At the end of a difficult 2025 NRLW campaign, Teagan Berry was ready to quit playing rugby league.
Eight months later, the 24-year-old is preparing for her State of Origin debut.
The rising star credits her family for pulling her out of a dark place and inspiring the turnaround which sees Berry just days away from the biggest game of her career.
"Towards the end of last season, I honestly didn't enjoy footy that much and I was actually thinking about walking away from the game," Berry said.
"My partner got me out of a dark place at the start of the year and he's been my motivation through this; and my family is obviously my motivation to keep going and just to make them proud is all I really play football for."
The St George Illawarra fullback worried that opportunities to play representative footy would pass her by after she narrowly missed out on NSW selection the last few years.
"It's been a long time coming," Berry said.
"I've been 20th man, 19th man and I've played 18s, 19s Origin, but this jersey means more to me than anything.
"I wasn't sure when I was going to get my chance and I'm 24 this year so I was like, oh, I'm not sure if I'll ever play Origin. But now that I'm getting my opportunity, honestly, it is a dream come true for me."
Despite not playing a game since the Dragon's NRLW campaign finished in August last year, Berry made waves throughout the Blues' six-week training block.
"Teagan has been within our campaigns for a number of years now and I feel like she's always been like right at the edge of kind of getting the spot within 17," Sydney Roosters and NSW captain Isabelle Kelly said.
"This year with the way that she trained and then pushing her way in the trials, I think that really forced her to get a spot within our team.
"I think she brings a lot of X-factor for us coming off the bench in whatever role she might play."
The speedster, nicknamed 'Flash', says she is ready to make her mark on the biggest stage.
"This week I'm just going to learn, keep learning and soak it all in," the debutante said.
"When I get to the game I'll be present in the moment and take the opportunity when it comes."
