The NSWRL would like to congratulate former NSW and Country NSW Captain Katrina Fanning, who was named the 2020 ACT Australian of the Year overnight.
This accolade is another to add to her extensive list of achievements in rugby league, and shows the commitment she brings to the sport is well recognised in the outer community.
The NSWRL and NRL host an annual Katrina Fanning Cup, a state-wide knockout competition for schoolgirls that featured 32 teams and 480 teenage girls from eight primary schools and 20 high schools across NSW in its last event this September.
The competition was rebranded in 2019 to the Katrina Fanning Cup to acknowledge the influential contribution of the former NSW and Country NSW captain, and Australian representative, who played in the inaugural Jillaroos Test in 1995.
The announcement adds to an impressive list of accolades for Fanning, which includes being named Canberra Woman of the Year, ACT NAIDOC Person of the Year in 2014, and elected to the Canberra Raiders board earlier this year.
She was also named as an ACT Australian of the Year Finalist in 2017 – with the eventual winning recipient being former Canberra Raiders captain, Alan Tongue and sits on the Australian Rugby League Indigenous Council as Chairwoman.
NRL Chief Executive, Todd Greenberg said Ms Fanning had been a valued member of the rugby league community for many years – as one of the highest capped Jillaroos, a mentor to Indigenous All Stars players and now as leader of the game’s Indigenous Council.
“Along the way, Katrina has championed gender equity and Indigenous development across communities and I know I’m one of many delighted to see this honour bestowed on her,” Mr Greenberg added.
“This is another significant achievement for someone in our game that so many look up to as a role model and I congratulate Katrina and her inspiration and work that has led to this announcement.”
Image of Katrina Fanning courtesy of raiders.com.au
