Latest news with #OliviaHiggins
Yahoo
6 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Jillaroos hooker bounces back into club football
Jillaroos hooker Olivia Higgins could just be Newcastle's good luck charm. After missing round one of the NRLW season due to suspension from a tackle in a trial game, Higgins returned all revved up and ready to play. The Knights haven't lost since, winning their third straight match 30-6 against Parramatta in Sydney on Sunday. "The key for our past three wins (Cowboys, Warriors, Eels) has just been running with intent," Higgins said. "We've spoken a lot about being connected in defence as well." Watch all the highlights from Eels v Knights in Round 4 of the NRLW Premiership. — NRLW (@NRLWomens) July 27, 2025 It's been a fair recovery after falling to Canterbury in the expansion side's first-ever NRLW game in round one. "I think a lot of people wrote us off after that first game," Higgins said. "We knew what we could do based on our past seven weeks (pre-season). We just want to be consistent and each one of us doing our roles in our positions whether we have some superstars or not." Newcastle have lost some big names over the years – Millie Elliott (Roosters), Caitlan Johnston-Green (Sharks), Hannah Southwell (Dragons) and former Dally M medallist Tamika Upton (Broncos). But 32-year-old Higgins has become a star in her own right, making State of Origin and Test squads in 2024 after winning three NRLW premierships with the Roosters (2021) and Knights (2022, 2023). Getting back on the football field has been the best tonic for Higgins this July. She wore the No.9 for Australia in the Test against England in Las Vegas, and despite making the NSW squad under new coach John Strange, Higgins was on the extended bench for all three Origin games. The hooking duties went to Keeley Davis. "It was still the best experience though and I was excited for the team," Higgins said. She felt the itch of watching the NSW Blues Women win the series 2-1 against Queensland from the sidelines, and then sitting out the start of the 2025 NRLW season. "Sport's highs and lows I've definitely experienced," she said. "For me it's been a mixed year starting on a high in Vegas, then missing out on Origin but I'm just back having fun at the moment and really enjoying playing footy. "If I can do my job for the team that's all I'm focused on." With a tackle efficiency rate of over 95 per cent, Higgins is definitely doing that.
Daily Mail
19-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Wedding belle for young Hawthorn star Harry Morrison after heartwarming proposal
The AFL season is reaching the business end, but one Hawthorn star already has plenty to celebrate. Young Hawks star Harry Morrison has announced on social media that he is getting married to long-term girlfriend Olivia Higgins. Morrison proposed to his beau on the beach, the couple pictured sharing a touching embrace after she said yes. 'The Next Chapter,' the couple posted to Instagram. Hawthorn teammates including Jarman Impey, Massimo D'Ambrosio, Conor Nash, Mabior Chol, Jai Newcombe and captain James Sicily were quick to offer their congratulations. 'Epic,' Jack Ginnivan posted with a heart emoji. 'Magical!' added Lloyd Meek. New recruit Josh Battle also congratulated the pair, commenting: 'So good. Congratulations.' Morrison, born in Benalla, Victoria in 1998, began his football journey with the Murray Bushrangers in the TAC Cup. Despite suffering an ACL injury in 2014, he returned strongly the following year and helped the Benalla Saints secure back-to-back premierships. In 2016, he was a standout in the TAC Cup Grand Final, which led to Hawthorn selecting him with pick 74 in the national draft. Morrison made his AFL debut in Round 23, 2017, against the Western Bulldogs. The following season, he became a regular on Hawthorn's half-back flank, played 21 games, and earned a Rising Star nomination in Round 20 before suffering a broken jaw. Over the next few years, he developed into a reliable wingman, reaching a career-best average of 19.2 disposals per game in 2022 and securing a contract extension through 2024. In 2024, he maintained his form with strong performances across 12 games, including finals, which led to another two-year deal keeping him at the club until the end of 2026. By mid-2025, Morrison had reached 117 AFL games and kicked 28 goals and has become a trusted figure in Hawthorn's evolving lineup.
