{{short description|Australian rugby league player (born 1982)|bot=PearBOT 5}} {{Use dmy dates|date=March 2018}} {{Use Australian English|date=March 2018}} {{Infobox rugby league biography |name = Heather Ballinger |fullname = |image = |imagesize = |caption = |birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1982|7|29}} |birth_place = Longreach, Queensland, Australia |height = {{convert|175|cm|ftin|abbr=on}} |weight = {{convert|83|kg|stlb|abbr=on}} |position = {{rlp|PR}} |club1 = Brisbane Broncos |year1start = 2018 |year1end = |appearances1 = 4 |tries1 = 1 |goals1 = 0 |fieldgoals1 = 0 |points1 = 4 |teamA = Queensland |yearAstart = 2009 |yearAend = 19 |appearancesA = 11 |triesA = 0 |goalsA = 0 |fieldgoalsA = 0 |pointsA = 0 |teamB = Australia |yearBstart = 2011 |yearBend = 17 |appearancesB = 12 |triesB = 1 |goalsB = 0 |fieldgoalsB = 0 |pointsB = 4 |teamC = Women's All Stars |yearCstart = 2011 |yearCend = 16 |appearancesC = 6 |triesC = 0 |goalsC = 0 |fieldgoalsC = 0 |pointsC = 0 |retired = |updated = 6 October 2020 |source = [https://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/players/heather-ballinger/summary.html RLP] }}
'''Heather Jayne Ballinger''' (born 29 July 1982) is an Australian former rugby league footballer played for the Brisbane Broncos in the NRL Women's Premiership.
Primarily a {{rlp|pr}}, she represented Australia and Queensland and won a premiership with the Broncos in 2018.
==Background== Ballinger attended Scots PGC College in Warwick, Queensland, where she represented Queensland in shot put.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.gladstoneobserver.com.au/news/local-girls-are-all-stars-rugby-league-warwick/1617722/|title=Local girls are all stars|first=Gerard|last=Walsh|website=Gladstoneobserver.com.au|accessdate=15 December 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.qrl.com.au/news/2017/07/17/sisters_in_arms_set_.html|title=Sisters in arms set for final stand|date=17 July 2017|website=Qrl.com|accessdate=15 December 2017}}</ref> Outside of sports, she works as a police officer.<ref name="qldcl">{{cite news |last1=Cripps |first1=Sally |title=Ballinger is a Bronco |url=https://www.queenslandcountrylife.com.au/story/5491735/ballinger-is-a-bronco/ |access-date=13 March 2022 |work=Queensland Country Life |date=28 June 2018 |language=en-AU}}</ref>
==Playing career== In 2007, Ballinger began playing rugby league for Ivanhoes in Cairns, winning the CDRL Women's League. In 2010, she was named the CDRL Women's Player of the Year.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://websites.sportstg.com/club_info.cgi?c=7-2262-23733-0-0&sID=24663|title=About Us - Ivanhoe Football & Recreation Club Inc - SportsTG|website=SportsTG|accessdate=15 December 2017|archive-date=5 December 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171205194646/http://websites.sportstg.com/club_info.cgi?c=7-2262-23733-0-0&sID=24663|url-status=dead}}</ref>
In 2011, she made her debut for Australia in their 42–14 win over Samoa in Apia.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://websites.sportstg.com/assoc_page.cgi?c=7-2131-0-0-0&sID=29155&&news_task=DETAIL&articleID=16778703|title=Tallis presents Jillaroos jerseys - Australian Womens Rugby League - SportsTG|website=SportsTG|accessdate=15 December 2017}}{{Dead link|date=September 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot }}</ref>
In 2013, she was a member of Australia's 2013 Women's Rugby League World Cup-winning squad.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://websites.sportstg.com/assoc_page.cgi?client=7-2131-0-0-0&sID=29155&&news_task=DETAIL&articleID=23630522|title=Jillaroos Squad set to take on the World!!! - Australian Womens Rugby League - SportsTG|website=SportsTG|accessdate=15 December 2017|archive-date=5 December 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171205194701/http://websites.sportstg.com/assoc_page.cgi?client=7-2131-0-0-0&sID=29155&&news_task=DETAIL&articleID=23630522|url-status=dead}}</ref>
In October 2017, she was named in Australia's 2017 Women's Rugby League World Cup squad.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.rlwc2017.com/news/jillaroos-named|title=Jillaroos named|date=2017-10-08|work=Rugby League World Cup|access-date=2017-12-04|language=en}}</ref> On 2 December, she started at prop in the Jillaroos 23-16 final win over the New Zealand.
