Gayle's debut dazzler proves mana from heaven for Warriors

Gayle Broughton emerges from the dressing rooms in Hamilton with a smile a mile wide, having just completed a stirring rendition of the Warriors’ team song.

She’d heard it so many times already when watching the men’s games, but the star Kiwi recruit openly admits she actually still didn’t know all the words when it was all of a sudden time to belt it out after a fine Round 1 debut for her new NRLW club in their 32-10 win over the Bulldogs.

Ten months prior, the classy five-eighth was in the rooms across the other side of the tunnel at FMG Stadium Waikato, as part of a Broncos side who dished out a 20-point drubbing to the Warriors on their way to claiming premiership honours.

But, after three seasons in Brisbane, following one at the Eels in 2022, it’s back home in New Zealand where Broughton now finds herself, after the former Black Ferns Sevens Commonwealth and Olympic gold medallist signed a two-year deal with the Warriors.

That motivation to cross the ditch again was based around her son, Eastyn, and the chance to bring him up closer to family.

While Broughton says her and her partner are now no longer together, her boy, who turned one last month, and spends much of his time in Tauranga, remains a massive inspiration. Just check out the writing on her left wrist strapping tape.

“It’s been a ride, it’s been a journey, I don’t think I shy away from how hard it is,” she tells NRL.com. 

“But anyone who has kids will understand that you will literally do anything for your kids.

“So if I get a day off, a weekend off, or even a spare moment, I’ll get down there as much as I can and see him.”

Broughton, born and raised in the Taranaki town of Hawera, had other family members among the crowd of 4928 for her maiden outing with her new side, on a day she added a nice new specially-embroidered jersey to her growing sporting collection.

“I definitely have a lot of jerseys at this point but I’m just grateful to be able to make my debut, and alongside some of the best in my country," she said.

And it couldn’t have gone much better, to be fair. 

Under the pump early, with a 5-0 penalty count inside nine minutes and forced to withstand a ton of Bulldogs pressure, it was Broughton who took the bull by the horns for the slow-starting hosts, opening the scoring with a nice dummy and strong charge.

“Something that I really wanted to challenge in my game is to really get into the line early, so I saw a hole, and just said, ‘Yep, give me the ball, I’m going to have a crack’,” she said.

From there, the 30-year-old three-Test Kiwi Fern (2024) was a major conductor of the Warriors’ slick attack, as her left-side centre Emmanita Paki and winger Lavinia Tauhalaliku each went in for doubles. They hardly looked a new combination with the No.6.

“That’s credit to all the mahi that we’ve been doing over the last seven weeks during pre-season,” said Broughton, who also referenced her connection with captain and fullback Apii Nicholls from their time in the Kiwi Ferns, and also second-rower Shakira Baker from their Sevens days.

“[There’s] just so much strikepower everywhere on my left edge, I’m so lucky, I just have to do my job, play direct, and they just make me look good, really.”

Along with Broughton’s silky skills, it’s her experience of winning cultures, and hard-nosed determination that is a boon for coach Ron Griffiths, who has already seen the benefits.

“For us, we all need to be in the same waka, she does a really good job of getting everyone on the same page and rowing in the same direction, she’s got good energy and connects the group,” he said of his high-profile recruit.

Her own assessment?

“I’m just the type of leader that knows how to bring the best out in people,” Broughton said.

“I understand people pretty well and really helping them drive a standard to be the best, and what legacy you want to leave in the jersey.

“I talk to the girls about it all the time – this jersey isn’t mine forever, I’m going to move on at some point and someone else is going to fill this jersey. 

“So [it’s about] just playing with pride, and playing with mana, and bringing that every game, even every training session. And it only builds.”