Four grades in action at WIN Stadium on Illawarra's 'Day of Steel'

The gun play-maker will made her debut at the Steelers spiritual home on Saturday, with Illawarra in action in all four grades against Parramatta.

McGrath admits it's somewhat "surreal" to have made her international debut with the Australian Schoolgirls last year prior to donning the scarlet and white on truly home soil.

"It was really surreal that that could actually happen for me," McGrath said of the Australian Schoolgirls experience.

"Obviously I'm very grateful for it. I learned so many things from the girls I was playing with, but from the coaching staff as well. To then to take all that back to my home junior club with so many of the [Steelers] girls with me as well, it's a really crazy experience.

"I'm so excited for this weekend because I've actually never played on WIN Stadium before, so it'll be a first for me. I'm really excited to experience that atmosphere and it's always better playing at home and having all your family and friends come and watch you.

"It's exciting that we get to do it with all the other grades and get to play on a really great field."

McGrath is one of four Australian Schoolgirls in coach Courtney Crawford's squad alongside skipper Kasey Reh, centre Indie Bostock and 2023 NRLW debutant Charlotte Basham.

McGrath has formed one of the most dynamic halves pairings in junior footy with Reh and, along with Bostock, has graduated to the Tarsha Gale Cup ranks this year from an all-conquering 2023 Lisa Fiaola Cup side that won all four of its matches by a combined 118 points.

Its made for a flawless transition to the Tarsha Gale ranks, with the Steelers having won all of their opening three clashes by a combined 116-18, including a 50-0 win over North Sydney last week that saw McGrath grab a hat-trick.

"For me it's felt pretty seamless and I think that comes from the fact that we've all played so much football together, from OzTag through our junior years to playing for Stingrays," McGrath said.

"We've always been together so when we have had the Lisa Fiaola girls mix with the Tarsha Gale girls has been a pretty smooth transition.

"I think probably the main reason for a seamless transition is that me and Kasey did go up together and we've been playing together now for ages.

"We've played in so many teams now together as a six and a seven and it's a really good partnership. I love playing alongside her.

"I just love football, I love playing the game, it's really exciting playing with against people that are just great at what they do."

The Steelers will come up against an Eels outfit yet to notch a win in 2024 and desperate to breathe life into its campaign. McGrath says its something that has her side on guard.

"It's been a good start, but it's just getting harder from now, including this weekend," McGrath said.

"We came into training on Monday and just forgot about our good win on the weekend and got straight to work. Courtney's told us they're going to be fighting for their spot and we can't go in thinking anything's just going to happen for us.

"We need to work for it. That's what we'd be doing at training and we just need to put it together on the field. We started with a great first win, and we're getting better every week and just more confident playing together as a team.

"Defence is the main focus for us at training. The tries will come, but it's really in defence where you have to lock in. Everything else comes off that."

Action at WIN Stadium kicks off at 10.30am in the Lisa Fiaola Cup, with the Tarsha Gale Cup match to follow at midday ahead of the Harold Matthews clash at 1.30pm and SG Ball at 3pm.