It should be an unfamiliar feeling for Botille Vette-Welsh when she lines up in the centres for Friday's Harvey Norman All Stars clash, but as long as the star fullback is in her Māori All Stars jersey, she’ll always feel right at home.
Since going down with an ACL injury almost two years ago, the Wests Tigers fullback has had her eyes firmly set on donning a Māori jersey again and ‘couldn’t care less’ what number is on the back of it.
She said it the first time she went into Māori camp in 2019 and even since becoming a Jillaroo and Sky Blue, Vette-Welsh still describes representing her culture and family as 'the pinnacle' of her career.
“This will always be the pinnacle for me, I think being able to play for your country is always a massive honour but to play for who you are as a person is something extra special,” Vette-Welsh told pan66.com.
“I did my ACL the month after All Stars, and I missed the whole NRLW season, so I was devastated when I realised I was going to miss All Stars for the first time.
“That was the game they finally took back to New Zealand, so I was gutted, because for me, to be able to represent my people and my culture is the biggest honour and privilege.
“It’s so special to showcase both the Māori and Indigenous talent and show that we're just as talented, just as pure and just as beautiful as every other culture around.”
Vette-Welsh fires for Maori
The 27-year-old has found herself filling in at five-eighth and hooker before but has grown into one of the best fullback talents since bursting onto the women’s scene in 2018.
But with veteran Corban Baxter handed the reins at No. 1 following an impressive NRLW campaign for the Roosters, coach Keith Hanley has found a position for Vette-Welsh in the centres for Friday’s clash.
“I’ve never played in the centre before… but I'd play prop...18th man, I don't care, I'm just happy and grateful that I'm still on the field and back in camp,” she said.
“But centre is very different to being out in the back, a lot less running, which I'm happy about but just decisions in defensive and things like that I’m still getting used to. But at least I'm on the field.
“But that’s this competition. If you want to be a fullback and you get a chance to be a winger, that’s just as good because at least you're a part of the environment and I couldn’t care less wherever I get to play.”
The 2024 All Stars meet the fans
Not only does her position look different this year but Vette-Welsh has also noticed a big shift in the Indigenous team’s expression of culture since she first joined the All Stars competition in 2019.
Having talked to friends in the Indigenous camp, the gun fullback said it has been special to see how the two cultures have learnt from each other’s traditions over the years.
"Since 2022 to this year, I’ve seen a massive change, they're all very proud of who they are, and that's really cool to see a lot of.
“One of the girls Shaylee Bent was saying how they're trying to get more comfortable with the singing as a group and I said ’yeah, we're still getting used to it too, but we have no choice because that's what our people do and it doesn't matter if you're a good singer or a bad singer that's what you do, because that's what your people do.’
"So to be a part of that kind of journey and be a part of a game that brings people back to their and connecting to their roots is awesome."
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