Representing your country is the pinnacle in any sport, so UNE alumna Grace Hamilton was justifiably elated when called into the Wallaroos squad in 2016.
But the administrators of the national rugby team, established in 1992, still had a way to go in terms of growing the women’s game.
“During the first camp I attended we were still wearing the extra men’s clothes – in sizes 3XL and 4XL – because there wasn’t a kit for the women,” Grace remembers.
“When I debuted, the national crest was not even embroidered on our jerseys – that happened two years later – and our jerseys were not embroidered with the game you were playing for a long time. My Dad used to collect them all and get them embroidered himself.”
As captain of first the NSW Waratahs and then the Wallaroos, as well the women’s representative on the Rugby Union Players’ Association, Grace recalls some “heated discussions” around gender parity.
Image: Grace represented UNE in the AON 7s tournament, in 2018/19
“I definitely pushed the boundaries, and that would hurt sometimes, but you always plant the trees for the shade you may never enjoy,” she said.
You always plant the trees for the shade you may never enjoy.
“It was something I was passionate about. I appreciated that women’s rugby was still growing and evolving, but I could also see how women’s sport was taking off and the effort our girls were putting in.
“It was bigger and deeper than the men flying business class and the women economy. Our women were putting their lives on hold to represent their country and wanted to feel valued. That’s something that women have fought for in male-dominated arenas for a very long time.”
It's Your Move
By 2023, when members of the Wallaroos were still calling out Rugby Australia for the unjust treatment of women, Grace was no longer captain and was playing NRLW for the Sydney Roosters, but her high profile and reputation as one of the most talented number 8s in the world saw her become a face of the “It’s Your Move” campaign.
It highlighted disparities in how the Wallabies (the national men’s rugby team) were treated and remunerated, and called for the Rugby Australia chairman, board and CEO “to prioritise the future of Australian women’s rugby and allocate adequate resources”.
Image: Grace Hamilton has seen much progress for women's sports.
Fortunately, changes are now happening.
While Grace worked full-time as a school sports administrator and studied full-time for her Master of Teaching (Secondary) at UNE while wearing the green-and-gold, many Wallaroos are now on full-time contracts.
“Pay parity in rugby may still be a long way off, but some Wallaroos are getting paid enough to survive without having to work extra jobs,” Grace said. “People now want to watch the women play, which is cool, and crowd numbers are growing, along with the skills of the players. We are seeing what the women can do with full-time training.
“Even language in the sport is changing. Our game was once referred to as the curtain-raiser but now it’s part of a double-header. That’s really important.”
Importance of allyship
Having spent a season playing union in France in 2024, this winter Grace will again play rugby league in the NRLW competition for the Dragons. She spent two years with the Sydney Roosters in 2023 and 2020, when COVID forced the cancellation of a number of rugby tests, and says rugby league provides good pathways for women players.
“Nothing takes away from the great times I had wearing the national jersey for the Wallaroos,” Grace said. “I have studied business and it’s a known fact that investment in the men’s sport helps women, too. But one thing that I truly believe is that the standard you walk by is the standard you accept. Allyship is also really important – especially from men who can advocate for the needs and wants of women and accept the diversity of thought they bring.”
I went back to my old school ... to conduct a clinic and they had 70 girls playing rugby. It was unbelievable.
Grace’s late father John was one such ally.
Image: Grace with her supporters, including her mum Vivianna and dad John.
“There was no opportunity for me to play rugby growing up in the central west of NSW, but Dad later worked for NSW Country Rugby Union and started the first girls’ teams in that region. I went back to my old school in Orange the other day to conduct a clinic and they had 70 girls playing rugby. It was unbelievable and would never have happened when I was at school.
“Women’s rugby has gone from strength to strength in the past 10 years, but we need to continue to challenge the unconscious stereotypes. I’m excited to see what the next 10 years brings.”
