Blues Captain Maddie Studdon has revealed it took more than blood, sweat and tears to to lead her team to glory in the inaugural Women’s State of Origin.
After the game at North Sydney Oval on Friday night, she stood on the ground with her roaring teammates around her, the trophy held proudly above her head.
To get there she had given up so much, including her job.
Blues captain Maddie Studdon led NSW to victory in the women’s State of Origin (pictured)
The 23-year-old has now revealed that she was given an ultimatum by her boss
Like many female athletes who play in the top of their leagues, Studdon is semi-professional and payed only a fraction of what her male counterparts are awarded.
This means she is forced to juggle training and playing with making an income.
So when she was given an ultimatum by her bosses at the Port Botany wharves, where she worked as a truck driver, she was forced to choose between her life passion and financial security.
She was told she was taking too much time off work and they would have to let her go if she didn’t give up the game.
She says she didn’t need to think twice.
‘It was quite easy, I was always going to pick rugby league and that Blues jersey,’ Studdon said.
She was forced to choose between her love of the game and financial security
Studdon was given an ultimatum by her bosses at Port Botany where she worked as a truck driver
‘This is my job and if that’s how it’s going to be, that’s the way and I’m so proud. I’m happy how it came out too.’
Asked what she would do on Monday, she said: ‘I’ll probably study the game more, watch the replays.’
NSW coach Ben Cross said that it showed the dedication the players had to the game.
‘It’s so hard that Maddie lost her job over this week,’ NSW coach Ben Cross said.
Many professional female athletes are forced to choose between finical security and the sport they love
‘That’s how hard it is. To be a NSW rugby league Origin captain, she couldn’t get the time off work.
‘That’s the sacrifice that these women and players are making to wear the Origin jerseys, they’re losing jobs over it.’
Studdon is contracted to South Sydney for the inaugural NRL women’s championships to be played later this year.
Studdon says she didn’t think twice about the decision, instantly choosing the game
And while she might be out of a job Studdon says she owes the opportunity to play to ‘The ladies before us paved the way.’
‘They had to sell their cars, get loans.
‘We think about rugby league first and it comes from our heart. ‘We’re playing for this jersey and it just shows we’re committed to this and whatever is thrown at us, we’re ready to take it.
‘And if it’s to lose a job, it’s to lose a job.’