EXCLUSIVE: Olympic gold medallist Tyla King eyeing more success as NRLW title hunt begins

Fresh from her gold medal Olympic campaign, Tyla King has shifted her focus from one playbook to another as she prepares for her second season in the NRLW.

The 30-year-old, who is regarded as one of New Zealand's greatest rugby seven players, is among the many players who have made the code switch in recent years.

But with a gold medal around her neck, there is only one more thing King wants. An NRLW premiership ring.

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King played for the St George Illawarra Dragons last season and signed a two-year extension that will see her in the Red V until the end of 2025.

In her first game back she donned the No.7 as the Dragons produced arguably one of the biggest upsets of the season to down defending premiers the Knights, 18-10.

"It's good to be back in the NRLW off the back of an incredible Olympic campaign and to be back with the Dragons girls, I'm having so much fun," King said on Wide World of Sports' NRLW Weekly podcast.

"I'm excited to be back with the girls and playing rugby league again."

Watch the 2024 NRLW premiership live and free on Nine and 9Now. 

In an admission that left Jillaroos great Ruan Sims stunned, the New Zealand national revealed she had not undergone traditional pre-season training with the Dragons in order to focus on her Olympic campaign.

Just 24 hours after landing in Australia, King returned to Dragons training camp and proudly showed off her gold medal, in what was her first taste at what to expect for the season.

The revelation made her round three performance all the more impressive as she admitted to only having one full session ahead of the game to learn the traits of her teammates.

"The girls that I had on the outside of me and on the inside I had a really good connection with even though I only had one training session with them leading into that game," she said.

'"I just felt real connected with my left edge. I didn't have too much [training with the team] early on.

"It was pretty much just the week I got back. I just connected with the girls on a personal level and then went in early to training on Thursday to catch up with Sowwie [Dragons coach Jamie Soward] to see if anything had changed around the game plan, pick up the lingo of our moves, and learn the structure.

"Sowwie didn't bombard me too much in the pre-season, he just wanted me to focus on the work that I had to do at the Olympics. He said, 'Go over there and win gold and we will see you when you get back'.

"I think it was good him not hounding me to much and letting me do my thing.

"The person I am, once I've switched over codes I'm full force. I was at training two hours early making sure I knew what I needed to do. I'm still learning, it's only my second season in the game.

"I just learnt that if I can go out there and lift the game - that's just what I wanted to bring."

King's injection into the league is not the first code switch in the game as Kiwi teammates Stacey Waaka and Tenika Willison prepare to make there NRLW debuts with their respected teams.

But the Dragons halfback has not ruled out future code switches by her Olympic teammates.

"I know there are more girls back home that would love to cross over but not just yet," said King.

"There are a few of us who have this season. I know those girls will do so well because whatever they commit to they fully commit to. They are just so professional and competitive nature."