Makenzie Weale

Makenzie Weale
Personal information
Born (2002-06-26) 26 June 2002 (age 22)
Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Height168 cm (5 ft 6 in)
Weight80 kg (12 st 8 lb)
Playing information
PositionProp, Second-row, Lock
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
2022 Newcastle Knights 4 1 0 0 4
2023– Nth Qld Cowboys 9 1 0 0 4
Total 13 2 0 0 8
Representative
Years Team Pld T G FG P
2024 Queensland 3 0 0 0 0
Source: [1]
As of 22 September 2024

Makenzie Weale (born 26 June 2002) is an Australian professional rugby league footballer who currently plays for the North Queensland Cowboys in the NRL Women's Premiership.

A second-row or lock, she previously played for the Newcastle Knights.

Background

Born in Brisbane, Queensland, Weale played her junior rugby league for the West Arana Panthers, also spending time with Wests Mitchelton.[2]

Playing career

Early years

In October 2018, Weale was named in the 2019 Queensland Academy of Sport under-18s squad.[3] In 2019, she played for the University of Queensland rugby sevens side[4][5] and travelled with Tribe 7's rugby team to Hong Kong to compete at the All Girls International Rugby Sevens tournament where the team were undefeated throughout the competition and won the tournament.[6] In 2020, she joined the West Brisbane Panthers in the QRL Women's Premiership.[7][8] In 2021, she played for the Queensland women's under-19s rugby league team.[9]

2022

On 19 July, Weale signed a contract with QRL Women's Premiership side Norths Devils, to join them in 2023.[10] On 21 July, she signed with the Newcastle Knights in the NRL Women's Premiership for the 2022 season.[11] In round 2 of the 2022 NRLW season, she made her NRLW debut for the Knights against the Gold Coast Titans.[12]

2023

Weale began the 2023 season playing for the Mackay Cutters in the QRL Women's Premiership.[13]

On 10 May, Weale signed with the North Queensland Cowboys on a two-year contract.[14] On 22 June, she was 19th player for Queensland in Game II of the 2023 State of Origin series.[15]

In Round 1 of the 2023 NRL Women's season, she made her debut for the Cowboys, starting at lock in a 16–6 loss to the Gold Coast Titans.[16] In Round 4, she scored her first try for the Cowboys in their 16–12 win over the Wests Tigers.[17] In Round 7, she was sin binned for a hip drop tackle in a 48–18 loss to the St George Illawarra Dragons. She was subsequently suspended for three games, ending her season[18]

2024

On 16 May, Weale made her State of Origin debut for Queensland, coming off the bench in their Game I loss to New South Wales.[19] She played in all three games in Queensland's series win.

In Round 1 of the 2024 NRL Women's season, Weale started at prop in the Cowboys' 14–0 loss to the Cronulla Sharks, playing just five minutes before leaving the field due to a concussion.[20]

On 9 December, Weale re-signed with the Cowboys until the end of the 2027 season.[21]

References

  1. ^ "Makenzie Weale - Career Stats & Summary - Rugby League Project". www.rugbyleagueproject.org.
  2. ^ "Get to know: Makenzie Weale". Newcastle Knights. 8 August 2022.
  3. ^ "2019 QAS - Under 15 and Under 18 female squads announced". Queensland Rugby League. 30 October 2018.
  4. ^ Queensl, The University of; Lucia, Australia Brisbane St; Gatton, QLD 4072 +61 7 3365 1111 Other Campuses: UQ; Maps, UQ Herston; Queensl, Directions © 2022 The University of. "Australian players to join UQ students for Uni 7s Series". UQ News.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  5. ^ "Aon Uni 7s Series".
  6. ^ "Year 12 student Makenzie Weale wins Rugby 7's Tournament in Hong Kong". www.mtmaria.qld.edu.au.
  7. ^ "Makenzie Weale". Queensland Rugby League.
  8. ^ "West Brisbane Panthers overcome spirited Tigers". Queensland Rugby League. 25 April 2021.
  9. ^ "Three Gold Stars named in Queensland U19s team". North Queensland Cowboys. 21 June 2021.
  10. ^ "BMD Premiership Signings". Norths Devils. 19 July 2022.
  11. ^ "Whitfeld and Weale bolster NRLW recruitment drive". Newcastle Knights. 21 July 2022.
  12. ^ "Titans v Knights Round 2 NRLW team list". Newcastle Knights. 23 August 2022.
  13. ^ "Quicksilver Peters And Polata Shine In Cutters Ten Try BMD Premiership Romp". Mackay and Whitsunday Life. 20 April 2023.
  14. ^ "Cowboys announce six NRLW signing". NQ Cowboys. 10 May 2023.
  15. ^ "'This is where I want to be': Weale thriving in Maroons environment". QRL. 29 May 2023.
  16. ^ "Final team list: Eight Cowboys named to make NRLW debuts". NQ Cowboys. 22 July 2023.
  17. ^ "Late Peters try steals win for Cowboys over Wests Tigers". NRL.com. 12 August 2023.
  18. ^ "Dragons pile on points in big win over Cowboys". NRL.com. 2 September 2023.
  19. ^ "From Local Roots to Maroon Debut". Echo-News. 27 May 2024.
  20. ^ "Tonegato leads the way as Sharks shutout Cowboys". NRL.com. 27 July 2024.
  21. ^ "Cowboys extend seven". NQ Cowboys. 9 December 2024.