Firefighter Meg Ward remembers her reaction when she discovered she had been chosen to represent Australia in the Rugby League World Cup.

"I just started crying," the 23-year-old from Katherine, in the Northern Territory, said.

"I called my parents — they're my biggest fans — and dad started crying too."

It has been a whirlwind rise to the top.

She had played only five games in the Darwin local rugby league competition before she was selected in the Australian women's squad to take on Papua New Guinea.

Meg found herself on the fast track of succession, representing the NT Titans at the Combined Affiliated States Championships where she was named player of the tournament.

It was here that the Coach of the Australian women's team the Jillaroos, Brad Donald, identified her talent.

"Meg came into the program and caught our eye on ability to start with; her performance from a personal perspective at the combined affiliated states championships was outstanding," he said.

"But then to actually get her in the team and understand what makes her tick and give her an opportunity to train with the girls... She's a wonderful advocate for the game, she's a wonderful advocate for her family.

"One of the things we've got happening with the group is 'better people make better Jillaroos' and she certainly adheres to all of those values."

RAAF firefighter and sports star

Meg Ward says her RAAF workmates help cover her shifts because of her rugby commitments. ( ABC News: Mike Donnelly )

You get the feeling Ward — who in the past has played Australian schoolgirls' soccer, been a representative for the Queensland Reds Rugby Women's Sevens, and has a career in the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) — could have succeeded in anything she set her mind to.

But she admits that juggling her twin careers — working fulltime as a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) firefighter in Katherine and becoming a rising rugby star — has not been easy.

"It's hard, it's very hard," she said.

Ward joined the RAAF in March last year and is currently stationed at the base at Tindal as part of a three-year secondment.

"My boss and all the guys that work here at the [fire] section just constantly cover me," she said.

"They aren't afraid to put in an extra shift for me to go away [to play].

"I can't explain how much I appreciate the Air Force and these guys, and their families who are so supportive."

Training in isolation

Meg Ward is the only person in the Jillaroos squad who doesn't live in Queensland or NSW. ( ABC News: Mike Donnelly )

Being the only Australian player selected to compete in the World Cup outside of New South Wales and Queensland, Ward is determined to show that being from the Northern Territory is not a disadvantage.

But her isolation means Ward must prepare for the competition mostly by herself, using a tailored training and eating program.

The last four weeks leading up to the Cup requires training for two to three hours per day, six days per week.

Technology allows the coach to keep track of her progress and keep in constant contact.

As one of 16 debutantes in the squad, the team is relying on youthfulness and strong leadership to get them over the line this year, with the ultimate goal of retaining the World Cup.

"Your goal is to win that World Cup; I've been fortunate to meet some of those girls who have experienced it, and how happy they are when they talk about it," Ward said.

"It makes you want that feeling too, and lift that world Cup up again.

"That's the goal, that's what we want."

The Jillaroos take on the Cook Islands in round one of the Rugby League World Cup on November 11th.