MacGregor sisters sign with Bulldogs

Elizabeth MacGregor has signed with Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs as they prepare for their first NRLW season in 2025. The Parkes talent is off to induction with the club's Under 19s this weekend, with her sister Grace also signing in to the club's Under 17s. It's an exciting time - and after spending much of the year sidelined with an ankle injury that required surgery Elizabeth is anticipating the pre-season. The Parkes star had a brilliant start to the year, scoring three during her Tarsha Gale Cup debut for the Sydney Roosters Indigenous Academy. Unfortunately injury struck, but her recovery has been solid and with her HSC exams nearly complete at Red Bend Catholic College she's ready to take the next steps in her rugby league career. Pre-season will run through the Summer in preparation for competition from February. The NRLW season and Harvey Norman Premiership follow. "Pre-season will be hard down there after being out for so long," she acknowledged, but the opportunities as the Bulldogs build toward entering the NRLW are exciting. Tayla Preston was the club's first signing, forward Holli Wheeler confirmed in September. "They've been playing NRLW for a while so it'll be good to have players to learn from that have the experience being key players - and the Sharks who were in the grand final," Elizabeth said. "It's really cool to train and play with them hopefully." Elizabeth's talent was personally identified by Head Coach Blake Cavallaro in Parkes as a 15-year-old. She's still only 18 years old, but the coach believes the fledgling fullback will have plenty of impact on the Club’s inaugural NRLW squad. “She can play anywhere between fullback, wing and centre and her arrival to the squad will help to inject a spark that will positively influence her teammates," he said. Elizabeth will move to Sydney in the new year, with plans to study teaching at university as well. Grace is completing Year 10 at the College and about to start her senior studies as she begins training with the Bulldogs Under 17s - she has signed with the club for 2025 and 2026. The halfback and lock has had a pretty full on footy season, also with experience in the Roosters' pathway, Western Rams Lisa Fiaola as well as the NSW Combined Catholic Colleges side. "I played with girls from everywhere in NSW (with CCC), and met a few girls who are in the Lisa Fiaola squads up there, it was really good to meet them," Grace said. Red Bend has been a nursery for rugby league greats for many years and the MacGregors have had the encouragement of Pat Rudd in pursuing opportunities through school. Grace has already had one camp with Bulldogs, completing gym and field testing with the 20-strong squad before a game against Samoa. Of course, all this doesn't just happen and both girls thanked their parents for committing to the travel between home and Sydney - as often as three times a week - for training and games.