The St George Illawarra Dragons today announced Brooke Anderson as captain of the club’s NRLW team.
A Brighton Seagulls junior, Anderson signed with the club last April and joined her new teammates this preseason.
The 30-year-old comes to the club boasting a résumé consisting of 37 NRLW appearances, three Tests for the Kiwi Ferns, two Māori All-Stars nods and a State of Origin cap.
The honour marks the culmination of a special, full-circle moment for the childhood Dragons supporter.
“To be able to captain the club I supported growing up is really special... For me, nothing changes. I’ll still act the way I act and I’m still the same person and the same player.”
“To be able to captain the club I supported growing up is really special,” Anderson said.
“As a kid, all I wanted to do was play rugby league and, when we weren’t allowed to play anymore, it was devastating, and I didn’t ever think I’d get the opportunity to play rugby league... It just makes me really grateful, and to be able to captain such a strong, young side here at the Dragons, I just think is really exciting.”
Over the past few months, Anderson has worked tirelessly to earn the trust of her new teammates as the squad has undergone a leadership transition of its own.
“My priority was always building trust and getting to know my teammates. I think we’ve built a lot of strong connections and we’re still building,” she said.
“For me, nothing changes. I’ll still act the way I act, and I’m still the same person and the same player… There are a lot of girls in this team who are leaders in their own right, and we’re all learning off each other. It’s nice to have so many different, inspiring players.”
Head Coach Nathan Cross praised Anderson’s voice, believing her natural leadership qualities will serve the squad well.
“Brooke’s a natural leader, which gives us all full faith that she will do a tremendous job of captaining this group,” Cross said.
“She leads with her actions and is held in high regard by her teammates. She commands respect; when she speaks, everybody shuts up and listens. Her experience is so invaluable for us as well.”
