On Tuesday morning Raecene McGregor was mowing the lawns at Cabramatta Leagues Club. On Wednesday night she was crowned the NRLW’s best player of 2022.
Outside of guiding the Sydney Roosters’ NRLW side on the park and her training commitments in the Red, White and Blue, McGregor tends to the fields at Cabramatta Leagues Club, ensuring the surface is in tip-top shape.
Now in her third year of her Greenkeeping and Groundsperson apprenticeship, McGregor will graduate with a Certificate III in Sport Turf Management through TAFE NSW.
Her recent commitments capped off a whirlwind week which saw the diminutive halfback crowned the 2022 Player and Halfback of the Year, the Sydney Roosters Kari NRLW Player of the Year and subsequently, the RLPA Players’ Champion.
Some might even argue that her work as a groundskeeper has transitioned into the NRLW arena.
On Site with Raecene McGregor
“I guess I do know how the footy field works, how long it is and the width and I do practice a little bit on my lunch times here so I do get a bit of an advantage,” McGregor laughed.
“It’s something for me to fall back on for when I do finish with football. I’m not going to play forever so to have that career path there for when I do retire, it’s great to have in my back pocket.
“It depends on the week, but it can be from cutting the fields to the surrounding areas to the hedging or mulching. We have a good variety here.
It reminds me of what I do need to do during the day before I get to training. It’s pretty tricky sometimes. There are times I have to leave work early depending on where we’re training.
Raecene McGregor On balancing her football and work schedules
“Between footy and the cricket pitch, sometimes we even get the council to get us to help out with stuff so it’s pretty cool. I’m an outside type of person so I think it really suits me.”
Despite being just 24 years old and still yet to hit the prime of her career, McGregor holds humility and wisdom beyond her years, understanding the importance of setting up for life after football.
It’s a cliché that resonates with every single one of the gladiators that take the field week in and week out, knowing that the end could come at any time.
But for now, it’s all about enjoying the process of balancing work and Rugby League.
“It’s being aware that footy doesn’t last forever and having that to fall back on,” she said.
“There’s a bunch of criteria that we have to go through. At the moment I’m doing construction, prepping to build a tee.
“It’s golf-based but obviously sports turf is still there and I’m probably learning a little bit more about the other industries that I’m not working in at the moment.
“But working here at Cabramatta Leagues Club is good, they understand how much time I have to take off so they’re pretty chill with that which helps.
“It’s getting a little bit trickier as the year goes on with footy being so full on, but it’s great. I’m enjoying it.”
The Kiwi Fern says that while she has laid the foundations of a career to call her own, Rugby League will still play a major part in her life once she eventually hangs up the boots.
“Finishing football, I definitely want to get into coaching,” she revealed.
“I’m pretty lucky here that Cabramatta are getting some girls teams next year so I’m getting a role to come on and start coaching.
“It’s awesome because it’s something that I can start now so by the time I do finish playing, I’ll have a bit of experience under my belt.”
