Roosters second-rower Yasmin Meakes is set to get married to former Raider Adam Clydsdale just weeks after the NRLW grand final on Sunday, and she's hoping to add one more ring to her finger for the occasion.
Despite the stress of organising a fast-approaching wedding, it's the NRLW championship ring that Meakes is thinking about first.
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"It's exciting. This wedding has been two years in the making due to COVID and the timing of everything has worked out perfectly," Meakes said.
"If we win the grand final, I won't be taking it off. Adam would be super proud of me and would want me to wear it as well."
Meakes and her future husband Clydsdale are a formidable footy pair, with both calling Canberra home during pivotal moments in their playing careers. And it was in Canberra that Meakes' journey to the NRLW grand final first began.
"I moved to Canberra when Adam was playing for the Raiders," she said. "I was new to the area and didn't know anyone, so to make new friends I started playing rugby union and rugby league."
Meakes had watched and supported league her entire life, and was an accomplished touch player too, however at the time the pathway to professional ranks was not what it is today.
She won the Katrina Fanning Shield with the Queanbeyan Blues in league, and in union she attracted the attention of the Australian sevens coach through her performance with the University of Canberra's sevens team, as well with the Uni-Norths Owls.
A call-up to the sevens national team came and Meakes helped the team claim bronze at the 2017 Rugby World Cup in the seven-a-side format.
Meakes always knew she'd come back to league though, and could not be more ecstatic about where she landed.
"I've always supported the Roosters, so playing for them in an NRLW grand final, it's like a dream come true," the 28-year-old said.
"Growing up there was no women's team, so it was an unrealistic dream.
"Now that young girls can see that there's opportunities in rugby league, I feel it's just going to grow immensely, and there's going to be so much participation in the coming years."
The Roosters will be riding a wave of confidence going into the NRLW decider on Sunday after they knocked out the three-time champions the Broncos in the semi-final.
They slayed the dragon, and now face another in St George-Illawarra.
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"It's definitely going to be a tough game, but I think we need to focus on our game, minimising errors and starting really strong and aggressive," Meakes said.
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"Our coach has been realistic, he let us enjoy that win, but then we also know that wasn't our grand final and we can still be better."
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Melanie Dinjaski
Melanie Dinjaski is an experienced sports journalist at the Canberra Times with a genuine love of all sports. She's covered every code from NRL to NFL, and has experience in print, digital, podcasting, TV and video journalism, having spent time working in newsrooms at Nine, Fox Sports and Seven before moving to the capital. Melanie aims to bring Canberrans all the sports news they need to know - have a story worth sharing? Get in touch!
Melanie Dinjaski is an experienced sports journalist at the Canberra Times with a genuine love of all sports. She's covered every code from NRL to NFL, and has experience in print, digital, podcasting, TV and video journalism, having spent time working in newsrooms at Nine, Fox Sports and Seven before moving to the capital. Melanie aims to bring Canberrans all the sports news they need to know - have a story worth sharing? Get in touch!
