How Roolettes lifted Mason-Spice and helped her find her love for rugby again

Lillyann Mason-Spice has been hard to track down lately. While it's no secret she is a rugby gun on the field, the humble and delicate star is also a super-mum. Login or signup to continue reading After giving birth to her young son, Mason-Spice had to climb a steep mountain to get back into the game, rebuilding not only her physical strength, but her mental toughness too. The Dubbo Roolettes lifted Mason-Spice through some tough times, and helped her pull her boots back on. It was the support of her rugby club that ultimately reignited her spark. "Building back strength and trying to find love for the game, and waiting for it to come back was the hard part," Mason-Spice said. "The Roos girls pushed me to come back and they got me there in the end." During her break from rugby, Mason-Spice bravely kept working on herself, revealing it was a struggle to first adjust to her new life as a mother. "Finding yourself after having a baby is a big change for any woman, and if you don't have your own it's hard to understand that," she said. "It's been great with the Roos girls and rugby got me back on track mentally and physically." On Saturday, September 5, Dubbo Roolettes claimed the 2026 Ferguson Cup over Orange City in a thrilling 39-17 victory. Mason-Spice was a huge help in their success, crossing for a double and consistently taking down Lionesses' defence. "It's a great feeling, the girls worked hard all year for it, so finally getting the win in finals is great," she said. However, that wasn't the end of the celebrations for Mason-Spice. She was also awarded the Tracey Prior medal for the player of the final, an emotional achievement that hit close to home. "It means a lot. Especially with it being the Tracey Prior one. There's a lot of background there for me," she said. "Tracey is from Forbes and I'm a Forbes local as well." Receiving the award was especially meaningful for Mason-Spice as she remembered her younger sister, Danielle, who died from cancer in 2017. Both sisters shared a deep love for footy, making the honour all the more special. "She (Tracey) lost her battle with cancer and I lost my little sister to cancer, so it meant a lot for me to get this award today," Mason-Spice said. "Tracey had a lot to do with the rugby club and obviously Forbes is a tight-knit community, so we all know everyone. It's definitely a special moment." The entire Dubbo community welcomed Mason-Spice back with open arms and excitement. Before taking her break, she had risen through national programs and represented the ACT Brumbies at the elite level claiming the most outstanding young player for the Super W side in 2023. After the union grand final, Mason-Spice was swamped by her teammates and family to celebrate the title for Roos' fifth consecutive year. There were tears and a bucketload of pride as the full-time buzzer sounded, and Mason-Spice said there was nothing more motivating than hearing her little man on the sidelines. "Five in a row for the girls, but hard work is what gets us there," she said. "It's a big competition and it's big for me to come back to rugby. Having my little fella here cheer me along the way is good." I love telling the stories behind sport that matter to our communities. I cover all sport across Orange, Dubbo, and Bathurst; if you've got a story, I'd love to chat! shannon.germon@austcommunitymedia.com.au