiers, an alcohol rehabilitation clinic and a women’s jail.
But for the five NZ Warriors women staying at the sport and recreation centre on Milson Island – an hour north of Sydney on the Hawkesbury River – it’s been their home for a fortnight and they’ve been delighted to be there.
‘‘We’re so pumped, we talk about it every day that we’re grateful to be over here,’’ winger Madison Bartlett told NRL.com.
Bartlett, Georgia Hale, Hilda Peters, Crystal Tamarua and Kanyon Paul are nearing the end of their fortnight’s quarantine stay ahead of the start early next month of the abbreviated fourteam NRLW Premiership due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
‘‘It doesn’t feel like isolation, there’s a huge field to train on and a swimming pool for recovery,’’ Bartlett said.
Bartlett said she was grateful to her employers, Massey University, for allowing her to be away for eight weeks while Hale, Peters and Tamarua have also all taken leave at their jobs – some without pay – while Paul continues her university studies across the Tasman.
‘‘I wouldn’t have been able to come if it wasn’t for my job, which I love, letting me do this,’’ Bartlett said.
‘‘I love rugby league but it’s important I have a job to go back to. My dad probably needed the most convincing, I had to explain everything in place, how safe it would be, and now he’s stoked I came over.’’
The NZ players will soon join their Australian team-mates who form the basis of a Warriors side under the guidance of coach Brad Donald, the Australian women’s national team coach.
‘‘Brad is something special and we’ve all put our trust in him,’’ Bartlett said.
‘‘He was like ‘I’m all in’ – and you can tell the people who say they are but aren’t – but you can tell with him he really is.’’
Donald and the Jillaroos’
strength and conditioning coach Simon Buxton will leave their families in Queensland to guide the Warriors in the competition against the Brisbane Broncos, Sydney Roosters and the St George Illawarra Dragons.
They’ll have former Jillaroo Lisa Fiaola as an assistant coach while former Roosters assistant coach Adam McEwen is also part of the coaching set-up.
‘‘We’ve asked about their traditions and rituals and what it means to pull on a Warriors jersey, and we plan to drive that home to the players,’’ Donald said.
‘‘As we get this team together, and everyone is still playing footy, we think we’ll have a wellbalanced group with a common goal.’’
Bartlett agrees. ‘‘We just want to play footy. At the core of everything is footy.’’
‘‘We just want to play footy. At the core of everything is footy.’’ Madison Bartlett