At just 19 years old, Muswellbrook’s Evie Jones made her debut with the Newcastle Knights NRLW side earlier this year and plans to better her footy even more to hold onto her Top 24 spot for the 2025 season.
Evie has been playing football her whole life – first it was ladies league tag and touch football, and when she turned 13 it was rugby league.
“When I was 13 there was a Rugby League 9s comp around the Upper Hunter so a few of us Group 21 Rugby League girls got a team together and we played in that comp.
“That was my first taste of rugby league, and I loved it!
“I really enjoyed the contact side of it, you can make so many friends and they are friends who have the same interests as you. It just became so popular in the Upper Hunter after that one 9s comp.”
After discovering her love of the game, Evie tried for the Knights Tarsha Gale Cup side (Under-19s) and was fortunate enough to make the team.
“They treat us like elite athletes in the pathways program, we train three times a week. It’s so good, this season we even had Ben Jeffries at the Tarsha Gale training.
“They run it at such a high level, it’s really developed a lot of girls and it shows in the comp now because everything is getting a bit stronger.”
Evie spent two years with the team until last year when she was picked as a development player for the Knights NRLW squad.
“It’s pretty surreal getting all of these opportunities at such a young age.
“It was a goal of mine to make Top 24 and develop my football. I wasn’t sure if it was going to come around this year or not, but I tried to have a really good pre-season and learn off girls like Olivia Higgins and Tamika Upton and really work on my game so when my opportunity came along I could take it with both hands.”
Evie made her debut in an away game against the Eels and couldn’t have been happier with how she played.
“My debut couldn’t have gone any better. Jesse Southwell was out due to head injuries so I only found out the week before I would be playing, but all the girls were so supportive leading up to it. It made me feel so confident going in as halfback.
“I had lots of my family come and support, so it was really lovely.”
Evie takes a lot of pride in where she comes from. She said if it wasn’t for the Muswellbrook Rams she wouldn’t be where she is today.
“Obviously coming from a smaller rural town, I wanted to represent myself well but represent my town well too.
“I hope that the younger girls back home realise they do have a shot if they put their head down and work hard.
“For myself especially, I want to be a role model for those young footy players back home because I know how hard it was for me thinking I didn’t know if I would make it or not because you are a couple of hours away. You have to have that determination and commitment, but it is possible.
“My goal for next season is to develop my game more but also now I have a taste of the NRLW I want to stay in the team week in week out.”
Evie is signed on with the Knights NRLW side until at least the end of the 2027 campaign.
