YOU would be hard-pressed to find a more committed NRLW player than Yasmin Clydsdale.
She travelled between Scone and Sydney's eastern suburbs twice a week for training, and again for games, during her two seasons at the Sydney Roosters.
Her drives shortened when she joined the Knights this season, but it was still a more than four-hour return trip. She upped her training to three days a week as well.
A physical education teacher at Scone Grammar, Clydsdale would have to take the afternoons off school without pay to train with her respective sides and wouldn't get home until 10pm or later afterwards.
While her commitment paid off at both clubs, with Clydsdale winning back-to-back premierships - at the Roosters last season and now with the Knights - the winger turned back-rower's Australian Jillaroos selection for the World Cup has been the icing on the cake.
"My partner always says it's a sacrifice you make now but it's not an opportunity that is there forever," Clydsdale told the Newcastle Herald. "When you sit back and take a moment, it's been pretty phenomenal what I've been able to achieve."
Clydsdale, 28, has previously represented Australia in touch football and rugby sevens. She claimed bronze at the 2018 seven's world cup, but her time in the sport came to an end after the 2020 Tokyo Olympics got postponed. Having never played rugby league before, she sought out a run with the Central Coast Roosters in the NSW women's competition.
It's been a rapid rise ever since which continues at the Rugby League World Cup in England next month.
"To be able to represent my family on a national stage, and in a different sport, it's phenomenal," she said.
"Also I'm a school teacher who gets to represent their country and seeing how many people it inspires to actually want to start playing rugby league, everyone I teach wanting to play or watch ... is amazing."
Clydsdale is taking a school term off work without pay to play in the World Cup, and admitted the uncertainty about what Australia's women would be paid had caused some initial concern.
But the NRL has committed to providing Jillaroos players a touring payment of $30,000 - a huge increase on the $3000 they were paid during the 2017 World Cup.
"Taking so much leave without pay, it would have been a struggle for my partner and I because we have a farm and home," Clydsdale said. "So it was a bit risky saying 'yes, I'll play' not knowing how much I'd get paid. I still would have played for not as much money ... but to find out we're on par with the men's, I'm still in disbelief."
The Jillaroos will gather for a training camp on the Gold Coast next week before departing for England. Clydsdale, who said she was "aspiring" for selection but "didn't know when it would come", is one of only two Newcastle players in the squad, alongside Caitlan Johnston, after Millie Boyle and Tamika Upton withdrew.
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