The word “trailblazer” is often thrown around when discussing the growth of women’s sport over the past decade but few women have been at the forefront of the revolution more than Courtney Hill – on both sides of the world.
The 32-year-old Australian will captain Leeds on Sunday against Wakefield Trinity as they aim to build on their success in the inaugural Women’s Super League. They won two of the three trophies on offer last season before falling short of a treble in the Grand Final, losing to Wigan.
The fact Hill played in almost every game is all the more remarkable for several reasons, including the fact she had not played rugby league for almost two decades. She had been forced to give it up as a 12-year-old before embarking on a cricketing career that would take her all the way to the top in her homeland.
“Growing up in a small country town in Queensland, we were about seven hours away from Brisbane, so I was basically a bush kid,” Hill says. “It was a tiny town – about 1,500 people – but we had the best PE teacher who made sure girls could play sport. But having played [rugby] league for a couple of years, it had to stop, because of the physicality aspect. That was heartbreaking for me. There were no girls teams to transition into, so cricket quickly took over.”
Hill spent almost a decade in Queensland cricket before making history in 2015 after being selected to play in the Brisbane Heat side who competed in the first Women’s Big Bash. “To be involved in that was something I’m immensely proud of. Women’s cricket just couldn’t get the momentum going until they aligned the teams with the Big Bash franchises. But just as it was all taking off, I had a couple of crappy injuries that halted everything.”
Two unsuccessful ankle operations ended Hill’s cricketing career but “it was a bittersweet ending, because I knew I could get to England with my partner”.
Then, a chance sighting on social media changed everything. “When I knew I was coming here, I saw on Leeds’s Instagram that they were putting a women’s team together,” says Hill, who missed the trials to select the squad. “I managed to get hold of [the club captain] Lois Forsell’s number to see if there was an opportunity.
“I’d not played for nearly 20 years but I knew I’d go mad without something to play. It was a concern mentally to not be involved with sport if cricket ever ended for me. Lois got back to me and told me to come along to a session, and I still remember shuffling through the doors as the new kid after the entire squad had already been picked.”
If not having played for two decades did not make matters tricky enough, Hill joined Leeds after they had completed their pre-season preparations. “When the girls asked me who I played for at home and I told them nobody, they looked at Lois wondering what the hell she’d dragged through the door!” she remembers with a laugh.
Before too long Hill was back in the swing of life as a rugby league player. “I missed the first match but in my debut against Wigan, I instantly thought I was too old for it after getting bashed about. But you soon get used to it again. Leeds are a hugely recognisable brand on both sides of the world and I’ve loved every single moment of it so far.”
Nobody scored more points for Leeds last season than Hill, who will captain the club this campaign, because Forsell is injured.
Eight teams will compete in the Super League, with Leeds among the favourites once more. Hill wants to leave a legacy for the women’s game as well as targeting more trophies. “Ever since I stepped foot into the training ground for the first time I sensed this was a sport on the up. Even when I finish I want to remain a part of it and keep dedicating my time to the sport – though I’ve got some years left yet.
“But I see young girls now dreaming of becoming rugby league players and I want to help them all play professionally some day. I’m just a girl from the bush who’s captaining Leeds. Some days, you take a step back and think that’s pretty cool. If I can help inspire the next generation too, well … that’s job done for me.”
