Newcastle Knights prop Annetta Nu'uausala said winning the club's inaugural NRLW player of the year award had made the difficulty of relocating from New Zealand for the season all the more worth it.
Nu'uausala, who received the player-voted gong at a ceremony on Tuesday night, was a force for the Knights in their first season.
She played in all five games and stepped up after the club lost fellow starting prop Caitlan Johnston after round one to injury.
"It's really unbelievable," Nu'uausala said of being recognised for her efforts.
"I'm not one to get awards."
Knights coach Casey Bromilow said the Kiwi prop had been "outstanding" and was "our best player".
"She's been reliable and she's very humble and quiet away from the field, but as soon as she crosses that line and steps onto the field she leaves nothing out there," he said.
"She led from the front really well and every time she carried the ball, she ran with intent."
Nu'uausala, the sister of former NRL player Frank, was one of nine Kiwis who temporarily moved to Newcastle to play for the Knights in their inaugural campaign, which ended with a 14-10 loss to the Titans on Sunday.
The 27-year-old said it wasn't easy relocating for the near three-month stint but she was glad to have joined the club.
"I moved out of my comfort zone and came over here," she said. "It's something that is really huge for me because I'm a big family person. I'm really proud to say I'm a Newcastle Knights player."
While some of the Kiwis in the squad admitted to being homesick at times, Nu'uausala said they had formed a tight bond training together almost every day and living in close proximity to each other.
"We bonded really quickly, you could see it in the way we played, especially last week against the Titans," she said.
Nu'uausala played for the New Zealand Warriors in the 2018 and 2019 seasons, but she did not take part in 2020. The New Zealand international said she was pleased with how she performed for the Knights given her time away from the elite women's competition and thought the club had a successful debut season despite not recording a win.
"I was really happy with this season," she said. "Coming over and being really shy and being able to rip in with a group of girls I'd never met before, especially after my year off.
"I think it's a success despite the results."
