Fri, 11 Sept, 7:50 pm, Final score, Rabbitohs 10, Knights 20
Sat, 12 Sept, 4:05 pm, Final score, Warriors 16, Dolphins 26
16 26 →Sat, 12 Sept, 7:50 pm, Final score, Sharks 26, Cowboys 16
26 16 →Sun, 13 Sept, 4:05 pm, Final score, Panthers 19, Roosters 12
19 12 →Sat, 19 Sept, 7:50 pm, Final score, Roosters 46, Sharks 10
46 10 →Sun, 20 Sept, 4:05 pm, Final score, Warriors 10, Knights 12
10 12 →Fri, 25 Sept, 7:50 pm, Final score, Dolphins 20, Roosters 36
20 36 →Sun, 27 Sept, 4:00 pm, Final score, Panthers 14, Knights 22
14 22 →Sun, 4 Oct, 7:30 pm, Final score, Roosters 19, Knights 18
19 18 →
Jessica Skinner is standing beside the silverware she hopes to lift at the Women's Rugby League World Cup final in Brisbane next month.
asserted
she → stand → Brisbane
But when asked what raising the trophy would mean, her answer isn't about winning.
"
asserted
answer → ask → winning
I feel like I'm lifting my people, Australians, my community in Trangie (regional NSW), my family," she tells ABC Sport.
asserted
she → feel → Sport
Skinner is a proud Barkindji and Māori woman, who is preparing for her first World Cup as head coach of the Jillaroos, Australia's national women's rugby league team.
asserted
who → prepare → Jillaroos
The World Cup is the pinnacle of the women's game, and Australia has enjoyed over a decade of dominance, winning the last three tournaments.
asserted
Australia → enjoy → tournaments
Skinner admits the pressure is there to secure a fourth at the 2026 tournament, which will be co-hosted across Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea.
asserted
which → admit → Australia
"To know that you're stepping into big shoes, and there's an expectation that we win a World Cup, or that we win all the time, especially in the green and gold, it's nerve racking," she says.
"But [I'm] really excited as well."
asserted
I → know → green
Skinner rarely talks about herself, even when discussing one of the biggest moments of her career.
asserted
Skinner → talk → career
It shows in her unique coaching style, where she strives to always put the person before the player.
asserted
she → show → player
"I want to be known as a coach, who, when people leave my environments, they feel valued, seen and cared for," Skinner says.
asserted
Skinner → want → environments
It's this philosophy that has helped her rise to the top.
asserted
her → help → top
From the bush to the World Cup
Skinner hails from Trangie, a town of about 1,000 people in the central west of New South Wales.
asserted
Skinner → hail → Wales
She lives there with her son, 16, and daughter, 13, surrounded by what she calls her village.
asserted
she → live → what
"I love that I get to represent the bush," she says.
asserted
she → love → bush
"I love the female game, the Indigenous, the Māori.
asserted
I → love → game
"I carry that responsibility and I'm proud to do so.
asserted
I → carry → responsibility
What you can't see, you can't be."
Skinner was a school teacher before anything else, and fell into coaching women's football at the grassroots when there was nobody else to do it.
asserted
Skinner → see → it
The initial plan wasn't to go professional.
asserted
plan → go → ?
"It started out with wanting to be involved in my community, and [have] a sense of belonging," Skinner says.
asserted
Skinner → start → belonging
"To [now] having a seat at the table I suppose in the women's game, and with the Jillaroos, it's massive.
asserted
it → have → Jillaroos
"
But it hasn't been quick, with Skinner working away in the shadows for a while.
asserted
Skinner → work → while
Her elite coaching career began in 2019 as assistant coach of the Prime Minister's XIII.
asserted
career → begin → XIII
It led to other coaching roles with the Newcastle Knights NRLW side, the NRL Indigenous Women's Academy, the Women's Indigenous All Stars and First Nations Gems.
asserted
It → lead → side
Skinner was assistant coach to Brad Donald at the 2021 World Cup, which was played in 2022, because of COVID-19.
"[He's] a great mentor and someone who's really passionate about bringing women through," Skinner says.
asserted
Skinner → play → women
The natural progression to head coach came after Donald resigned last year.
asserted
Donald → come → coach
"It feels like a massive jump, but it's been 16 years in the making," she says.
asserted
she → feel → making
"I've done my craft; I've done my trade and my apprenticeship and [I'm] ready to take it on.
asserted
I → do → it
Skinner first stepped into the role for last year's historic Test against England in Las Vegas, where the Jillaroos won 90 — 4.
asserted
Jillaroos → step → 90
Eight months later, she led the team to the 2025 Pacific Cup Crown.
asserted
she → lead → Crown
A challenging road to the top
The call-up to be head coach arrived during a period of grief.
asserted
up → arrive → grief
Skinner's mother had just passed away.
asserted
mother → pass → ?
"I lost her three days before I got a call from the CEO, Andrew Abdo," she says.
"So, it's been quite a hard time.
asserted
it → lose → CEO
There were multiple times when Skinner could have changed paths, but she had the courage to persevere.
uncertain
she → be → courage
"It hasn't been the easiest ride," she says.
asserted
she → say → ?
She says one of the biggest challenges has been the lack of women coaching at the elite level.
asserted
one → say → level
"You have to have resilience, grit and thick skin through this journey," she says.
asserted
she → have → journey
"I'm on my own with my two children, so I'm relying on my village to help me, and my parents have been a part of that," she says.
asserted
she → rely → that
Then there's the fact her nearest NRLW team is almost 500 kilometres away.
asserted
team → be → ?
"If I want to go outside of the Jillaroos program, go to NRLW, that means a relocation, and as an Aboriginal woman on country, that means a lot to me [to stay]," Skinner says.
"
asserted
Skinner → want → me
It's all helped me be a better version [of myself] and to grow, [but] it has been a lot.
asserted
it → help → myself
…and 25 more, not listed.
The Aporia
