The family sacrifice driving Whitfeld to Jillaroos dream

"You don't eat until your horses eat."

It's the mantra Jakiya Whitfeld had drilled into her from a young age growing up on her family's farm near Bathurst.

The phrase stuck with her as she has developed into an NRLW and Harvey Norman Jillaroos star, the Cowboys outside back carrying the lessons instilled in her on the farm through her career. 

A competitive eventer growing up, Whitfeld quickly learnt there are no days off when caring for your horses. It doesn't matter if it's a scorching summer's day or a frosty morning in the middle of winter, the horses still need to be fed. 

It's a mindset the 23-year-old continues to live by, however the horses have been replaced by a rugby league career that requires complete dedication to achieve success on the field.

"Dad always told me 'you don't eat until your horses eat'," Whitfeld told NRL.com. "That was a massive thing in our household. My sister and I would go down in the morning, feed our horses and rug them or un-rug them, then come up and eat and get ready for the day. 

"It taught you to work really hard and the importance of taking care of your animals. That discipline transferred to when I started playing football and I had to get up early in the morning and go to training. 

"It's not always something you want to do, there's not going to be motivation every day but as long as you have discipline and get it done, the hard work will pay off."

Whitfled grew up on the outskirts of Bathurst where she attended O'Connell Public School. It's not your average school, with less than 100 students and combined classes.

The athlete had the chance to return to the school and her family home as part of the NRL's Road to Regions program prior to last month's Pacific Championships final.

The visit provided Whitfeld with the chance to reflect on her journey to the Australian team and impart some knowledge for the next generation. 

"It's pretty awesome to get the opportunity to come back for rugby league," Whitfeld said. 

"Growing up I didn't really have access to role models or people to aspire to be like. From a young age I never really dreamt to be a footballer. I didn't see that pathway and didn't think that could be a reality for a girl to play rugby league.

"For us to be able to come out here as a national squad and give the girls the exposure of being able to look up to us and have positive female role models to aspire to be like is really important. 

"It's especially important for remote areas where they don't get much exposure to high-level sport in general."

Whitfled is currently working hard to ensure she is prepared for next year's historic Test against England in Las Vegas. 

The Jillaroos will assemble for a training camp in January before they look to put on a show for American fans on March 1. 

As a talented athlete growing up in Western NSW, opportunities for Whitfeld to pursue her sporting dreams were limited close to home. 

Junior rep carnivals were typically played in Dubbo, a three-hour drive away while major championships required a trip to Sydney.

Jakiya's mum Carolyn drove her to Sydney for training and matches four times a week throughout her final years of high school to ensure her daughter had the same chance to shine as those in the city. 

It was a major commitment from both women, with the pair often not returning home until the early hours of the morning and Jakiya required to be up early the next day for school.

It was, however, the least Carolyn could do to set her daughter on a path that would ultimately lead to a Jillaroos jersey. 

"I always loved doing it," Carolyn told NRL.com. "I loved watching the kids. All my kids played sport and it was a really important thing for them, it taught them a lot. 

"I was very happy to drive Jakiya a few times a week to Sydney and around the country to different sporting events and to follow her in all her sporting achievements."

Whitfeld is fully aware of the sacrifices made by those around her to allow her to pursue her sporting dreams. She's also aware not every family has the ability to make similar sacrifices for their children. 

While she wouldn't trade her country upbringing for a childhood in the city, she recognises how hard it is for children from the regions to make it in the highly competitive world of elite sport. 

It's why Whitfeld is so passionate about ensuring pathways are in place for the next generation to reach the NRL and NRLW without being forced to leave their hometowns until they finish school. 

One day, she hopes, the path from Western NSW to the elite level will be a well-trodden track for both boys and girls.

"There's a lot of sacrifices you have to make as a regional player but I wouldn't have it any other way," Whitfeld said. 

"Being able to stay at home with my siblings and family and not having to move away from home during high school was really important to me. I had a few opportunities to go to Sydney and pursue school down there but I made the decision to stay at home and be supported by my family. 

"I'm grateful I had that opportunity and support around me to be able to commute and not have to make that massive sacrifice at a really young age and move away from my family. I eventually did that when I was 18 but I was more mature then and better prepared to make that move when I was a bit older."