18-year-old Maddison Weatherall was one of the top performers at three different levels of women’s rugby league in 2019.
After leading the Illawarra Steelers Tarsha Gale Cup side to premiership success with 17 tries, 27 line-breaks and an average of 12 tackle-breaks, Weatherall was given the honour of captaining the NSW Women’s under-18s in their 20-point victory over Queensland.
By the end of the 2019 Tarsha Gale Cup, Weatherall was the season’s top try-scorer (10 tries) and was deservedly named the Dragons’ Player of the Year by coach Daniel Lacey.
Her stellar year didn’t finish there, as she made her much anticipated debut in St George Illawarra’s Holden NRL Women’s Premiership side - reaching the competition’s eligible age cut-off just a matter of days before kick-off. Weatherall played in all four matches for the Dragons, including a maiden Grand Final appearance.
As the Dragons’ rookie looks forward to 2020, Weatherall will have another opportunity to captain her Illawarra teammates as they aim to achieve a second consecutive Tarsha Gale Cup trophy.
There is also no doubt the Weatherall can only improve on her 2019 form with more NRLW experience in the Dragons’ bid to avenge their Grand Final defeat to the Broncos.
