Emma Wood crowned best female league player in the state as she hunts for Gold Stars opportunity

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HERBERT River backrower Emma Wood is adamant she does not aim to be a stand out every time she plays the game.

It just happens naturally.

A representative junior, Wood joined Herbert River this season with a mission to rediscover her love for the game and help build a future for women’s league in the regions.

She was a spearhead of the Crushers inaugural women’s side and constantly found herself dishing out advice off the field as often as she dished out the hits on it.

It was nothing new for a woman who was handed the captaincy of a senior side while still finishing high school when she was at Norths Devils two years ago.

Herbert River's Emma Wood has been voted Queensland's best female community league player. Picture: Matthew Elkerton

“The girls asked me for advice, they would come up to me after training and ask me how to pass the ball. I would take them through the simple stuff, all the girls really looked up to me,” she said.

“It was a bit confronting for me because I try and be humble about it. I don’t want to strut my stuff around, I don’t like to big note myself.

“I never try and stand out. It is not what I (play the game) for. I do it for the fun, I do it for the girls and I do it for my family.”

Wood, who was also part of the Blackhawks inaugural women’s under-19s squad this season, said her arrival at the Crushers allowed her to play the game a different way.

After becoming disillusioned with being so competitive, Wood said she used the opportunity for a fresh start to rediscover why she started playing in the first place.

Emma Wood. The Herbert River Crushers Rugby League Club’s women’s team in its historic first ever home game at the Showgrounds in Ingham on Saturday. The brave women went down to the Centrals Tigers of Townsville 16-14. Photograph: Cameron Bates

“It was more of a fun season, I threw the ball around and ran the ball when I could. I played the game like it was backyard footy and that is how I like it,” Wood said.

“(Coach Joe Pennisi) never expected me to do too much, or coach me too much. The girls didn’t expect me to stand out above anyone else.

“The girls made me look extremely good when they were setting me up, they were doing all the hard work for me.”

Herbert River's Emma Wood has been voted Queensland's best female community league player. Picture: Matthew Elkerton

Wood has been recognised for her outstanding first season in the orange and black after being voted the best women’s community rugby league player in Queensland by News Corp’s statewide audience.

Wood led the voting in a week-long poll which received more than 600 votes, finishing with eight per cent of the vote ahead of central Queensland duo Jess Powell (Rockhampton Brothers) and Sharni Upton (Yeppoon Seagulls) on six per cent.

SEE THE FULL LIST: Readers decide on Queensland’s best female league player

While she was honoured to be judged the best across the state, Wood was adamant she had not hit her peak and this off-season would be her most important yet as she aimed to be included in the North Queensland Gold Stars for next year’s BHP Premiership campaign.

“I have tried to work hard the last couple of years and to be recognised for that is great,” she said. “I definitely have a lot of work to put in to be the best I want to be.

“I hope I still get the opportunity to train with (the Gold Stars) and if an opportunity does arise I will take that head on.

“I am definitely working towards being the best I can be, I do want to be in the Gold Stars team, it is how hard I work this pre-season and prove to them I am (ready for a shot).”

Originally published as Emma Wood crowned best female league player in the state as she hunts for Gold Stars opportunity