Brisbane Tigers: BMD Premiership gains and losses for 2023
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Kelsey Parkin returns to the Brisbane Tigers in 2023 mentally stronger than she has ever been before.
Parkin had one year away from the game in 2022 to welcome her first child into the world, her now 10-month-old son, Kenai.
That time away from the game was one of mixed emotions for the Indigenous All Stars representative. While she soaked up many special moments with her son, she certainly missed playing rugby league.
Now as she prepares to join the Tigers for their Round 1 BMD Premiership clash against Souths Logan, she is ready to show how motherhood has only made her a stronger player.
“I’ve missed playing with the girls and being in that team environment,” Parkin said.
“Last year was an eye-opener. I took it for granted, playing for the BMD team. Watching it made me realise how lucky I am to be able to play at that level.
“Being pregnant and not being able to do everything I used to be able to do was a really big eye-opener. It’s made me grateful to train or just walk even sometimes.
“Coming back, the training definitely feels a lot easier now after everything that I’ve been through. I feel a lot more mentally tougher than I was.
“My pregnancy and birth was pretty textbook. There was nothing was wrong but it can be really mentally challenging and I’m definitely more resilient now.”
Parkin is not the only player returning to the Tigers after having a baby, with Lucy Holamotutama in the same position.
The Tigers have also signed a number of fresh faces for season 2023, including Burleigh playmaker Layne Northey and West Brisbane Panthers outside back, Paige Schouw.
Upon her return, Parkin said she found running to be one of the hardest things to get used to again but she has enjoyed a lot of support from her partner, family, friends and the club.
“I found running the hardest thing to come back from,” she said.
“Like just feeling like everything was out of place. It wasn’t easy at the start but I’m definitely better after the pre-season.
“It was tough and I definitely mentally pushed myself more than I would have in previous seasons.
“I’ve got a really good support system with my partner and our families. (Coach Adrian Vowles) is pretty understanding with daughters of his own. If I can’t make it sometimes, he doesn’t put the pressure on me to get to training.
“Vowlesy has helped me a lot.
“When the club started pre-season, I went along and I wasn’t expecting to make the team but I wanted to see how I went with the pre-season and even if I would be able to do it because I wasn’t sure what my body would be able to put up with.
“I wasn’t expecting to make the team this year and was just going along to slowly get back into it. I did think I would eventually get back to it.”
Ten months on from the birth of her son, there is only one word to describe how Parkin feels now as she prepares to pull on the Tigers jersey again on Saturday: proud.
Also studying a Bachelor of Primary Education part-time and working part-time at schools as a community education counsellor and an Indigenous liaison, Parkin has plenty on her plate but she wants to show her son he can do anything he sets his mind to.
She admits she is a bit nervous ahead of her return to the field, but mostly is just proud of herself. As she should be.
“I’m definitely proud of how far I’ve come after being pregnant,” she said.
“After those first few months, not doing much while I was trying to recover and heal, I’ve come so far in the short amount of time we’ve had with pre-season.
“My biggest goal this year is just to make the team every week. I’m just going to start off small with my goals and not put too much pressure on myself.
“I won’t be able to get there every week or might be late some trainings so I don’t want to put that pressure on myself yet.
“With Kenai, I just want him to be able to do anything he wants to so I’m trying to show him you can do anything really.
“If you train and put your mind to it, you can do it.”
Brisbane Tigers 2023 gains and losses
Gains
Clare Akauma (Valley Diehards), Portia Bourke (Valley Diehards), Nicola Bradford (Noosa Pirates), Holly Class-Auliff (N/A), Lucy Holamotutama (returning from having a baby), Hannah Krzanic (Leichardt Wanderers), Takiyah Nagas (Wynnum Manly Seagulls), Layne Northey (Burleigh Bears), Kelsey Parkin (returning from having a baby), Paige Schouw (West Brisbane Panthers), Nikayla Sines (Swifts), Kayla Taputoa (Wynnum Manly Seagulls), Kirra Womersley (N/A)
Losses
Kaitlyn Andersen (N/A), Ali Brigginshaw (Norths Devils), Jessica Carey (N/A), Shenae Ciesiolka (Norths Devils), Grace Griffin (Norths Devils), Melita Hicks (injured), Chanelle Kohika-Skipper (Super W Melbourne Rebels), Shellie Long (Souths Logan Magpies), Justine Sou (Norths Devils), Eloise Vunakece (injured), Natassja Ward (Norths Devils)
