Merewether product Elizabeth Kennedy describes her past year in women's rugby union as an "unexpected turn of events".
The former Greens and Hunter Wildfires player, who has spent the past two seasons with Sydney Uni, has been included in the Western Force's Super W squad.
Her inclusion, announced on Thursday, came after the 31-year-old, who only took up rugby union six years ago, spent a week trialling with the Force late last year.
It was a trial only secured after she made a positional switch from the backs to the forwards with Uni in 2022.
"Last year my coaches said: 'What are your goals, do you want to make Super W?' And I said: 'No, no, no, I just love playing rugby and want game time'. They said: "If you want game time, then play in the second-row'. I said: 'Sure, let's give it a crack'.
"So it's sort of been an unexpected turn of events this past year. I got asked to trial for the Waratahs too, but was unfortunately concussed.
"It's something that wasn't on my radar, but I can't turn these opportunities down. Why not have a crack?"
Traditionally a centre or fullback, Kennedy's move into the second-row has paid dividends. While yet to join the Force in Perth, she has been completing her pre-season program while living in Sydney and continues to train with Uni.
She will head to the west coast in early February to join the squad a month before the season commences.
Kennedy said it was a former Uni official now at the Force who enabled her trial.
"The head of high performance, Claudia Bell, was associated with Sydney Uni and had seen me play. She got in contact and asked if I'd be interested and asked me to send over a highlights reel. Once the coach was on board, they asked me to fly over and trial," she said.
An occupational therapist working with students at Sydney University, Kennedy will be able to keep her job and work remotely during the Super W season.
The six-team competition begins on March 24 with the Waratahs hosting the Force in the season opener. With her parents still in Newcastle and family and friends between the Hunter and Sydney, Kennedy is desperate to push for a debut in the game.
"First round, hopefully if I'm selected to play family and friends will be able to come and watch. I've got lots of friends playing for the Waratahs as well," she said. "Reigning champions for many years, it will be a tough first game but exciting."
Reflecting on her journey, Kennedy said her relatives had always been involved in rugby - her mum's cousin played for the Wallabies - but it wasn't until Rugby 7s took off that the she gave it a go.
"I came to rugby a lot later in life, mum never wanted me to play contact sport and I was a netball player growing up," she said. "My family are big rugby supporters, my uncles are involved with Hamilton Hawks. I always wanted to play. Along with a lot of female players, it was just after the 2016 Rio Olympics when the girls won the sevens. That was the real turning point for me when I wanted to give a go. I'd played touch football and thought the skills would be transferable."
