Changing the Game | Millie Elliott

Millie Elliott has never been someone to stay in one lane. On the field, she’s one of the most recognisable and respected figures in the NRLW. Off it, she’s built a growing presence in the media, and co-founded a purpose-driven organisation that’s changing lives across regional Australia, all of this whilst recently beginning the journey of motherhood. Instead of slowing down, or taking things one at a time, Millie is incredibly leaning into all of them at once, and has found that doing more has actually made her life better, both on and off the field.

Millie with husband Adam and daughter Gigi.

Millie Elliott running a Trainer Group workshop

That mindset is evident as Millie takes charge of regional workshops with her co-founded organisation Trainer Group, where participants with intellectual and physical disabilities come together with support workers and family members to be part of a team environment. For Millie, this is all about opportunity and connection. Creating a space where people feel included, supported and a sense of belonging is at the heart of everything she’s building.

“There’s no barriers, it’s all about making sure everyone can be part of something.”

- Millie Elliott

The idea for Trainer Group is deeply personal. Growing up in Cobargo on the NSW South Coast, Millie saw firsthand how powerful that sense of connection was through her younger sister Hannah, who has Down Syndrome. While school provided Hannah with structure, purpose and community, that support faded once it ended. Trainer Group was created to fill that void, giving people ongoing opportunities to feel part of something bigger than themselves, long after traditional support systems fall away.

Far from being a distraction from her rugby league career, Millie says this work has sharpened her perspective. Immersing herself in these programs reminds her that she’s more than an athlete.

“Being part of these programs shows there’s so much more to life than footy… It grounds you and reminds you of why sport has given me so much in my life.”

Adding motherhood and media commitments into the mix has done nothing to dilute her focus, on the contrary, it has strengthened it. Each role feeds into the another, giving her a deeper sense of motivation and identity beyond the game. Rather than spreading herself thin, Millie has found that embracing different parts of her life has made her more present in all of them.

Her story challenges the idea that athletes need to narrow their focus to succeed. By building something meaningful off the field, Millie has become more grounded, more driven and more connected, and ultimately, a better athlete and person because of it.