Black Ferns superstar Stacey Waaka is making a code switch, joining the Brisbane Broncos after the conclusion of the Paris Olympics in late July.
“I’m going away but I’m coming back, " she says.
“I can’t quite let the back jersey go. It’s too good. But I’m excited to make some new friends and new experiences.”
Waaka made her debut for New Zealand in fifteens in 2015, accumulating 25 games and securing two World Cup victories in 2017 and 2021. With over a hundred appearances for the Black Ferns Sevens, she boasts Olympic, Commonwealth Games and World Cup gold medals.
“It’s something cool, something different, but I’m excited for it,” says the 28-year-old.
Having observed the Broncos from a distance, particularly noting the success of her friends and teammates Tyla King and Niall Guthrie-Williams who also made successful code switches, Waaka is eager to embrace new connections and personal growth on and off the field.
“There’s a bit of banter about the upcoming season playing against each other, and Tyla gave a cool perspective of her transition last year. She had the best time of her life playing with the Dragons last year and she was in my ear to go over and give it a go.”