Darren and Robyn Sargent, Miller Pelesasa, Kirsty, Paul and Grace Kemp. Harvey, Linda, Sarah and Andrew Jones.
It’s been a whirlwind couple of weeks for Harden’s very own Grace Kemp.
She put pen to paper in December on a new contract with the Canberra Raiders NRLW side for 2 more years, however, she has had little time to herself with the zone judging of Young Woman of the Year at Narromine over the weekend, before she flew north to join the indigenous squad in Townsville for their match against the Maori side, at 5:50pm Queensland time on Friday night.
Kemp was unlucky not to win at Narromine and after the event flew back to Canberra before jumping on a flight to Queensland. She will come off the bench against what will be a physical Maori side looking to get the win over the indigenous side. Her willingness to sign on with the Raiders again and her continual improvement in the game most likely secured her selection.
Her Grace and Poise off the field and her physicality on it have provided a mature and well rounded young adult who has the world at her feet.
It’s been an impressive start to Kemp’s rugby league career, having only taken up the code in 2023 after coming across from rugby union. The 22-year-old played all nine NRLW games for the Raiders in 2023 and says she can’t wait to be a part of the club again this season.
“I’m so excited. I think this is something that definitely played on my mind during the season. I think as soon as I stepped into the Raiders facility it was not going to be a second thought. It’s been an amazing support network at the Raiders this season and I can’t wait to get amongst it again next season,” Kemp said.
“I do have a lot to work on and more things to learn but I’ve definitely got the people around me to support me with that. The club has made me a better person off the field as well so I’m hoping I can give back to the club as much as what they’ve given me this year.”
Raiders NRLW coach Darrin Borthwick said he is excited to have Kemp return in 2024 and can’t wait to see what she can do in her second season of rugby league, including this Friday’s match.
“I think Grace even now having a clear head about what her pathway is and committing to rugby league now and giving her full attention to that 100 percent, I’m really happy she’s decided to stick with us in 2024,” Borthwick said.
“With more elite training and now knowing what the speed of the game is like, I think she’ll be an even better player, especially with a lot of the skills she brought to our game. “I know she’s training really hard now, she’ll be developing nicely for us and she’ll be a big key factor in our team again for next year.”
Sitting in a clubhouse preparing for a rugby union trial match in Wagga Wagga, Grace Kemp watched on as the Māori All Stars overcame their Indigenous rivals in the dying seconds of a thrilling match in Rotorua last year. Grace a Wiradjuri woman, knew in that moment she belonged in an Indigenous All Stars jersey.
And after crossing codes to join the inaugural Raiders NRLW side, the towering forward hasn’t looked back, with a rookie season that consisted of nine NRLW games, a Forward of the Year accolade and a call from coach Jess Skinner inviting her to an Indigenous All Stars camp. Reflecting on her indigenous roots, she said, “Just imagining being able to play a sport that you love and represent your culture while playing against another special culture, it was just awesome to see.
“Then Jess called me to let me know that I’d been invited to a camp to get to know the girls, I couldn’t believe it considering it was something that I said back then that I wanted to be part of.”
Kemp’s cultural journey started when she was selected in the Under 16s Lloyd McDermott Squad, a rugby union development tour which involved exploring her First Nations culture. But she found there was limited opportunities to continue to represent her Indigenous heritage as she progressed through to the senior competitions.
“Coming through playing rugby, that squad was kind of the only pathway you had to connect with culture,” she said.
“We went to Brisbane and connected with elders and land down there and played in the National Sevens Competition against different states, so it was a great opportunity to represent culture and footy.
“But there was nothing to help me keep learning and stay in touch with my culture as I got older.
“Having senior Indigenous girls and boys to look up to in All Stars is huge and I think that’s where rugby union is lacking a lot.”
Kemp said she has a deep appreciation for the opportunities she has to learn more about her culture and represent her people, which her father Paul didn’t have.
“I know Dad wishes that he was able to dive into culture like I have, he kind of missed out on that through his life,” she said.
“I don’t think he’s ever really been able to tap into his Indigenous heritage because I think country towns are a bit behind and he didn’t have the Indigenous Education Officers in schools that we have now.
“But I guess I’m sharing it with him now, so I’m really excited about the prospect to learn alongside my Indigenous sisters in rugby league to be able to continue to the journey that I’m on.”
Tune in to the matches this Friday night and check your local guides due to daylight savings. Next week we catch up with Graces’ mother Kirsty to hear what it’s like being a parent of such a talented young lady.
