Sixteen, 55kg and fearless: Is ‘Baba’ the Waratah Australia’s smallest pro footy player?

Waiaria Ellis believes being small is a bit of a superpower.

And that’s just as well, because at 160 centimetres and 55 kilograms, Ellis is definitely small. And given she is aged 16 and plays for the Waratahs against full-grown adults in the Super Rugby Women’s competition, a superpower comes in handy.

“I have always been the smallest in the team. Being small has helped me – I feel like it has been a good thing,” Ellis says.

On Sunday, Ellis will play her seventh game for NSW – and only her 10th game of any senior footy – when her undefeated side meets the Fijiana Drua in the grand final of the Super Rugby Women competition. It is the highest domestic level of professional, 15-a-side women’s rugby in Australia.

Ellis, who looks younger than 16 and is known to everyone as “Baba”, is a year-11 student from western Sydney, and in March she became the equal-youngest Waratahs player ever, remarkably tying the record set last year by her now 17-year-old teammate Caitlyn Halse.

Anyone who knows Ellis, however, knew her elevation to the big time of televised footy was a matter of when, not if.

Waiaria Ellis, 16, will play in the Super Rugby Women final on Sunday.Credit: Dion Georgopoulos

The daughter of former St George Illawarra hooker Ben Ellis and sister of Parramatta NRLW prop Ruby-Jean Kennard-Ellis, the tiny teenager is a gifted athlete who has been starring in an array of sports – and for an array of rep teams – since she was little. Or littler, at least.

“I started off playing rugby league when I was five for the Toongabbie Tigers, and then I did gymnastics and did gymnastics for 10 years. I also played netball, and then OzTag and touch. Then I started sevens [rugby] and now doing rugby union,” Ellis said.

Ellis was so good on the bar, vault and beam she was selected in an Australian gymnastic level 10 squad in 2022, and has a draw full of Sydney, NSW and Australian underage gear for OzTag, touch and sevens as well.

“I was doing the international [gymnastics] levels for a bit, but because I was still doing footy, there were so many hours and I had to miss training for both things, so I got to a point in 2022 where I had to choose between the two – and I chose footy,” Ellis said.

Waiaria Ellis makes a break against the Brumbies in her debut for the Waratahs in March.Credit: Getty

In October last year, due to her rugby sevens deeds, Ellis was invited by the Waratahs to play in two pre-season 15-a-side games. It led to being selected in the Waratahs squad.

“My dad said you have been selected to train with the Waratahs. I was like, ‘That’s cool, do I have to do it?’ ” Ellis said.

“He was like, ‘You understand this is the proper Waratahs, with Wallaroos players like Piper [Duck] and all them?’ I was like, ‘So proper senior pro footy? Oh my god. The actual Waratahs like you see on TV? Holy crap’.”

Waratahs coach Mike Ruthven didn’t take much convincing: “You pretty quickly knew there was something special. She is just not daunted. She obviously gives away a huge amount of size and weight, but she will see an opportunity and back herself in a confined space. And from a ‘D’ [defence] point of view, she just gets in and has a genuine crack. She is fearless.”

Comparing size is an inexact science in footy – many clubs don’t disclose player weights – but at 55 kilograms, Ellis is the smallest in the Super Rugby Women comp, and if she’s not the smallest player in all the Aussie professional footy codes, she’d be on a high step of the podium.

“As my dad says, it doesn’t matter if you’re small. He says people will target you because you’re small but just get low, make the tackle and you’ll be fine,” Ellis said.

“I haven’t been scared. You just get low, tackle their legs. That’s about it.”

Based on the evidence of the Waratahs’ season, where Ellis comes off the bench to play fullback and five-eighth, the nerves can often flip to the older defender who couldn’t possibly let a little kid step past them.

Waiaria Ellis: “As my dad says, it doesn’t matter if you’re small … I haven’t been scared. You just get low, tackle their legs. That’s about it.”Credit: Dion Georgopoulos

“I guess I am faster and lighter, so I can use footwork around them,” she said.

“I have got so much strength, agility and speed from doing gymnastics and have always enjoyed taking people on with the ball in my hands.”

Waratahs teammates enjoy grilling Ellis on what she learnt at school when she arrives for training in her uniform, and the return of star Wallaroos No.10 Bella McKenzie from England’s professional competition has seen her immediately blessed with a superb mentor.

“She is such a cool kid. Just a good kid, good family, good parents who are incredibly supportive,” veteran prop Emily Robinson said.

Waiaria Ellis and Leilani Nathan after the Waratahs’ win over the Brumbies. Credit: Getty

“She has a massive future in the sport, and hopefully we can pin her down and keep her in rugby.”

Ellis still has league in her veins and would love to one day play at the Olympics for the Australian rugby sevens team, too. But as NRLW and Aussie rugby officials know, it’s best to take a ticket. The queue starts on the left.

“Baba” says she’ll keep playing all types of footy and see how it pans out. What she does know is she won’t be rushing to change.

“Everyone is like, ‘You need to eat more and get bigger’,” Ellis said. “But I am probably more looking at getting stronger, more than getting bigger.

“Being small isn’t that bad.”

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