Jamie Soward has declared veteran Steph Hancock is not coming to St George Illawarra merely to be a babysitter, after signing the 42-year-old to a one-season NRLW deal. Some 21 years after her Test debut for Australia, Hancock has agreed to terms to join a young Dragons pack after opting to move south from Gold Coast. A grand finalist with the Titans last year, Hancock will likely play a similar role to that which she performed off the bench in 2023.
After being squeezed out of Gold Coast and their rising pack, Hancock emerged as an option for Dragons coach Soward after prop Tara McGrath-West was ruled out for the season with a sternum injury. Steph Hancock of Australia offloads during the 2017 Women’s League World Cup. (Photo by Jason McCawley/Getty Images) And despite being more than two decades into her career, Hancock still had a career-high year for tackle busts at the Titans last season.
. “We’re a young and up-and-coming squad with a lot of really good talent that could use someone of her experience.” Soward said.
“She’s not coming down to babysit the girls. She’s coming down to play and compete.” “Steph’s first question was.
‘Do you think I can still play?’. “And I said, ‘I’m not that kind of person, I’m not going to waste your time’. “She’s a legend of our game.
She has done it all. But the one thing she wants to do is still compete at this level. She felt like she had something to give.
” Hancock is one of two signings for the D.
