Box League Podcast 2025: Abby Church interview. Hosts invite NRLW star Abby Church, reigning Dallium fullback of the year, just selected as fullback for Thursday's State of Origin opener. Abby describes Coach John Strange's casual approach to delivering the news (intentionally keeping her calm), her speechless reaction, and immediately calling parents. She notes the surreal feeling of joining legendary fullbacks Sam Brebner and Emma Tornigato. The conversation reveals Abby's dual-career reality: she works full-time as a paramedic and has been juggling 12-14 hour shifts with 3-4x/week training commitments over the past six weeks (normally she goes part-time during season). Her station's supportive management helped enable the Origin camp attendance. Post-game plans: immediate return to paramedic work on Saturday. The interview explores how paramedic experience—high-pressure decision-making, witnessing trauma—transfers to footy, helping her manage performance emotions and putting losses in perspective. Abby's mental strategy for Origin: avoid overthinking to control nerves, aim to leave the number one jersey in better condition than she found it.
