Celebrating the women behind the scenes in NRL: Knights Women in League ambassador Bec Swan

But the Knights NRLW physiotherapist and orange-shirt on-field trainer has the important job of tending to injured players in the heat of battle and helping get them back on the park.

The Mudgee 37-year-old, who has called Newcastle home since 2012, is one of many women working behind the scenes in NRL to keep clubs functioning.

They are being celebrated and recognised this weekend in Women in League round.

Swan and Kellie Wagner, who is the executive assistant to Knights director of football Peter Parr and office manager, have been named Newcastle ambassadors for the round.

"I was very stoked and surprised, I wasn't expecting that at all and feel very privileged to be picked out of all of the amazing women who are involved in the club," Swan told the Newcastle Herald.

"There's a lot of wheels turning behind the scenes from getting the uniforms ready to getting where they need to be on time."

Swan studied sport and exercise science in Bathurst before undertaking a masters of physiotherapy in Canberra.

She grew up playing touch but had never considered entering the professional sporting ranks as a career until the Knights announced they would be fielding an NRLW side.

"I've been a physio now for almost 12 years and this was actually never initially on my radar," Swan said.

"I loved my clinic job. Then my husband [Dan, who works with as a regional education development officer with the NRL] came home and said there was going to be a Newcastle Knights women's team. I thought how awesome would that be to be a part of."

The rest is history.

Swan was the Knights NRLW sideline physiotherapist in their 2021 season, played early last year, then progressed to on-field duties in the 2022 campaign, which concluded in October with Newcastle securing an historic premiership.

"It's been amazing," she said.

"I learnt a lot in my first season as sideline physio. That was my first dive into elite and professional sport.

"Then I took on the orange shirt second season last year and back again this year, and it's just been an amazing ride - the highs and lows of how the Knights have come through in just the past two seasons."

Swan and the Knights medical team were kept busy in Newcastle's season-opening 32-16 win against St George Illawarra at McDonald Jones Stadium last Saturday.

Prop Tayla Predebon dislocated her finger in the 16^th minute of play then new recruits Rima Butler and Laishon Albert-Jones were forced from the field in the 18^th minute after a head clash.

"It can be a bit hectic at times," Swan said.

"I actually love it when I don't have to go on the field too often, because you know that the girls are all fit and healthy and nothing has gone wrong. But it can keep you busy at times.

"Things happen so quickly out there and sometimes you've only got a short period of time to make a decision or assess someone, but that's just the nature of the sport."

Swan's is a role that has traditionally been dominated by men, but increasingly more and more women are taking up positions in the NRL in various capacities.

"It's really great to see the emergence of more females in all aspects of sport and rugby league," Swan said.

"It's just exciting because women's sport is the best spot to be. It's going to see the biggest growth throughout the next few years."

Parr highlighted the significance of shining the spotlight onto the efforts of women within NRL clubs around the country this weekend.

"For us, it's really important because we've got a big focus on our female program and we have a number of females here who do a lot of great work, Bec and Kellie in particular," Parr said.

"It's great to highlight people who do work behind the scenes. They do a lot of work that goes unnoticed to the public. We run a big program here and it takes a lot of people to make sure it all runs smoothly.

"Bec does a wonderful job for us not only as the physio but as the orange-shirt trainer in NRLW, and probably a decade ago you wouldn't have seen a female trainer on the field.

"So, it's been great to see the game evolve and become more inclusive."