McGregors keen to carry Kiwi Ferns bond into NRLW

After fearing for her future at the start of the year to now being regarded as arguably the game’s best player, Kiwi Ferns star Raecene McGregor has revealed she wants to play with sister Page in the NRLW.

McGregor, who this week added the IRL Golden Boot as international player of the year to her 2022 Dally M Medal, has enjoyed playing alongside Page as they have helped New Zealand to the World Cup final against Australia.

With Raecene at the Roosters and Page at the Dragons, the World Cup has been one of the few opportunities in recent years for the sisters to play together - and Raecene said it was something they wanted to do on a regular basis.

“It has been awesome, and it is something I have wanted to do for a very long time,” Raecene said.

“With injuries to her or me we haven’t really had that opportunity so to be able to pull on such an important jersey for us and our family has been fantastic.

“It is definitely something we want to do. Whether it happens next year or the following year, we definitely want to play together. I am not getting any younger so hopefully in the next few years it does happen.”

The 25-year-old played for the Kiwi Ferns at the 2017 World Cup and scored a try in the 23-16 final loss to the Jillaroos at Suncorp Stadium, while Page debuted in June’s mid-season Test against Tonga.

After helping the Broncos to back-to-back NRLW premierships in 2019 and 2020, Raecene initially found herself without a club for the postponed 2021 season played earlier this year due to a shoulder injury.

A player-of-the-match performance for the Maori All Stars in February prompted Sydney Roosters to throw her a lifeline and she helped the club to grand final glory in April.

“To be where I am now, if you had asked me a couple of months ago I wouldn’t have believed it,” Raecene said.

“Honestly it is a dream come true and it isn’t something I ever saw myself doing, especially after missing out and only being called in at the last minute.

“There were a couple of dark times there where I thought I wouldn’t be picked up and it was just really upsetting.

“To get that call-up from the Roosters and to be given the opportunity is something I am just really grateful to them for.”

Page said it had been difficult watching Raecene deal with doubts over her playing future and said she had shown great resilience to overcome the uncertainty and have such a great year.

“It was really tough, we just didn’t know if she was going to play and no-one realised that she was working her way to get back into it,” she said.

“It was just good that they had that All Stars game so she could show she was back and ready to be out there.  

“She has just had a phenomenal year and it is just so exciting to see her get this recognition because she totally deserves it.

“She does a lot of work behind the scenes as well, she always goes to training early, does the extras and puts in the hard work. It is just so good that it has paid off for her.

“It is amazing to be able to put the [Kiwi Ferns] jersey on with her. We don’t usually get to play together so this has been a special moment I won’t forget.”

After going down 10-8 to the Jillaroos in their final match of the pool rounds just a week ago, Raecene said the Kiwi Ferns were confident of preventing Australia from winning a third consecutive World Cup final at Old Trafford.

“I don’t have any doubt in my mind that we can beat Australia,” McGregor said.

“We were a little bit unfortunate in that last game but I think as long as we stick to our process and go up the middle, and finish and execute on the edges, I think we can definitely get the win.

“I think they are going to come out a lot harder than what they did in that first game but so are we, so we are really looking forward to the game and we are ready.”