Bring on Brisbane: Spain's reign as No.1 gets off to a flying start

She made her NRLW debut against the Roosters, starred in a club-record home win against the Dragons, and is now poised to test her skills against the game's best player and team. 

Welcome to the NRLW, Lucy Spain. 

The 24-year-old Knights rookie was handed the No.1 jersey two weeks ago after Lilly-Ann White suffered an ankle injury during Newcastle's season-opening 18-4 victory over the Sharks at Ocean Protect Stadium. 

After holding her own in a 12-10 loss to the 2025 minor premiers and runners-up at Allianz Stadium, Spain was retained for Newcastle's first home game and she helped the Knights dismantle the Dragons 38-0. 

Bobbing up on either side of the field to combine with halves partners Georgia Roche and Kirra Dibb, Spain ran for 189 metres, made four line break assists and a try assist as the Knights ran in seven tries. 

"I was definitely nervous but once I was out there, the girls around me helped me so much and it just felt like a normal game. Obviously the contact's a lot harder, and it's a lot faster, but it was a good game, even though we lost," Spain said of her debut against the Roosters. 

"The Roosters game was a lot more defensively, but [against the Dragons] we had a lot of attacking chances, which was nice. I love that, being able to run a lot more. 

"I like being able to go either side, and Rochey and Kirra direct me where they want me, so it's nice playing off them." 

Spain's next assignment looms against Tamika Upton, a player she has idolised and studied from close range, when the Knights face the Broncos in Brisbane in Round 4.

Upton was in her final year at the Knights in 2024 when Spain was a member of Newcastle's Harvey Norman NSW Women's Premiership squad. 

"She's always someone I've sort of watched as a player and taken notes from," Spain said. 

"She's one of the best, so if I get to play up there, it will definitely be interesting, to go against her. 

"I did get a chance to come up and train with that group a couple of times that year, and she was there. I don't know if she'd remember that but I was definitely trying to get as much from her as I could." 

Hailing from the NSW Mid North Coast near Nambucca Heads, having honed her skills playing touch for Macksville Falcons from the age of 11, Spain only began playing rugby league for Lakes United after moving to Newcastle to attend university three years ago. 

From Lakes, she joined the Knights' NSW Women's Premiership squad in 2024, but a syndesmosis injury sidelined her for much of that season. 

A knee injury kept her out for a month in 2025, then she dislocated her right shoulder playing State Cup touch last December. 

"I dived for a try and dislocated it, so I needed surgery to repair that," Spain said.

"Towards the end of last year's season, I got elevated to a dev player midway through that season and for this year as well, so I was a bit nervous and pretty disappointed about the shoulder, but the physio here got me in straight away and rehabbed it really well. 

"I was only meant to return to playing a game last week but I returned a lot quicker, which was lucky, because it gave me the opportunity to play. I missed Round 1, then played three rounds of Harvey Norman before I made my NRLW debut last week." 

Knights NRLW coach Ben Jeffries has preferred Spain ahead of the experienced Botille Vette-Welsh the past two weeks, though Vette-Welsh played in the halves against the Roosters and came off the bench against the Dragons. 

"She looks like she's played a couple of years of NRLW," Jeffries said. 

"That's the biggest rap I can probably give Lucy and anyone that's come into our space in the last 18 months. They know their job and they play their job, so it's a credit to them and the playing group and the staff. 

"You probably didn't see it coming, because we know what's happening internally, but she had a really good pre-season. She was coming back from shoulder surgery and she did not blink in that period. 

"We nearly wanted to take her to Canberra to be honest, to play the trial game, but we had to be selfish around the playing group that was going to play Round 1.

"Then poor Lilly gets injured, and [Lucy] steps in and she's keeping Bo out of her spot and that's awesome. We spoke about competition for places and this is where this group is at." 

Spain, who has also played centre and wing at NWP level, said White and Vette-Welsh had been nothing but supportive during pre-season training and the opening three rounds. 

"It's such a good group. Whoever the coaches pick, we all support each other," Spain said. 

"I love playing here. It's great. I was lucky to play again this week... so every time I play, I just want to make sure I'm trying to do my best and do my role for the team."