Westpac NSW Blues Women's coach John Strange will present at the NSWRL’s Coaching the Female Athlete forum at Sydney Olympic Park tomorrow (Saturday 22 November) to recognise the impressive growth in female Rugby League with NSW participation numbers breaking the 30,000 barrier for the first time in the game’s history this season.
The forum will be attended by more than 50 officials from clubs in NSWRL Major Competitions and NSWRL Junior Representatives competitions for female Rugby League players and will address a range of topics including wellbeing, nutrition and performance, coaching, communication and injuries.
Strange, who reclaimed the Women’s State of Origin Shield this year in his inaugural season as coach, will be joined by other speakers including Channel Nine Rugby League commentator and Westpac NSW Blues Women's assistant coach Ruan Sims and UNE Exercise and Sports Science lecturer Dr Bradley Morris.
“The NSWRL Coaching the Female Athlete forum is about acknowledging the legitimacy of women’s Rugby League in its own right and recognising that coaching female athletes is necessarily different from coaching male athletes,” NSWRL Chief Executive David Trodden said.
“This acknowledgment is essential to allowing the women’s game to progress to its true potential.
“It is hoped the information shared today will complement existing club programs and it is something the NSWRL will revisit on an annual basis as women’s Rugby League continues to thrive.”
Participation records for female Rugby League have continued to tumble since 2021 when it passed the 20,000 mark (22,810) for the first time in the game’s history.
In 2022 there were 23,203 participants, 26,187 in 2023, and 29,686 in 2024 while this season saw the NSWRL break the 30,000 barrier with 33,306 women and girls signing up to play Rugby League. Female players also now account for 27 per cent of participants (122,430).
The NSWRL has done plenty of work in recent seasons to improve the pathways for female Rugby League players in NSW and cater for the rise in numbers.
Players now have a clear progression from grassroots football to elite competitions starting with community Rugby League to the Westpac Lisa Fiaola Cup (Under 17s), Westpac Tarsha Gale Cup (Under 19s), NSW Women’s Premiership (Open Age), National Rugby League Women (NRLW) and State of Origin.
