Glen Innes and The Armidale School rugby standout Lily Grieve has once again been selected to represent New South Wales in the Girls’ Under 18s rugby team—this time in a new position that’s showcasing her versatility.
Last year, Lily played in the centres during her debut for the NSW side. But after transitioning to the forward pack earlier this year, she has now been named as hooker for the 2025 team.
“I’d always played in the backs and then at a development camp in January they moved me to the forwards, so I’ve been playing hooker this year, including for Country,” she said.
“I like it better than I thought I would and it helps me understand the game a bit better, having another perspective from a different position on the field. I’m really grateful to have specialist training for the position, and just getting as much experience as I can.”
A Year 12 student at The Armidale School (TAS) and co-captain of rugby, Lily plays both for TAS in the North West Regional Youth Rugby Competition—competing in 7s and 10-a-side—and for her hometown Glen Innes Elks in the New England competition (10-a-side).
Lily’s latest selection follows standout performances at both the Australian All Schools Championships on the Sunshine Coast and the City versus Country clash last month. She credits her experience in the inaugural Girls Provincial Tri-Series last year as invaluable preparation for this year’s inter-state tournament, where NSW will face teams from Western Australia, South Australia and the ACT in October.
“It’s great that in the team there are nine of us who played together for Country which is more than last year,” Lily said. “The team also has some City girls from last year who are really nice, as well as some new ones, and I’m looking forward to getting to know them as well.”
Lily’s rugby journey began in the Glen Innes Minor League under 6s. Since then, her achievements have included captaining TAS to third place in the inaugural Waratah W Shield last year and touring Japan earlier this year with the Australian Raptors Academy. She also featured in a Northern NSW Invitational XV that played against Hunter Wildfires in Coffs Harbour last November as a curtain-raiser to the Japan U23s v Australian Barbarians fixture.
