Kelleher's growing self-belief has Roosters on track for glory

From second row to hooker, Jocelyn Kelleher has worked hard to find her niche in the halves for the Sydney Roosters. 

With that upswing in her game-management skills over a couple of years has also come the realisation by the 26-year-old that she deserves the accolades that are coming her way. 

She is the second highest pointscorer in the NRLW behind Jesse Southwell, plus she’s equal leader with her Roosters halves partner Tarryn Aiken for line break assists and third for try assists.

But Kelleher’s stamp on a match wasn’t always so poignant. 

For two years in a row she was in the extended NSW Blues squad but didn’t make the cut for the final 19. 

Then in 2025 Kelleher was the utility on the NSW bench at No.14 and in 2026 she moved into partnering Southwell in the halves – the Blues winning both series. 

“I love talking about Jocie,” Roosters skipper Isabelle Kelly told NRL.com. 

“Obviously she’s one of my good mates but I’ve also seen the belief come within herself. 

“That’s come alive say in the past two years because she’s someone who can be very hard on herself. 

“But I think understanding finally how good she can play has come to light only the last year really.

“She has the best boot in the game I feel, when you see the kicks she can do and the execution of the kicks is just next to none.” 

Kelleher (second row) and Kelly (fullback) were teammates at the Central Coast Roosters, when they won the NSW Women’s Premiership grand final over the North Sydney Bears in 2020. 

A year later and Kelleher had her first NRLW premiership coming off the bench in the 2021 win over the Dragons. 

Now in 2026 she could win her third NRLW trophy with the Roosters and her second playing in the halves (2024 win over the Sharks). 

It was 2023 the Kelleher moved permanently into the halves to work at No.6 alongside Jillaroos Golden Boot Winner, Aiken, who moved across from the Broncos. 

“They complement each other well even though they’re very different players in their own right with different strengths.” Kelly said. 

“Both of them are on the ball – Jocie kicking, Taz directing the team – and then we’ve got Corbie (fullback Corban Baxter) at the back who is such a calm and experienced presence in our team. 

“We are blessed with those three leading us around on the park. They know who to get the ball to at the right time and how to execute those moves the best.” 

The Roosters attacking spine – adding in hooker Keeley Nizza - is clearly one of the reasons they finished undefeated in the 2026 season and sit just one win away from the grand final.

Kelly said it was uplifting to see Kelleher mature into the player she has become.

“I’m really proud of her because she works really hard on her game – does a lot of video, a lot of clips with Strangey (coach John Strange)," she said.

“She does a lot of extras in her kicking game to make sure she can put the team on the front foot.”