A Century in the Red, White, and Blue: Phoebe Raises the Bat

By Angus Hayman

When Phoebe Loughhead runs onto Woollahra Oval this Saturday evening, she will achieve something no woman has before at Eastern Suburbs Rugby Club. 

The experienced halfback will play her 100th game in red, white and blue, becoming the first female player in the club's history to reach the century milestone.

It is a remarkable achievement, not simply because of the number attached to it, but because of everything it represents: eight seasons of commitment, countless training sessions, the growth of women's rugby, and an unwavering belief in a club she first joined as a teenager.

For Phoebe, the drive and passion started well before her first appearance at Woollahra Oval.

Growing up on Sydney's North Shore, she had always wanted to play rugby. The challenge was finding an opportunity.

"When I was about 13 or 14, I was watching rugby on TV and really wanted to play, but there wasn't really anywhere for girls to play at the time," Phoebe recalled.

That changed in 2014 when Sydney launched one of its first girls' sevens competitions. She immediately signed up and began her rugby journey, eventually finding her way into representative pathways before a familiar face opened a new door.

While still in high school, Phoebe crossed paths with long-time Easts coach Campbell Aitken through representative rugby. Campbell encouraged her to give Eastern Suburbs a chance as she looked to transition into senior rugby and, in 2018, she made the move that would shape the next chapter of her life.

Easy enough to say…. She never looked back.

What started as an opportunity quickly became something far greater. Year after year, teammates stayed, friendships deepened and familiar faces continued to fill the clubhouse.

The result was a culture that kept bringing Phoebe back.

"Everyone makes Easts feel like home," she said.

"I think at Easts it's really common for people to stay for the long haul, and that's what makes it special."

Reaching 100 games is often associated with longevity, but only the few lucky enough to get there understand that longevity does not happen by accident.

While Phoebe admits luck has played a role through avoiding major injuries, she credits consistency as the biggest factor behind her achievement.

The evidence is easy to spot.

"For me, I enjoy doing all the extras. The gym work, the recovery, the skills, all those little things help keep you on the field."

It is that willingness to adapt that has helped her remain such an important figure for the Beasties.

Of course, across 100 games there are plenty of memories, but one stands above the rest.

Ask Loughead for the highlight of her career and the answer comes instantly.

The 2023 grand final.

As captain, she led Easts into the club's first-ever women's grand final against Sydney University. They entered as underdogs against a side that had repeatedly had their measure.

Yet from the moment she woke up on grand final morning, Loughead felt something different.

"I just knew there was no way we weren't winning that day," she said.

The Beasties defeated Sydney University to claim the club's first women's premiership, with Phoebe lifting the trophy as captain. Just as memorable was the support.

With the rest of the club packed onto the hill and cheering every moment, the victory felt like a celebration for the entire Easts community.

"It was just this hill full of Beasties," Phoebe added.

"I don't think every club has that."

That premiership remains the pinnacle of her career, but Saturday presents another opportunity to create a special chapter.

The 2025 season has been a challenging one for Easts.

After years of success, the club has watched several standout players progress into Super Rugby pathways and higher representative honours. While it is a sign of a healthy program, it has also left the current group navigating a period of transition.

Results have not always gone their way.

Not only is it Phoebe’s marquee 100th game, but it arrives at a moment when Easts are searching for a breakthrough result.

If there is one thing Loughead wants her century game to represent, it is the same thing that has defined much of her career: winning rugby.

"I'd love to get a win this weekend," she said.

"If I was trying to summarise my career at Easts, winning would definitely summarise it better than losing."

For the first woman to reach 100 games at Eastern Suburbs, the milestone itself is already secure.

However, it’s hard not to wish for the perfect celebration of a history maker that’s raising the bat for a mighty century.

Easts Div 1 Women play Manly at 5pm Saturday 27th June, Woollahra Oval