Grace Hayden, daughter of Australian cricket legend Matthew Hayden, has made the switch from cricket to rugby league after taking on a sideline reporter role with Fox League. Her first assignment was Canterbury Bulldogs' 18-6 win over the New Zealand Warriors.
Before the broadcast, Hayden said: “Honestly, this is the dream gig for me. I’ve always loved rugby league. I’m loving throwing myself in the deep end and hopefully swimming.”
A dream move into rugby league
Asked whether she felt nervous, Hayden replied: “I always think nerves are a good thing. It means you care. I’ve been putting the miles in, it’s another day doing what I love.”
She also joked about living “the Hannah Montana life” as she travels between Sydney and her partner’s family farm, adding: “Farm girl and city girl all in one - and loving every minute of it.”
Life in the spotlight
Hayden, who has almost 900,000 social media followers, regularly shares glamorous images online. While that has built a large fanbase, some have criticised her outfits on Instagram and on TV.
Speaking to Sydney Confidential, she previously said: "As a young woman, the sexualisation of anyone just doing their job continues to happen sadly and again, is never OK."
She added: "This is…another huge issue females face not just on social media. This is the unfortunate side of social media. With every job there is good and bad, and being a presenter is no different."
