Championships helping future NRLW stars reach their goal

NRLW coaches have gathered on the Gold Coast this week in hopes of finding their next potential superstar, with the Harvey Norman Women's National Championships showcasing up-and-coming talent from across Australia and beyond. 

However, while there have been plenty of skills on show on the field, the playing talent of the players is not the only thing that these coaches are paying attention to. 

“We want to see not only some really good footy on the field, but that they are good humans as well," Queensland Maroons coach Tahnee Norris said.

“Bringing them into rep formats you get to see that, and you get to learn about the person and whether they’ve got the qualities to play for Queensland."

Gold Coast Titans NRLW coach Karyn Murphy has enjoyed seeing the talent from across the country on display in her club's 'backyard' at Miami, as well as seeing the emerging players from New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Fiji and North America with the addition of the two Las Vegas jetwinvip.combine winners to the tournament. 

Like Norris, last year's NRLW coach of the year winner agreed that on-field skills weren’t everything when it comes to finding the next person to fill a vital spot in a playing squad.

“I’ve been talking to the coaches to gain a further insight into the players and their character off the field as we are always looking for that here at the Titans," Murphy said.

"But importantly, we’ve been looking at what positions we may need to fill in the future.”

The Women's National Championships have been a growing source used by NRLW coaches to scout talent for several years, with players such as Julia Robinson and Lauren Dam initially turning heads when they represented the Australian Defence Force team in the early years of the event.

Last year’s official Team of the Tournament saw the likes of now contracted NRLW players Krystal Blackwell (Cowboys), Emma Barnes (Raiders), Alexis Tauaneai (Dragons) and Jacinta Carter (Knights) make the most of their opportunities with their teams.

Rilee Jorgensen was another member of the Team of the Tournament who signed an NRLW contract. After a successful debut season which included an appearance in the 2023 grand final, the Titans have locked her in for another three years.

Newly appointed head coach of the Cowboys NRLW side Ricky Henry said he appreciated the skill that had been on display over the opening days of the tournament.

“I have been really impressed with the skills and there are some really good footy players out there, it’s been awesome actually," Henry said.

“I watched the last couple of years on livestream, but actually being here, you appreciate the skill set of the players, and I think every year it has gotten better and better.

“Tournaments like this are good because you get a glimpse at what is coming through and you can start to stockpile your pathways, or development squads in the hope that these girls will kick-on and play NRLW over the next two or three years."

For players who aren’t currently in the women’s national program, tournaments like the Women's National Championships are a tool that they can use to showcase their skills and push a contract for the upcoming season.

This year's tournament was brought forward this year to enable clubs to see what players can do before the contract deadline, but has meant some players miss club football with their regular teams to participate with the football calendar for women's players ever-expanding.

Queensland Sapphires co-captain and Norths Devils BMD Premiership player Emily Veivers has played both in the Championships and BMD Premiership, and said while there were currently more teams of a higher standard across Queensland's state-wide competition, the Championship had an important role to play for those players outside of rugby league stronghold.  

"It is great seeing all the girls come together and getting the opportunity to showcase what they’ve got," Veivers - who has also represented the PNG Orchids - said. 

“The experience and the opportunities that come with this is really exciting for me, and hopefully it can lead me somewhere towards an NRLW contract."

For Norris, the championships were also a way to see the next wave of players who may be pushing to be part of the state-wide competitions in the future and potentially be in line for NRLW and state selection. 

“It’s basically looking for what’s coming through in Queensland, we want to see these girls standing up and putting their hand up for a representative jersey and they have done that to get picked in the Sapphires team to start off with," Norris said. 

“We have got a couple of the younger girls are still vying for Queensland Under 19s selection as well, so it is a good opportunity for them.

“Showcasing the internationals that are coming through, I think that’s really exciting for girls that haven’t normally got that chance to put their hand up and show how they can actually play."

The fourth and final day of the 2024 Harvey Norman Women's National Championships will take place on the Gold Coast today.