Rugby League: Sophie Magann swaps the netball court for the footy field

Such was the 19-year-old's lack of footy experience she didn't even own a pair of boots.

Luckily she managed to snag the last pair.

Someone who isn't afraid of tackling a new challenge, at Scully Park on Saturday the Tamworth local played her second-ever game of rugby league.

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Her first was at Kootingal the previous round.

Before that, the closest she had come to competitive footy was some school oztag.

It wasn't necessarily that she didn't have the interest to. She conceded she has thought in the past about playing league tag. But to do that she would probably have to give up netball and she wasn't ready to do that.

"And mum never let me (play)," she added.

Netball has been Magann's main sport since she was about eight, and keeps her pretty busy. On top of the Saturday winter competition, she also plays socially of a Monday and Thursday.

"My mum and a lot of my family play," she said.

"She (mum) coached my team when I was little and I've just played from then."

It was a few of her colleagues at 360 Fitness, where she works in the creche, that coaxed her into having a crack at league.

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"A couple of the girls said 'we should play'," she said.

"So I was like 'righto I'll give it a go."

Admittedly "very nervous" before the first week, she was a lot more comfortable heading into Saturday.

"I was still a bit nervous, but had a bit more confidence, I knew a bit more on what I was doing," she said.

That translated onto the field.

After sticking mostly to the wing at Kootingal, she found herself in the middle a few times and made a couple of good runs.

"It was pretty good. It's actually a lot more like action packed in the middle," she said.

Moving to Tamworth from Bonshaw about five years ago, along with the gym Magann also works at a local primary school as a support and learning officer.

"It's a good job," she said of working with kids.

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"You learn a lot with the kids as well."

Magann is indicative of the improvement Gunnedah team coach John Hickey has seen in the three weeks already.

"The girls that already play they're getting fitter and they're starting to play better football.

"And, as for the younger ones who have never played league before, I think their growth has been amazing in just a couple of weeks.

"I think it's terrific. And you feel like you want to back them up, you feel like you want to support them and you want to give them a pat on the back for being brave enough to take the paddock, at their age, and just get involved with girls who have probably played before."

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