Hull FC star Evie Sexton sets sights on very top as modesty shows in team effort
Evie Sexton scored all five tries as Hull FC Women won their first ever title on Sunday afternoon. Defeating Fryston Warriors 26-18, the Black and Whites are League 1 Grand Final winners after a gritty performance in Featherstone.
But for Sexton, whose quintet of tries made it 36 for the season in just 14 games, it's all about the collective effort. That sums up the 17-year-old, who is down to earth, humble, and modest in her achievements, which all centre on the team unit.
That's what it's all about, with Hull finishing second in the regular season with 10 wins from 14 games before victory over Widnes Vikings put them into the final. And Sexton, who was crowned the Hull FC Women’s Player of the Year last month after coming through the club's junior female pathways, was keen to emphasise that point.
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"That's the most important bit," she told Hull Live. "We all played as a team. Everyone played well, and everyone was switched on and wanted to win. We've managed the year really well.
"The four losses, of course, we would have rather won, but they were all tricky games, and there were some tough conditions we played in. They helped us get closer as a team and made us hungry to get better. I think that showed as the year went on and especially in the final.
"It was just a really good game. I'm still aching, even two days later, but yeah, it was all worth it, and it feels amazing to have won. It was my first ever final. Even playing under-16s, there was never a Grand Final in the divisions, so this was my first ever one.
"I was really nervous going into the game, and then during the game, I was more chilled, but there was a lot of adrenaline about. There's a lot of emotion. We've had such a good year and I've loved every minute of it."
And while Sexton's five tries—three in the first half and two in the second—went a long way to victory, the back-rower was keen to share that team feel again. That, in a nutshell, has got Hull the success they craved, with the side, led by Jack Coates, hammering home their strengths and the key points to exploit their opposition.
"We figured out before the game the best plays to try and get over," Sexton continued. "We did drop-offs quite a lot, and we went on the short side a couple of times. That helped us.
"We stay composed. You've got to make sure if they score, then you don't put your head down and stuff like that. There's always time to come back, and we did that."
And while staying modest, there's also a sense of satisfaction in Sexton, who has also been nominated for the League 1 Player of the Year in her debut season of open-age rugby league.
"I'm pretty proud of myself to be able to score the tries, but it was the team who set me up for them," she explained. "There were no individual tries; they were all team tries.
"Again, to score 36 this year, I wouldn't have been able to do it without the team performances. Sometimes, they're long range, and then other times, they're off our shapes.
"I like to run those lead lines and things like that. My favourite spot is second row. In the final, I played second row, prop, and loose-forward, but from second row, I know how to hit lines, and I just know where to be.
"I'd say as I've got further on in the season, I've got more dominant with my tackles and everything like that. I just like getting stuck in there. It gets rid of your nerves if you're constantly involved, and especially when you're involved early. It keeps you in the game."
As well as her Hull exploits, Sexton is also part of York Valkyrie's under-19s setup, making her debut in the Women's Super League back in July. The FC star made three appearances, managing her training and recovery time between the two clubs.
"It was really tricky at times," she explained. "At one point, I was training every single night of the week, but I think it helped me improve, as I was learning bits from York and bits from Hull.
"There was a massive step up playing Super League. It's a lot faster, and they hit a lot harder. But I think getting that experience in those three games helped me mix it up a bit. I learned new things, and that helped me.
"The two clubs were great. If I played at FC on a Sunday, I'd do recovery and rehab at York. They always looked after me and managed me."
As for the future, Sexton also has an open mind. She has the ambition to play in Australia's NRLW, but she also knows she has to keep producing the goods for both Hull and York first.
"I'm taking it as it comes for now," she added. "I don't know what it's going to be like next year yet. I just want to keep improving as a player. The NRLW is still the goal. I'm really excited at what's to come."
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