The four-hour journey and World Cup dream behind Apps' Jillaroos jersey

It was the girls in green and gold chanting the team song after their 2013 World Cup triumph in England that inspired Kezie Apps to get back into the game.

Now, almost a decade on and the Jillaroos co-captain is ready to come full circle and hopefully lead the team song on foreign soil after more success in the northern hemisphere when the women's World Cup kicks off next month.

Apps, who was part of the victorious Jillaroos side at the 2017 World Cup, is set to feature in her second tournament and first away on tour after a busy year with a State of Origin titles and two NRLW finals campaigns.

Despite the lack of international matches in the past three years, the World Cup holds a special place for the Dragons captain with the green and gold jersey the spark that reignited her dream after 12 years away from the game.

“In 2013 I was at home sitting down watching the news and then suddenly the Jillaroos popped up singing their song because they’d just won the World Cup and beat New Zealand for the first time,” Apps told NRL.com

“I was like ‘what the hell, I want to play rugby league.’ So, I googled Australian women’s rugby league.

“Back then there was no information about rugby league for women at all. I was calling and emailing places in Canberra. I was thinking Canberra would surely have a competition, but Helensburgh kept coming up.

“The following year I joined Helensburgh and started driving four hours up there every week to play and when I first made NSW, I was then driving up and back from Bega to Sydney three times a week.”

The eight-hour round journey was a big commitment for the back-rower, who grew up playing alongside Cronulla Sharks star Dale Finucane for the Bega Roosters before being forced to give up the game due to her age.

"I’ve got two older brothers so I always wanted to play with them in the backyard but they gave me the push to sign up and play with the Roosters,” she said.

“Back then it’s just what it was, rugby league was a man’s sport so off I went and played hockey for nearly 10 years."

Apps is one of only five players left in the Jillaroos squad that tasted success in 2017, showing the fierce competition for jerseys and turnover of talent since the NRLW was introduced.

The 31-year-old will co-captain the side alongside veterans Sammy Bremner and Ali Brigginshaw, who both have experience playing in the UK, ensuring the Jillaroos will be led brilliantly throughout the campaign.

“To play in the World Cup in 2017 was so special because it was the girls in the World Cup that inspired me in the first place,” Apps said.

“Now to be entering my second World Cup, it’s pretty insane to think I only wanted to play for a year to see how I went and then I kept saying one more year, one more year.

“When Donza (Jillaroos coach Brad Donald) told me I was one of the captains I was very honoured and especially to do it alongside Ali and Sammy it’s going to be very special.

“They’re just great people and great leaders and I think being able to all share the experience together, it will be amazing.”

After eight seasons in the game, Apps is under no illusion she is approaching the glitter stages of her career and said the prospect of having a baby was something “in the back” of her mind.

Apps and her partner Craig have a property in Bega, with the topic of pregnancy among the major talking points in the ongoing CBA negotiations for NRLW players.

“I don’t want to say I’m definitely having a baby next year so won’t play again but time is ticking and it’s definitely something that is in the back of my head,” Apps said.

“It’s hard being a female athlete to work out when the best time would be. And even if that happens next year (falling pregnant), I’m not ruling out coming back.

“It could take a long time to fall pregnant, everyone goes through their own struggles.

“It shouldn’t be ‘oh you’re having a baby so that must mean you’re retiring’ talk. If I’m still playing good footy though I’d still want to come back.

“We should be encouraged to have kids and we should be supported, not treated like an injury but still train to a certain level. You shouldn’t not be offered a contract because of that reason.”

Apps doesn’t need to look far if she went that path next season with Bremner returning to the game this year fitter than ever.

“You see the likes of Sammy, who you can’t really compare yourself to because she’s an absolute freak,” Apps said.

“But she’s such an inspiration to see her come back after Reef and Lakey and still be the fittest person on the field.

“She’s just so professional with everything she does and has great support to enable her to do that.

“To have people like her, Tazmin Gray and Talesha Quinn… to see those women come back, it gives everyone the belief they can too.”