Western Clydesdales Georgia Sim signs with Gold Coast Titans

In the space of a year Georgia Sim has gone from new mum and rugby league rookie to signing a deal with the Gold Coast. Get an insight into her amazing sporting journey here.

Georgia Sim for the Clydesdales against Souths Logan Magpies. Picture: Ben Hassum Photography

From giving birth, to making her rugby league debut, then signing her first NRLW contract, it has been a whirlwind 12 months for Western Clydesdales star Georgia Sim.

The talented winger made her first foray into the sport in this year’s BMD Premiership with the Clydesdales and wasted no time in making her mark.

Her form caught the eye of Gold Coast Titans officials and she has now earned a contract with the NRLW side.

“I was a little bit shocked just because I thought they already had all their team picked out but really excited to keep playing after the BMD comp had obviously finished up,” Sim said.

“So I was really excited to be able to play for the rest of the year.”

After scoring five tries in her last seven games of the season, Sim found her form when it mattered most and is eager to continue to go from strength to strength at a higher level.

“A dream season would be making the (Titans) starting side and hopefully getting a couple of tries for the girls,” she said.

“Developing the game for myself is the main goal and getting my strength and fitness to another level just to match this intensity of a higher level.”

Prior to playing for the Western Clydesdales, Sim made a name for herself in the rugby sevens world and represented the Queensland Reds in early 2023 before reaching a crossroads.

“I have an eight month old son, so prior to falling pregnant with him that was the goal to change from sevens to go into league just because there were more opportunities there,” she said.

“Then obviously coming back from having my son, that was my main goal to get my fitness back and make the starting team for the BMD and then hopefully get a (NRLW) contract.”

Georgia Sim for USQ in the 2020 Emilee Cherry Cup Women's 7s Final.

Despite entering the BMD Premiership campaign as a rugby league rookie, Sim had plenty of experience to turn to with three-code Australian rep Shenae Ciesiolka lending a hand in the transition.

“Shenae was a great leader for the whole club, even when she couldn’t play because she had other commitments at the Broncos or Origin, she still made an effort to come to the games,” Sim said.

“Obviously having little knowledge of league, she was happy to explain the game and give me little tips and tricks.

“She has been through the whole process as well coming from sevens into league, she knew where my brain was at.

“Then I was next to Lei Tufuga and she was a great mentor playing next to her.

“She really helped me as well and really motivated me and inspired me that I could get a contract if I kept playing as I was and kept working hard so that was really good.”

Clydesdales coach Mitch Sargent was proud of Sim and believes it will help pave a path for future Darling Downs stars to break into the NRLW.

“(I am) tremendously proud of Georgia for where she has come through after that journey of pregnancy to birth, to now to play at this level and earn herself a contract,” he said.

“It is a real credit to the person Georgia is and the hard work and ethic that she puts in to not only family life and work life but also her sporting career.

“She’s a tremendous talent and I am just so happy that she has an opportunity to showcase at the next stage and I am really confident that once she gets into pre-season, she’ll earn her way into the team somehow and she won’t disappoint.

“She is such a competitor and we are tremendously proud of her as a club.”

Georgia Sim scores for the Western Clydesdales against Tweed Seagulls. Picture: Benny Hassum Photography

While the BMD Premiership season may have just finished, Sim’s signing with the Titans has already spurred on her Clydesdales teammates to pursue their dreams.

“We said from the get go ‘you can’t be what you can’t see’,” Sargent said.

“I know this has really spurred some of the other girls in the team to really knuckle down and fight hard for the next 12 to 24 months to get the same opportunity as Georgia.

“That’s really special to be a part of because that’s why we are here … to give our local players a sense of ambition to play at the next level and give them the opportunity while staying at home.”