Kiwi Ferns forward Najvada George is hoping New Zealand can return to the era of trans-Tasman domination enjoyed when her aunt Selena Edmonds helped pioneer women’s rugby league.
Born and raised in Melbourne after her parents moved to Australia, George has rugby league pedigree through Edmonds, who is Kiwi Ferns player No.24 and enjoyed a successful international career from 1997 to 2003.
“When you put on that black and white jersey, you remember all the ladies before us,” George told pan66.com.
“For me, my aunty represented the Kiwi Ferns. She was in one of the first teams for the Kiwi Ferns, so I am the second in my family, and it just means everything for past and present and now.”
Edmonds (nee Te Amo) never lost a match in the New Zealand jersey as the Kiwi Ferns were undefeated in their first 21 Tests from 1995 to 2009.
However, the pendulum swung in favour of the Jillaroos after Australia’s win in the 2013 World Cup final.
The Kiwi Ferns victory in the last year’s Test in Melbourne was their first against the Jillaroos since 2016 and George said they were aiming for back-to-back wins when the two nations meet in Christchurch on Sunday.
“For me, the rivalry is really big because as a kid growing up you always want to beat Jillaroos or any Australian team really, no matter what sport it is,” George said.
“The rivalry every year, it’s always big, and it is going to be tough because they always say, ‘you never beat Aussie twice’, so we have got to go into it expecting a very hard game as always.”
The Wests Tigers lock didn’t start playing rugby league until 2017, when she joined Werribee Bears in Victoria and loved it so much she gave up a promising basketball career.
An Australian U17s basketball representative, George was playing in the WNBL for the Dandenong Rangers at the time but after representing Victoria at the National Championships she began to consider a future in the NRLW.
With women’s rugby league getting bigger and better, George is proud of the ever-expanding opportunities in the NRLW and at international level.
“For me, representing my family it means everything, and I also give back to them too.” George said.
“This tournament exposes all of us girls that play in the NRL and it gives us opportunities to play for our countries at that level. There are a lot of us that are mixed cultures.
“Everyone wants to play for Jillaroo’s, but you also have that other side of your culture that can play for your nation. It exposes all of us and its really good to showcase other talents out there.
“It gives us opportunities as well to play at that level up against other countries. It is a good thing for women’s. We always see the men do it and now finally we get to see the women do it as well.
“I am extremely grateful for that life they gave me. For me, representing my family it means everything, and I also give back to them too.”
The Pacific Championships this year comes with extra incentive as this will be the first year the women’s Cup winner will receive a physical trophy, and George believes it will create a tougher competition.
“It will be more competitive, not saying last year wasn’t competitive but you feel like you do get to win something and to bring back home to your country,” she said. “It will mean a lot to everyone.”
