Emma Lawrence is set to make history as the first woman to provide play-by-play commentary for an NRL match, joining Triple M's commentary team for the 2026 season. The radio station has described the move as a 'landmark moment' for rugby league broadcasting.
Lawrence, who has been a regular on Rush Hour NSW and Channel Nine's NRL coverage since joining Triple M in 2017, will take on the role previously held exclusively by men. While female voices have featured in broader NRL coverage, none have been given the lead play-by-play position before.
The announcement follows similar strides in other sports, such as Kelli Underwood in AFL and Isa Guha in cricket. Sports commentator Kate Allman hailed the development as 'a win for all women working in commentary and sport broadcasting', noting that commentary booths have long been male-dominated spaces.
Lawrence expressed her excitement, saying she was 'pumped' to call the games alongside an elite crew. She has been preparing by commentating over old matches at home with the sound off. Triple M's head of sports content, Ewan Giles, called her 'one of the sharpest broadcasters in rugby league' and said the opportunity reflected the high regard in which she is held.
