Mudcrabs gun Paige Groves shows why she is a talent to watch
Paige Groves has always been a young rugby player to watch, but a two-try performance in the first FNQ Rugby Women’s 10s game of the season has the young Mudcrabs flyer demanding attention.
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Paige Groves has always been a young rugby player to watch, but a two-try performance in the first FNQ Rugby Women’s 10s game of the season has the young Mudcrabs flyer demanding attention.
Groves scored two tries as the Northern Beaches earned a 24-15 win against Penrhyn Sharks last week.
The young flyer, who wore the No. 21 on her back, was near untouchable as she used her lightning speed and slick footwork to bamboozle the Sharks defence.
But for Mudcrabs coach Russell Todd, it’s the product of years of hard work driven by one person: herself.
Todd first saw Groves three years ago when she joined brother Rowan at the club, and he’s worked closely with her since. But Todd, who has coached the Mudcrabs’ men’s team for the past few years and has played a leading hand in coaching some of the region’s brightest young talents, said it was Groves’ determination and desire to improve which set her apart - and that’s before considering on-field attributes.
“Oh speed, firstly, she’s an absolute whippet,” he said.
“She was always among the quickest but even at those higher levels, when we’ve gone away for rep rugby or at other championships, she’s always been able to match them.
“She’s got a good passing game on her as well.”
What might surprise some is that Groves, one of the shorter women to line up for Mudcrabs this season, can more than hold her own without the ball.
“She’s probably one of our better defenders,” Todd said.
“She’s normally one of the smaller players out there so many don’t expect it, but she is fantastic.”
Groves’ talent and commitment to learning rugby led to her participation in the Tempest 7s program, a girls’ junior squad which has represented Far North Queensland at the Queensland State Championships over the past few years.
Through that, the 17-year-old was identified by Queensland Rugby Union as a player to watch in the 7s format, but if there’s anything selectors don’t need to worry about it is her work ethic, which blows other aspiring athletes out of the water.
“They live out at Ravenshoe so they train most nights at home,” Todd said. “(The biggest are of improvement) was learning to better understand the game. Especially for someone so new to rugby, she’s picked up so much over the years.
“That extra training helps develop her skills and other abilities a lot more. She’s very much trying to better understand the game but she’s always had the drive to get better as a player.”
Mudcrabs face Wanderers, who smashed Brothers 32-0, at the Crabpot on Saturday.
Originally published as Mudcrabs gun Paige Groves shows why she is a talent to watch