Amber Hall might be a ’giant teddy bear’ off the field, but she’s ready to rumble in the grand final

She’s been described as a “warrior” on the field and a “giant teddy bear” away from rugby league, but Amber Hall is now ready to make up for lost time after her first season with the Roosters cruelly ended after just 15 minutes.

Hall has been one of the most destructive forwards in NRLW history, which is why the Roosters were so keen to sign her last year after four seasons with the Broncos, but all the plans they had for her came crashing down when she suffered a Lisfranc injury in round 1 against her former side.

It was a devastating blow for the New Zealand international who made the big decision to move to Sydney and was forced to ride around on a knee scooter while her mum came over from across the ditch to look after her at home.

“It was a bit rough,” Hall recalled, having also torn her achilles while playing a few years ago.

“It’s not easy for anyone to do an entire pre-season and then last just 15 minutes with what was the biggest injury of my career.

“Everything happens for a reason and it was good to still be around the club because our medical staff played a big part in getting me back.

“We didn’t know how bad it was until the Monday, so I actually went back home before surgery. I stayed there for about a week and then my family came back with me to Sydney where my mum helped me out because I’m a bit of a wuss.

“I wouldn’t do anything without my family, so having that support here was awesome.”

The decision to join the Roosters has turned out to be a masterstroke, with Hall helping them reach the grand final where they’ll face the Sharks on Sunday afternoon.

Grand final day is nothing new for Hall, who won premierships in each of her first two seasons with the Broncos, but things got a bit stale north of the border which is why she and a few other Brisbane stars made the move to the Tricolours.

“I made the move to the Broncos to get out of my comfort zone in New Zealand which was good for me,” she said.

“I’d been at the Broncos for a few years so I got comfortable there because that had become my home away from home.

“Moving from Brisbane to Sydney was big for me because it was a hard decision, but it was made easier with a familiar face like Tarryn Aiken making the move as well, plus Millie (Elliott) is also here.”

Hall may have missed the 2023 campaign but she’s made up for lost time, with the wrecking ball scoring five tries this season and busting more tackles than any other back-rower in the NRLW.

While fellow edge forward Olivia Kernick has the passing skills and the ability to hit holes, Hall is all about the power game, skittling defenders for fun, and also acting as a decoy as we saw last week that allowed Keeley Davis to score against the Knights.

“It’s pretty good, there are no complaints from me,” she said of her rampaging runs from close range that invariably lead to tries.

“But everyone plays their part in this team, so it’s not just about me going over. There are so many bits and pieces from other players which allows me to get over.

“I might score the try, but it’s a team effort.”

Jess Sergis has played against Hall at Test level and knows how imposing she is in full flight, but the speedy centre says there’s a different side to her that most people don’t see.

“She’s such a warrior on that field, and it’s funny to see because as soon as she steps off, she’s the biggest giant teddy bear you can imagine,” she said.

“She’s a ball of character and you don’t know what you’re going to get from her.

“She can look that aggressive, but when she’s off the field, she’s so beautiful and she would do anything for anyone.”