Broncos debutant Jayme Fressard opens up on the dark days of recovering from injury

A horrifying knee injury. A broken ankle chasing her pets around the house. And now an NRL Nines debut. The powerful story of how Broncos debutant Jayme Fressard came back from injury.

“Everything happens for a reason.”

This was the mindset of Brisbane Broncos Nines debutant Jayme Fressard after she suffered a horrifying knee injury in 2018 while playing a game of footy.

She had to repeat the same mantra again in 2019 when she broke her ankle chasing her dog and cat down a set of stairs at her home.

Over and over she had to repeat it, before eventually, her frustration boiled over.

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Jayme Fressard in action during 2018 Women's rugby league National Championships game between QLD City v NSW Country. Photo: Adam Head

“The hardest part of the last year and a half was probably when I did my ankle,” Fressard said.

“I had already worked so hard to get my knee to where it was; physically and mentally, I was feeling good.

“I was finally training with my team again and it just felt like I had to go right back to the start again.

“I had a few days of really letting my emotions out. I think you need to do that because it’s not good to always keep it bottled up.

“After you let it all out then it was time to get back up, get planning again and get my ankle back in the best shape I could.”

Country rugby league player Hannah Southwell alongside Fressard (right). Photo: Jenny Evans

Fressard was set to ignite the inaugural NRLW competition in 2018, having just signed with the Broncos, before she shattered her ACL and MCL in a tackle-gone-wrong just two months out from the start of the competition.

On Friday, the 22-year-old New South Wales product will finally complete her road to recovery when she runs out onto Perth Stadium in a Broncos jersey for the NRLW Nines tournament.

The former Rugby Sevens star has been named as part of the Broncos side vying for the NRLW Nines trophy and this week opened up about the dark days that plagued her over the past two years.

“You have your good days and of course you have some bad days,” she said.

“Especially when you’re sitting there watching the girls play but I also used that as my motivation to get back into the field.”

Frissard at Broncos NRLW training before they left for Perth.

The lightning quick outside back has been nicknamed the female version of Cronulla Sharks player Josh Dugan because of the ink tattooed on her left arm and right leg.

But it was her speed and hard running during the Women’s National Championship tournament in 2018 that caught the eye of then-Broncos women’s coach Paul Dyer and offer her a contract to play in their inaugural NRLW side.

Then, the injuries happened.

“The one thing I kept telling myself is everything happens for a reason,” Fressard said.

“I’m glad I’ve had a positive mindset and outlook on it all because it definitely gets tough and you have some dark days.

“If anything, it’s helped me grow as a person.

“It’s crazy what your body can do when you push your mind to never give up.

“It’s not your body that gives up on you it’s your mind first and when you learn how to control your mind it’s amazing what the body will do.”

She admits she’s feeling the fittest she’s ever been and is excited to show the rugby league world during the NRL Nines this weekend why the Broncos signed her up all those years ago.