The unconventional coach out to extend the Jillaroos reign

Jessica Skinner is standing beside the silverware she hopes to lift at the Women's Rugby League World Cup final in Brisbane next month.

But when asked what raising the trophy would mean, her answer isn't about winning.

"I feel like I'm lifting my people, Australians, my community in Trangie (regional NSW), my family," she tells ABC Sport.

Skinner is a proud Barkindji and Māori woman, who is preparing for her first World Cup as head coach of the Jillaroos, Australia's national women's rugby league team.

The World Cup is the pinnacle of the women's game, and Australia has enjoyed over a decade of dominance, winning the last three tournaments.

Skinner admits the pressure is there to secure a fourth at the 2026 tournament, which will be co-hosted across Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea.

"To know that you're stepping into big shoes, and there's an expectation that we win a World Cup, or that we win all the time, especially in the green and gold, it's nerve racking," she says.

"But [I'm] really excited as well."

Skinner rarely talks about herself, even when discussing one of the biggest moments of her career. For her, this tournament is just as much about others.

It shows in her unique coaching style, where she strives to always put the person before the player.

"I want to be known as a coach, who, when people leave my environments, they feel valued, seen and cared for," Skinner says.

It's this philosophy that has helped her rise to the top.

From the bush to the World Cup

Skinner hails from Trangie, a town of about 1,000 people in the central west of New South Wales.

She lives there with her son, 16, and daughter, 13, surrounded by what she calls her village.

"I love that I get to represent the bush," she says.

"I love the female game, the Indigenous, the Māori.

"I carry that responsibility and I'm proud to do so. What you can't see, you can't be."

Skinner was a school teacher before anything else, and fell into coaching women's football at the grassroots when there was nobody else to do it.

The initial plan wasn't to go professional.

"It started out with wanting to be involved in my community, and [have] a sense of belonging," Skinner says.

"To [now] having a seat at the table I suppose in the women's game, and with the Jillaroos, it's massive."

But it hasn't been quick, with Skinner working away in the shadows for a while.

Her elite coaching career began in 2019 as assistant coach of the Prime Minister's XIII. 

It led to other coaching roles with the Newcastle Knights NRLW side, the NRL Indigenous Women's Academy, the Women's Indigenous All Stars and First Nations Gems.

Skinner was assistant coach to Brad Donald at the 2021 World Cup, which was played in 2022, because of COVID-19.

"[He's] a great mentor and someone who's really passionate about bringing women through," Skinner says.

The natural progression to head coach came after Donald resigned last year.

"It feels like a massive jump, but it's been 16 years in the making," she says.

"I've done my craft; I've done my trade and my apprenticeship and [I'm] ready to take it on."

Skinner first stepped into the role for last year's historic Test against England in Las Vegas, where the Jillaroos won 90 — 4.

Eight months later, she led the team to the 2025 Pacific Cup Crown.

A challenging road to the top

The call-up to be head coach arrived during a period of grief. Skinner's mother had just passed away.

"I lost her three days before I got a call from the CEO, Andrew Abdo," she says.

"So, it's been quite a hard time."

There were multiple times when Skinner could have changed paths, but she had the courage to persevere.

"It hasn't been the easiest ride," she says.

She says one of the biggest challenges has been the lack of women coaching at the elite level.

"You have to have resilience, grit and thick skin through this journey," she says.

There's also the sacrifice of time away from her children.

"I'm on my own with my two children, so I'm relying on my village to help me, and my parents have been a part of that," she says.

Then there's the fact her nearest NRLW team is almost 500 kilometres away.

"If I want to go outside of the Jillaroos program, go to NRLW, that means a relocation, and as an Aboriginal woman on country, that means a lot to me [to stay]," Skinner says.

"It's all helped me be a better version [of myself] and to grow, [but] it has been a lot."

A lot, that has been worth it.

"I feel like I've got the best of both worlds, my community obligations, being a mum and being able to lead this team," Skinner says.

She is moved when speaking about her parents and what it means personally when she pulls on the Jillaroos jersey.

It's a stirring topic for someone so humble.

"You don't ever think about you in the jersey, it's always about others," Skinner says.

"[But] for me, and I feel a bit emotional about it, it's representing my parents. My mum as an Aboriginal woman in this country and my dad as a Māori man coming to this country. And then my sisters and brothers.

"It's my community, the students, every team that I've coached, every male or female that's invested in me to continue to be the best version of myself.

"I think when I get into this campaign and hopefully if it is us [holding] the trophy up, I'm holding them with me."

Women coaches bring unique skills

Skinner believes the intuition she brings to the table is her superpower.

"I've got this human radar to recognise when our women are not themselves and I can action it to get the support they need.

"That genuine care that I've carried from my grassroots journey to now in the World Cup, I think that's something that's missing in coaching, particularly in the elite space."

Skinner will be the only female head coach at the upcoming World Cup, and is one of three women coaching rugby league internationally. 

Roosters assistant coach Melissa Spero is leading Nigeria and former Jillaroo Meg Ward currently coaches Tonga.

Out of this year's 12 NRLW teams, Gold Coast Titans coach Karyn Murphy was the sole female head coach.

Skinner says the main things that have helped her get to where she is today are her village in Trangie, and her network of mentors.

She lists a number of male mentors, who have helped her along the way.

"We talk about women elevating women, but we actually have a lot of great men that are elevating woman and investing in us," Skinner says.

There's also her solid network of female coaches.

"It's a small little crew and we help keep each other on track and motivated to keep pushing through," she says.

Beyond earning another trophy, Skinner says a successful World Cup campaign would result in more full-time female staff within elite rugby league, particularly NRLW.

"We've got female coaches, performance staff, physios, doctors coming through our programme and I'd loved to be able to see post World Cup, more female head coaches, head of performance, full-time within the game," she says.

"I take a large amount of pride when I'm coming through that I'm bringing others with me."

Putting the person before the player

Jessica Skinner's identity as a coach can be distilled into one idea — that the person comes before the player.

"If people leave my environments and they're not feeling that sense of belonging, that hurts me more than a loss," she says.

"For a long time, I felt like [my style of coaching] wasn't elite because I had those values."

Skinner is not only out to build great rugby league players, but great women.

"Bringing your whole self to the team is why you're selected and is our superpower," she says.

And when asked what the most important part of coaching is for her, Skinner brings it back to being about others.

"I [also] hope that I show that women, mothers, Indigenous, Māori [and] coloured people can be at the elite level.

"I hope I get the opportunity to succeed this year, and stay in the role long term to keep proving that it can be done."