Watching Em McDonald's performances from the outside, you'd never be able to tell the Orange Emus and ACT Brumbies halfback was never allowed to play contact sport as a youngster, such has been her whirlwind rise through the ranks.
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That's no exaggeration, it's simply a reflection on how quickly she's taken to the sport, which she admittedly grew up around living next door to the famed Grant family, with Jack still wearing No.9 for Eastern Suburbs in the Intrust Super Shute Shield.
It's one Brumbies coach Adam Butt agrees with too.
He took a massive punt on the young half by including her in his 2019 Buildcorp Super W squad but the gamble paid off, McDonald playing a vital role from the bench throughout the Brumbies' run to third and proving she's got a ceiling as high as any of the competition's youngsters.
"The first thing I noticed about Em was that things looked easier for her in terms of the skills she possesses, like her pass and kicking game. She really did impress with me her base skill level, she was quite advanced compared to other players," Butt said.
I've learned so much ... and can't wait to work and build on that with Emus.
- Em McDonald
"Then once I got to see her train and in talking to her, I noticed how hard she works and how much she wants to [learn]. She has a thirst to learn which is great and the more rugby she can play the better she'll be. The more experience she can get in the next 12 months the easier it will be for her to take that next step."
She'll get plenty, if her rapid rise to the top is any gauge.
Last year she starred for Emus in the Westfund Ferguson Cup and for Central West too, touring New Zealand earlier this year as well. But in 2018 she also won a spot in the NSW Country Eagles side, before linking with the Brumbies.
Her next step begins in Forbes on Saturday when the greens take on the Platypi, one of the new teams in Central West Rugby Union's women's competition, and she wants to bring what she's learned back to her club side.
"What an experience, it's something I'll never forget," McDonald said of her experience with the Brumbies in 2019.
"I've learned so much from Butty and the girls and can't wait to work and build on that with Emus again during the [Westfund Ferguson Cup] season."
She also said now she's had a taste of the top level, she wants more, she doesn't want 2019 to be a one-off.
While she's firmly in the Brumbies' Super W system now McDonald said she knows how hard she'll need to work to retain her spot for year's tournament, which is naturally a long-term goal.
"Hopefully I'll be able to go back bigger and better for next year's (Super W) season, and smash it," she enthused.
That's something Butt said she's more than capable of, if she wants it badly enough.
"I see a big future for Em," he said.
"She has things to work on and she knows that, but knowing her she will already be at the oval working on them.
"I know where she wants to go and the only way to get there is through hard work and she certainly isn't scared of that. I expect the best from her is still to come."
Emus take on Forbes from 12.45pm at Grinsted Oval.
In the Westfund Ferguson Cup's other round one match-ups Orange City host Cowra/Canowindra, Temora play Cootamundra, Harden face West Wyalong, Narromine take on Mudgee, Wellington host CSU Bathurst and Dubbo Kangaroos face defending premiers Bathurst Bulldogs, while Dubbo Rhinos have the bye.
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Matt Findlay
Formerly a sports specialist, I'm based at Orange and shift between wide-spread range of subjects here and, often, across the entire Central West region of NSW as well. I have almost a decade of experience in the media and marketing industries both here in Australia and internationally, along with journalism I have experience in content strategy, brand development, and digital and social media. Along the way, I've been fortunate to win a handful of media awards and be nominated for several others too.
Formerly a sports specialist, I'm based at Orange and shift between wide-spread range of subjects here and, often, across the entire Central West region of NSW as well. I have almost a decade of experience in the media and marketing industries both here in Australia and internationally, along with journalism I have experience in content strategy, brand development, and digital and social media. Along the way, I've been fortunate to win a handful of media awards and be nominated for several others too.