In June 2018, Ballinger, along with Ali Brigginshaw, Brittany Breayley, Teuila Fotu-Moala and Caitlyn Moran, were named as the five marquee players for the Brisbane Broncos women's team which commenced playing in the NRL Women's Premiership in September.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.broncos.com.au/news/2018/06/07/broncos-world-class-signings-for-nrlw/|title=Broncos' World-Class Signings For NRLW|publisher=Brisbane Broncos official website|date=7 June 2018|accessdate=7 June 2018}}</ref> On 29 September 2018, she started at prop and scored a try in the Broncos' 34–12 Grand Final win over the Sydney Roosters.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/womens-sport/nrlw-grand-final-broncos-tackle-roosters-in-historic-clash/news-story/59e7b6bfbc453e04ae341e66a71c0ff3|title=NRLW grand final: Broncos down Roosters 34-12 in historic clash|date=30 September 2018|website=The Daily Telegraph}}</ref>
On 13 October 2018, she played her final game for Australia, winning Player of the Match in a 26–24 win over New Zealand at Mt Smart Stadium.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://thewomensgame.com/news/jillaroos-farewell-ballinger-with-win-513903|title=Jillaroos farewell Ballinger with win|date=13 October 2018|website=The Women's Game}}</ref>
In May 2019, she represented Queensland Country at the NRL Women's National Championships. In August 2019, she returned to the Broncos NRLW squad, but did not play a game for the side.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nrl.com/news/2019/05/22/line-ups-named-for-womens-national-championships/|title=Line-ups named for Women's National Championships|date=22 May 2019|website=NRL}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nrl.com/news/2019/12/09/broncos-nrlw-2019-season-by-the-numbers/|title=Broncos NRLW season by the numbers|date=9 December 2019|website=NRL}}</ref>
On 11 February 2020, she announced her retirement from State of Origin, after 11 years of representing Queensland.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.qrl.com.au/news/2020/02/11/ballinger-calls-time-on-her-queensland-career/|title=Ballinger calls time on her Queensland career|date=11 February 2020|website=QRL}}</ref> In March 2020, she joined the Tweed Heads Seagulls in the newly established QRL Women's Premiership.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.couriermail.com.au/sport/nrl/qrlw-2020-a-look-at-the-big-stars-and-the-upandcomers-of-the-inaugural-womens-premiership/news-story/a9c1b61306af6c754d42c2cb15e4fb95|title=QRLW 2020: A look at the big stars and the up-and-comers of the inaugural women's premiership|date=10 March 2020|website=The Courier Mail}}</ref>
==Achievements and accolades==
===Individual=== *QRL Representative Player of the Year: 2015
===Team=== *2013 Women's Rugby League World Cup: Australia – Winners *2017 Women's Rugby League World Cup: Australia – Winners *2018 NRLW Grand Final: Brisbane Broncos – Winners
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *[https://www.qrl.com.au/players/womens-national-championship/qld-country-women/heather-ballinger/ QRL profile]
{{Brisbane Broncos squad - 2018 NRLW premiers}} {{Australian 2017 Women's Rugby League World Cup Squad}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ballinger, Heather}} Category:1982 births Category:Living people Category:21st-century Australian sportswomen Category:Australia women's national rugby league team players Category:Australian female rugby league players Category:Brisbane Broncos (NRLW) players Category:People from Longreach, Queensland Category:Queensland police officers Category:Queensland Rugby League State of Origin Women players Category:Recipients of the Australian Sports Medal Category:Rugby league players from Queensland Category:Rugby league props Category:Sportspeople from Warwick, Queensland Category:Sportswomen from Queensland Category:Women's All Stars players