Three-hour generator sparked Ballinger's dream

Three hours of electricity per day. And that's if the generator worked.

That didn't stop Brisbane Broncos front-rower Heather Ballinger begging her parents to use the only power supply on the family's Longreach property in Queensland to watch rugby league growing up.

In town with a population of 3000 some 13 hours north-west of Brisbane, the trend of limited power continues with the Broncos forward indicating the same set up occurred ahead of her first game in the inaugural NRL Holden Women's Premiership last week.

"It would've been, yes, because there's still no power out there," Ballinger said.

"Obviously technology's come in, we've got a bit of solar power now but definitely the generator is on. I was born and bred on a shipment cattle property so we had no power.

"Being a football night it was late and I wanted to turn the TV on, I used to beg mum and dad to say please leave it on, I'll turn it off for the next day and they'd say 'yeah but don't forget you've got to work the next day.'

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"Through that, I started listening to the commentators and that's how I learned the game."

It's a vast difference to the current lifestyle of her work as a Federal Police Officer at Brisbane Airport and an NRLW debut for the Broncos at Suncorp Stadium on Sunday.

"I think that's my biggest learning curve in life," Ballinger said.

"We don't always get what we want, it never comes easy. To watch TV we only had the generator on for three hours of an afternoon so that was enough to power everything.

"Growing up I did everything but football, as soon as I got that opportunity to play in Cairns I never looked back.

"To try and picture women playing football, I never thought that day would come true. It's mind-blowing, to go out there and hear a roar even at halftime was like wow, this is happening, this is life, this is reality.

"And then you've got people going can we get a photo and you're like yep sure but it's like wow, you recognise me?

"It hasn't hit me yet, it's reality and nice to see people inspire to be like us."

The Broncos are coming off a dominant 30-4 victory over St George Illawarra in the opening round of the NRLW and Paul Dyer's side could end the Roosters' grand final aspirations with victory on Friday.

"I think it's going to be quite a physical game, they've got a lot of representative players in their squad," Ballinger said.

"Like the Origin games it's very physical, it is going to hurt. You've got to think past that and how we'll get around them.

"In any game, it's the forward pack that need to get it right for the backs."

The Tricolours are expected to be boosted by the return of Ruan Sims for the clash, while Simaima Taufa could play despite a knee injury.

"Ruan is a really good player but [I] don't think there's going to be much of a difference because they do have a strong forward pack," Ballinger said.

"The name is great for them, it will boost them having her out there but at the end of the day we've got to play it like every game."

And you can guarantee the generator will be in use in Longreach on Friday.