The 2023 Santos Festival of Rugby in Narrabri was full of head-turning highlights and magnificent moments, but none came close to the NSW Waratahs debut of local rugby union sensation Martha Harvey.
The 18-year-old hometown hero ran out onto Dangar Park wearing the number nine jersey as she started the match at halfback, and she played 50 minutes in the Waratahs’ 13-5 victory, which saw them claim the inaugural Santos Super W Cup.
There was a huge roar every time Harvey touched the ball as the local crowd cheered her on, and it got even louder when she received a standing ovation as she was substituted back on with 10 minutes to go in the match.
Harvey told The Courier that it was a special feeling to debut for the Waratahs in front of family and friends in her hometown at Dangar Park, where she has played so many games for Narrabri in both junior and senior competitions.
“I don’t think many people get the opportunity to do that. It was special,” she said.
“Especially with all my family there.
“I was definitely very nervous, but I had the girls from the team looking out for me and giving me some wise words.
“I was smiling a fair bit when I saw all the Blue Boars girls sitting on the hill. It was a really special feeling.
“Getting to hug all the girls after a win on your home ground is pretty cool too.”
The former Blue Boar, who will play her club footy for Easts in Sydney this season, had to quickly adjust to both the pace of the game and the heat.
“It was so hot,” Harvey said.
“I thought I was pretty fit, but that heat takes it out of you.
“The game started off very fast-paced and I was just trying to keep up and do my job.
“I think I was a little bit shaky in the first half, but I didn’t do too much wrong. When I ran back on in that last 10 minutes I was a lot more calm.
“The physicality and speed of the game was next level, and I’ll get used to that.”
It was a double delight for Narrabri rugby union fans as fellow former Narrabri Blue Boars women’s team player Brooke McKinnon also made her Waratahs debut. McKinnon, who is from Rocky Creek near Bingara, played at flyhalf in the second half.
The match was a low-scoring affair as the Narrabri heat took its toll on the players and both sides were up to the task defensively.
Neither side troubled the scorers in the first half as they went into the main break locked at nil-all, and it was not until the 60th minute that the first try was scored when Caitlyn Halse broke the deadlock with a five-pointer for the Waratahs down the left edge.
A penalty goal scored by Halse made the score 8-0 to the NSW side in the 70th minute, but Queensland’s Tiarna Molloy reduced her team’s deficit to just three points with seven minutes to play when she scored a try for the Reds to make the score 8-5.
However, the Waratahs put the result beyond doubt with just three minutes remaining as a late try to Margot Vella saw the score finish 13-5.
Former Narrabri Blue Boars duo Brooke McKinnon and Martha Harvey with the Santos Super W Cup after the NSW Waratahs won the inaugural clash against the Queensland Reds. Both girls debuted for NSW in that match, which was played at Dangar Park during the Santos Festival of Rugby.
