Rugby star Charlotte Caslick opens up on her new NRLW life with Sydney Roosters
Rugby league’s biggest female signing boasts speed, strength and more Instagram followers than most NRL players. And she’s flattered by the Sonny Bill Williams comparison. Meet Charlotte Caslick, the Olympic champion and new Sydney Rooster.
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Charlotte Caslick has no problem with the SBW comparison.
“Actually, I’m flattered,” she laughs.
“It’s incredible to have people suggest I’m even in the same realm as Sonny Bill Williams.
“Which I’m certainly not.
“Hopefully one day.
“Maybe in 10 years I can have achieved as much as he has.
“But right now, I haven’t even played a single game of rugby league.”
Which doesn’t matter though, right?
Just as it never mattered when Conor McGregor wanted to go boxing.
Nor when Williams, aged 35 and well past his prime, agreed to come back and off the pine at Bondi Junction.
Some athletes, they just have a knack of drawing us in.
Which is how it’s set to be with Roosters recruit Caslick.
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This fast-twitch phenom who, apart from being the world’s greatest female Rugby Sevens player, also boasts an Instagram following of 105,000.
Which put another way, is more than even Dally M favourite Nathan Cleary.
Still only 25, Caslick is preparing to bring her mix of muscle and marketability – not to mention an Olympic gold medal – to Bondi for the 2020 NRLW season. as first revealed by The Daily Telegraph’s Phil Rothfield.
Which isn’t exactly SBW with braids, but certainly close enough for people to be making the comparison.
Athletically, this Brisbane native will the competition’s new No.1.
Likely, by some margin.
With plenty inside the women’s game already fitting her for Origin and Test jerseys too should she want them.
Yet on the topic of representative footy, Caslick remains deliberately coy.
“Because I don’t want to come in and try to do everything when I haven’t earned my spot,” she says.
“I need to get some game time before making any decisions.
“Origin is the pinnacle, and it would be an honour to play for Queensland.
“But I don’t know if it will be this year.”
So treading cautiously?
“I’m very cautious, especially with things like how forward I am,” continues the rugby star whose switch has come about because of COVID cancelling both the Summer Games and Sevens season.
“In rugby, I’m really vocal, have high standards and like to lead everyone around.
“But I’ve been careful not to expect that straight away from people who don’t know me.
“Coming into the Roosters, I was actually scared.
“Really nervous about how people would perceive me coming across, like if I had an agenda or something .
“But the girls here have been absolutely great.
“So now I’m sitting back and trying to learn as much as I can from them.
“I certainly don’t want to make out like I know it all – because I don’t.”
Instead, Caslick is immersing in the one commodity she knows best — hard work.
Apart from studying video, working on her contact, even tweaking tackle technique, this newest Roosters signing has also been conducting Zoom meetings with retired premiership hero Cooper Cronk.
“Which is really interesting,” says the Olympian who will start the year at five-eighth. “I really enjoy listening to what he looks for in games.
“Cooper likes to keep it simple, which is great.
“We can tend to complicate things at times. But he spoke a lot about how, even in structure, you let your senses take over.”
While Caslick will return to rugby and another Olympic tilt in 2021, she admits talk of an expanded NRLW competition could entice her into a return within the year.
“Already, there’s plenty of chat about the competition getting more teams,” she says. “And there’s a rugby league World Cup next year too.
“So I’m keeping my options open.”
Maybe even follow Sonny into a boxing ring?
“Ahh, no,” she laughs. “I think that might be a bit much.”
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