Missing out on a Sky Blues jersey last year was one of the driving factors behind Gold Coast Titans centre Jaime Chapman reaching greater heights this year.
The 21 year-old is into her second NRLW Grand Final, when she runs out with the Titans to face the Newcastle Knights at Sydney’s Accor Stadium on Sunday (1 October). She was in the St George Illawarra side when they lost 16-4 to the Sydney Roosters in 2021.
Chapman also made her Harvey Norman NSW Sky Blues debut this year after missing the Origin squad in 2022. She had been captain-fullback of the winning NSW Under 19s in 2021 and felt it would be a natural progression into the senior team.
After scoring four tries in three games, she missed out on being named in the Australian team for the World Cup final against the Silver Ferns last November.
“My mentality towards being a professional athlete has changed a lot. Previously I thought things like rep teams would come pretty easily,” she told nswrl.com.au
“I didn’t get chosen in the World Cup final for the Jillaroos as well as not making Origin last year.
“So having those disappointments made me hungry to be a better athlete. I took my one per-centers off the field more seriously this year, my diet, my training, so I’d be a better Rugby League player on it.”
Chapman has definitely done that. After playing mainly fullback or wing with the Dragons, she had a season at the Broncos (2022) where she started a few games at centre.
Then she came to the Titans under coach Karyn Murphy and given a free reign on the left edge.
“I’ve really learnt to love the centre position. I first learned to love it at the Broncos and then I came to the Titans wanting only to be a centre,” Chapman said.
“Murph had the trust in me to handle that spot.
“I just love having the freedom to get early ball and to have a hand in a lot more plays and make the yardage carries.
“Definitely the defence as well as it’s quite a difficult position that way but I love it.”
Having played with Jesse Southwell in the 2023 Ampol State of Origin, Chapman is exchanging some knowledge on both the Knights halfback and their skipper and lock Hannah Southwell.
“Definitely been doing some work on Jesse. I have trained and played with her so I know how she does things.
“We’ve done a fair bit of video on her and Hannah. We’ve just got to shut the Southwell sisters down as they can dominate.
“We can’t let them have too much time with the ball.
“The Knights forward pack is intimidating but our forward pack is fast and fit and on the move all the time.”
