One of the hidden secrets to the NSW Sky Blues' women's Origin success didn't even take the field on Friday night.
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Veteran fullback Sam Bremner, parachuted into coach Kylie Hilder's squad just seven months after giving birth to her second child, and without having played a minute of the NRLW 2021 season, has been credited with providing a calming influence in camp in the build-up to the GIO Canberra Stadium clash.
With the Sky Blues desperate to avoid a third-straight Origin loss, Bremner's off-field guiding hand played a key role in the lead-up to the side's thrilling 20-14 win.
Bremner said her 18th-woman role with NSW was "one of her proudest ones yet".
"I've loved it. I've really loved it. There's so many emotions," Bremner said.
"I have my player number, which is No. 2 on my back and I was looking around at all the young girls who have got like 33 and whatever, and it was really humbling and a really proud moment.
"I was sort of just looking around and the girls were all, 'Are you all right?' because I'm usually hypo. I was just taking this all in because it's really cool just to be back here.
"It's probably one of those things I didn't really realise to what degree I missed being here until I was back and then I thought, 'This is where I belong'."
The birth of son Reef nearly three years ago, and daughter Lakey last November, combined with some unlucky injuries in between, looked to have all-but ended the decorated representative career of the gifted No.1 once compared to Melbourne Storm legend Billy Slater.
Bremner said being around Hilder's group had reminded her how much she'd missed being involved in the game's elite environment since her last appearances for NSW and Australia in 2018.
"I just love being around the girls and I guess I've just learned over the years that if you're enjoying your football and having a good time and, everyone says it, but it is so true, if you're happy off the field, you just play so much better on the field," said Bremner, who has been playing club football for Cronulla in the NSW Women's Premiership in 2022. "So any influence I can make on the girls, whether that's on the field or off the field, I really try. So I try to make it a really enjoyable time for them and in return I have a really enjoyable time myself.
"I'm definitely someone that likes to plot out all my goals and know when I'm going to reach them.
''And I think having time away from the sport, it's really made me emphasise and practice, really appreciating the journey because sometimes the goal can change.
"At the moment, I'm really appreciating week by week and what happens in my footy career and loving that part of it, like, compared to just looking so far ahead all the time and really pushing myself to go further."
While an NRLW deal for 2002 has not been announced, Bremner confirmed she would take part in the elite women's competition where she's made four appearances for St George Illawarra since 2018.
"Yeah, I'll be playing in the NRLW coming up and I'm really looking forward to that," she said.
"I think I've just missed a lot of footy and I've learnt so much just being back in this professional, high-pressure environment.
''I think that's a funny thing to say, you miss the pressure, but I did really miss it and I love being back and just continuing to learn.
"It's so great that I've been playing for 12 years and I'm still learning so much about the game."
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