After coming so close to a debut in past seasons, NSW Blues Women’s Ellie Johnston is finally getting her opportunity to make her mark in the State of Origin arena.
With both of last year’s starting props Caitlan Johnston-Green and Millie Elliott out of the series due to pregnancy, Johnston has been given the responsibility of starting in the front row, joining experienced campaigner Simaima Taufa, who usually plays lock, in laying a platform.
“I've worked really hard in the pre-season for this opportunity and we have as a collective, as a team, and I'm just really excited to get out there and get ready for Game One," Johnston said.
“I'm so excited, Origin is the pinnacle of our game and it's something the fans all get around and hopefully we do see a good crowd at Suncorp (Stadium) for the first game and I'm just really excited and I can't wait to run out.
Match: Maroons v Blues Women
Game 1 -
home Team
Maroons
away Team
Blues Women
Venue: Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
“I'm so honoured to be a part of the team, we had a good culture, we were close, and this year, I've worked really hard on my game and as a person as well and I've gotten given the opportunity and I can't wait to take that opportunity with two hands.
“I want to step up and I want to be that middle forward taking the team up and along with Maima, she's obviously a great leader as well.
"I've always looked up to her as a player and I'm so excited to be the starting frontie with her on Thursday night and I just can't wait.”
A late bloomer to the game, having grown up competing in the diverse worlds of rodeo and netball, since making the move to rugby league, Johnston has shown great dedication to making improvements in her game, something not lost on her mentor and NSW assistant coach Ruan Sims.
Speaking about her relationship with Sims, Johnston was keen to share her input in her journey.
“I've been with Ru since I started, I started in 2019 and we played the New South Wales Country Champs together," Johnston said.
“Ru is also a massive leader of our game and she's been with me through it all .
"I've been with her at the Sharks for the last two years and she's always someone that has time for everyone and she's taught me a lot within the game.
"I'm really honoured to be underneath her and have her prep for Suncorp on Thursday night."
For Sims, knowing the work that has gone into Johnston making her Origin debut brought a “swelling of pride”.
“I’ve had the pleasure of being around Ellie for a fair while now," Sims said.
“I was in the meeting when it was being discussed her being signed to the Sharks a few years ago, coming from the Eels, and I remember when we were talking about her, as soon as they said they were willing to look at her to bring her over, I said, ‘Yes, absolutely’.
“I think she is a spectacular person. She's absolutely such an incredible individual, and it translates onto the footy field.
“She's very honest, and she's very open and I feel like that's the way she plays too.
“She rips in, she's very, talented. She's got great foot speed. She's very physical and I think just watching her, how she handled herself in camp last year, being in the 20, but not being able to pull on a jersey – she was also 18 once – and just seeing the way she handled herself and the way she got the people around her up and ready for the game, I think that was really impressive.
"It's a difficult position to be in if you know you're not playing, but still being ready in case if something does happen, and I think she was wonderful in that space.
“Then when she came into this squad, I remember having a chat with Strangey (coach John Strange) about the squad, and then when she came in for our first block of training this year, she was in such a good nick.
“She'd been training really hard away from it and she'd put herself through her own little pre-pre-season ... she just hit the ground running and we were constantly impressed every single session.
“She just kept stepping up and stepping up; and again, when the discussions were being made around the side being selected, I remember feeling just immense pride when Strangey said 'I definitely want Ellie, I'm going to start her up front'.
“I had a huge swelling of pride with that, because I've seen her development over a few years.
“I've seen last year how good she was around the team, and I've seen her get a shot this year, off the back of hard work and perseverance and resilience.
“They're three incredible traits that she has on the footy field and off the footy field, but best of all for me, she's just a really good person.”
