'I was so proud: Jasmin embraces remarkable family legacy

Few families have had a bigger three months in rugby league than the Stranges.

While brother Ethan celebrated a State of Origin series win in his debut campaign, father John created history by coaching the Blues women to a first-ever whitewash, adding back-to-back series victories to an already impressive resume. 

Roosters forward Jasmin Strange is writing another chapter of the family’s remarkable story.

“I was obviously so proud of Ethan,” Strange told NRL.com.

“He was monumental in Game One and he just looks so threatening in everything he does in attack and defence.

“I was really glad to see him get some game time in the last game and they won as well.

“He’s only 21, so that’s crazy.”

While Ethan’s rise has captured plenty of attention, Jasmin has quietly built an impressive career of her own.

At 23, the back-rower has already played 38 NRLW games, won premierships with the Roosters (2024) and Knights (2023), remarkably sharing one of those titles with her father as coach.

Now they’re chasing another.

“We’ve already won one together,” she said.

“It’s a bit weird though. I kind of feel like he’s either my coach or my dad.”

Having John Strange as both dad and coach is something Jasmin has experienced throughout most of her rugby league journey, but she’s learnt to separate the two roles.

“When he’s my coach I don’t feel like he’s my dad,” she said.

“But when he’s my dad I can definitely tell he’s in dad mode.

“He definitely has two different modes, which I think is good because it separates the two.”

The family connection has also helped shape much of the Roosters squad.

Several teammates, including many of the club’s NSW representatives, also came through the Central Coast system under John Strange, creating combinations that have existed long before the NRLW.

“We’ve got a really strong focus on connection this year,” Strange said.

“Pretty much half of us are from the Central Coast, so we’ve all come through Central Coast Roosters with my dad.

“We’ve been playing together for a long time.”

That familiarity has helped last year’s grand finalist’s open the season with consecutive wins. 

Playing alongside established Origin stars every week is also helping Jasmin continue developing her own game, with representative honours firmly on her radar.

“It’s definitely inspiring being next to them.

“As an edge I can say to them when teams are coming out of yardage, ‘Let’s go get them’, and I know we’re going to do it.

“They’re very reliable and it’s just fun playing with them.”

For now, though, Strange’s focus remains firmly on the Roosters as they chase another premiership.

“We’ve put ourselves in a good position,” she said.

“We know how to play good footy and we know how to defend.”