- Will be the first female play-by-play caller in NRL history
Footy identity Emma Lawrence is on the verge of history after being appointed the game’s first female play-by-play caller this NRL season – but footy fans are divided about her promotion.
Lawrence will go where no woman has gone before as of round one in what her employer Triple M labelled a ‘landmark moment.’
The move follows other sports which showcase women as lead commentators for men’s matches, notably Kelli Underwood (AFL) and Isa Guha (cricket).
‘I’m excited,’ Lawrence, a mother of one, told Code Sports. ‘I needed to work hard on my voice and so that’s what I’ve been doing.
‘I back my knowledge and understanding of the game, but I have invested significant time into voice training and now I believe I’m ready for this next step.’
Ewan Giles, the SCA Head of Sports Content, declared Lawrence stepping into the play-by-play call team was a ‘no-brainer’ given she is ‘one of the sharpest broadcasters in rugby league.’
Footy identity Emma Lawrence is on the verge of history after being appointed a lead commentator this NRL season for Triple M – but footy fans are divided about her promotion
Lawrence will become the first female play-by-play caller in the game’s history (pictured, with fellow commentator Allana Ferguson)
Triple M executive Ewan Giles called Lawrence’s elevation a ‘no-brainer’ (pictured, at the 2026 season launch)
This blunt footy supporter asked on X if Lawrence’s career elevation was based on her gender
Another disagreed that Lawrence’s promotion was not a decision based on diversity in the workplace
A third savagely described Lawrence’s voice as ‘like nails down a chalkboard’
Another passed on their best wishes before adding it was ‘better than female refs’
Following news of Lawrence’s career elevation, some footy supporters weren’t convinced it was the right call.
‘Another DEI ( Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) answer for the question nobody asked.
‘How many male callers have lost out as a result of this ‘equality’? I’m sure she’s a talent, but she won’t know if she has the job due to that talent or her two XX chromosomes,’ tweeted one on X.
‘Add another lifeless caller to the books,’ said another.
‘Not a fan of Emma’s voice, I don’t think it is a great move,’ a third weighed in with.
Others backed the call from Triple M, with one declaring: ‘I hope she goes well.’
Another said: ‘I think she holds her own and knows her stuff…will be interesting to see how she fares taking on a bigger role.’
Lawrence joined Triple M in 2017 and has become one of the most recognisable voices in the sport through her work on The Rush Hour and Channel Nine’s NRL coverage.
She has worked alongside respected female analysts including Ruan Sims, Danika Mason and Allana Ferguson – but none had previously taken on the primary play-by-play duties in rugby league.
Lawrence’s appointment places her alongside established callers such as Dan Ginnane and marks a defining shift for the sport’s media landscape.
