A childhood dream is becoming reality for best friends and super sporting duo Tori Brazier and Kasey Gaukroger.
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The pair have spent plenty of time throughout their childhood on footy fields in Guyra and Armidale and are making their way up the rugby league ranks after earning selection in the Newcastle Knights squad for the Tarsha Gale Cup.
Round one of NSW Rugby League's under 19s women's competition got underway at the weekend with Brazier making her debut in the starting side
The 17-year-old played the full 60 minutes in the centres against St George Illawarra where the Knights snared a 10-4 triumph.
Brazier said it "was a dream come true" to line up for the first time.
"It just made all of the sacrifices and the hard training in pre-season worth it," she said.
"It means the absolute world to me.
"Rugby league was one of the first sports I ever played and I always wanted to play in the NRL.
"Back home I always played in the middles/centre position so it was really easy to pick up on and to get in the flow of playing there.
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"I've bounced around many sports including swimming, soccer, touch football, rugby union, Muay Thai and many more and it's just an unreal feeling to finally have found the sport that I love and I get to play at a high level."
She's again earned selection in the starting side for Saturday's round two match against the Eels.
Brazier and Gaukroger made the move to Newcastle at the end of 2020 in an effort to crack the squad and throw themselves into training.
Gaukroger missed out on playing in the game after injury in the pre-season hampered her efforts but she is enjoying it.
"The environment has been the first professional one I have been in myself, and yes, the training has been intense compared to other trainings I have been involved in," she said.
"We were both welcomed into the team with open arms which made things a lot easier.
"I did play my first game, though that had been a trial.
"Unfortunately I suffered an injury during pre-season, which had put me out of training for while. That has put me behind the eight-ball in making my debut.
"I'm excited to see what the future holds."
Brazier said the off-the-field aspects have also shown the pair how the professionals do it.
"We are treated so equally and fair just like the men and are always looked after perfectly," she said.
"We have physios, nutritionists, and multiple coaches to ensure we always healthy and always pushing us to be the best we can be.
It has also been a major step up for the duo from local Group 19 and New England Rugby competitions to competing on the big stage.
The Knights squad is made up of players with a mix of experience and abilities with some playing at that level before and others with similar backgrounds to Brazier and Gaukroger.
They've had the chance to connect with their teammates in the lead up to the season which made the transition from small town life to Newcastle living a lot easier.
"My team mates are the best group of girls," Brazier said.
"They were welcoming from the start which has made the experience so much more easier.
"Whether it be at training or at games each and every one of us is there for each other."