Michaela Brake’s First NRLW Season Ends, but Her Story is Just Beginning

A career already stacked with gold

Thirteen years of dominance. Two Olympic titles. A World Cup medal. A Commonwealth Games crown. And in February, Michaela Brake became the most prolific try-scorer in women’s sevens history, chalking up an astonishing 257.

So when the Warriors returned to the NRLW after five years away, the buzz around Brake’s code switch was different. At 29, she arrived with pedigree and presence, the kind that turns a jersey into a statement piece.

She did not need long to show it.

Impact from the start

Four games in, Brake was already proving that class travels. Two tries. 133 run metres per game. Twenty-nine tackle breaks. A tackle efficiency brushing 77 percent. Numbers that read less like a debut season and more like a veteran dictating terms.

It was not just the highlight reels. It was the way she carried herself. Brake brought an edge that spoke to more than skill. It spoke to commitment—to her teammates, to the Warriors, to New Zealand.

A new chapter begins

On 17 August, Brake gathered her teammates and shared news that would shift her season, and her life. She and her partner Michael are expecting their first child.

Warriors CEO Cameron George made it clear that the club stands behind her.

“We’re really thrilled for Michaela and Michael. It’s an exciting time for them and for their families,” said George.
“Michaela has been terrific around the club since joining us but now she can focus on this next stage of her life. She has our very best wishes for what lies ahead.”

The motherhood game

The NRLW has already seen athletes carve pathways back to elite performance after motherhood, each journey unique, each one redefining what is possible. Brake now joins that conversation.

Her first season may be cut short, but the mark she leaves is undeniable. She arrived as a union great. She exits, for now, as proof that greatness has no code.

And when the time is right, Michaela Brake’s next chapter will not just be about a return. It will be about what comes after legacy meets life.