Zoe Marshall and Daniella Mansour delve inside the WAG tag in the NRL
From supporting their partners on the field to kicking their own career goals and raising families, here are the NRL WAGS to watch in 2022.
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They’re often seen either frocked up alongside their star player partners at the Dally Ms or cheering on from the sidelines.
But there’s so much more to the WAGs — the powerhouse partners in the NRL who work so hard to help keep both their players on the field often while forging their own careers and raising families in increasingly difficult circumstances given the pandemic and isolation restrictions.
Ahead of 2022’s rugby league season The Daily Telegraph spoke to two women who know a thing or two about the highs and lows that come with the territory as well as clearing up some misconceptions.
Zoe Marshall, who just celebrated her ninth wedding anniversary to recently retired South Sydney legend Benji Marshall, has carved out an extensive media career working as a columnist, radio host and podcaster while raising two small children with her husband often away.
Making it work, Marshall explained, is a ‘balancing act’ requiring lots of problem-solving.
“There’s a lot of time that our partners are away, that would be my most dreaded time because that is when I am under a lot of pressure at home, work gets put to the side,” she said. “I’m not able to turn up and deliver the way that I should. So my stuff is sacrificed because I have to be, first and foremost, a present mother.”
Her latest focus is her podcast ‘The Deep’, which centres on difficult conversations, incredible life stories and complex concepts such as grief and trauma. The Deep reached Apple charts Top 10 within the first two weeks and stayed at number one for five days.
When asked about the term ‘WAG’ – wives and girlfriends – Marshall is quick to point out professional sportsmen are the only career whose partners carry such a label.
“Women should be recognised in their own right, no matter if they’re a partner of a policeman or a librarian or a gardener there’s no other career that has an attachment of the term WAG.
Daniella Mansour, mum of two and wife to Josh Mansour, also from South Sydney, said while she was proud of her marriage to the Souths winger, she felt at times that the term has carried a negative connotation.
“The men are all called by name, yet we are sometimes collectively labelled and too unimportant to have our own identity,” she said.
“I am so proud to be married to my husband who has worked hard for his achievements, I have a name and I think that it’s good enough”.
Mansour also says while there are definitely perks coming with her husband’s career, there are also hurdles one might not initially consider.
“I think there are many misconceptions about the lifestyle, that it is an easy life. I assure you there has been plenty of ups and downs just like any career. As a partner, you’re constantly riding the ‘What if’ wave. Nothing is certain. There are injuries — some life-threatening — surgeries, big losses where you are the rock for the emotional roller coaster that they are going through.”
WOMEN OF THE LEAGUE WE LOVE:
MARIA GLINELLIS
The long-term girlfriend of Roosters skipper James Tedesco recently became his fiancee after the NSW Origin hero popped the question in his hometown of Menangle.
TAHLIA GIUMELLI
Apart from being a former Miss Universe and established model, this 28-year-old firecracker is wife to Rabbitohs prop Burgess with whom she shares two daughters. She is also a dedicated ambassador for Crohn’s and Colitis diseases and passionate about informing people on the inflammatory bowel diseases. Giumelli was just 20 in 2013 when she received the diagnosis for Crohn’s disease, pulling a pin in her goal of working for NSW police.
MOESHA CRICHTON-ROPATIN
The fiancee of Panthers winger Brian To’o, Moesha Crichton-Ropatin had the country gushing over her recent and very wholesome engagement.
To’o and Crichton-Ropatin were the prom king and queen of the recent Panthers grand final when To’o capped off a sensational win by getting down on one knee and popping the question, to which she joyfully accepted. The proposal was later followed by a raunchy locker room lap dance.
Moesha recently stole the spotlight wearing a bespoke custom made tapa dress, in a nod to her Samoan heritage, to the club’s awards night.
MONISHA LEW-FATT
The 31-year-old business owner, recent engagement to Jack Wighton went viral after he mistakenly referred to her on Instagram as a ‘finance’ instead of fiancee. The couple share two children with a third on the way, with Lew-Fatt recently opening up about her pregnancy challenges.
On Instagram she wrote: “Getting diagnosed with gestational diabetes … a total of 356 finger pricks and over 1000 insulin needle injections … I’ve definitely learnt A LOT this pregnancy.”
BRIELLE MERCY
The mother of three and wife of Latrell Mitchell is definitely a vocal supporter of her superstar husband. After the South Sydney fullback was sin-binned and banned for six matches Mercy took a swipe and vented her frustration on Instagram at the NRL.
“Should have been making his third NRL GF appearance this weekend but ‘NRL system’ had different plans,” she posted.
“Proud of your efforts this year and every year. You get knocked down over and over and only come back stronger.”
AMY KOROISAU
Amy has been married to Penrith and NSW Origin player, Apisai Koroisau for three years and the couple have two daughters, Miliana and Kalesi. A career woman, Amy owns a skin rejuvenation clinic and is gaining an online following as a home “MasterChef”, often posting steps to her favourite recipes on Instagram.
MELE MAEA
Parramatta Eels forward Junior Paulo and his wife Mele Maea have three kids: Mario-Cade, Rosalino and Harmony. “You keep holding it down and I’ll hold it together. Happy birthday to my 5/8, Front Rower, Halfback you name it,” Junior wrote on an Instagram post.
MIRANDA CROSS
Rising Rabbitohs star Cameron Murray and partner Miranda Cross, from the Blue Mountains, have been dating since they finished school together. She has a Bachelor of Commerce at UTS and now works at Frasers Property Industrial.
NELLIE BELL
If we are going to call Nellie Bell a WAG, we should probably call Cody Walker a HAB.
Bell has played for South Sydney in the Harvey Norman Women’s Premiership and was named in the women’s Indigenous All Stars camp selection in 2020.
She got back into the league in 2019, after almost 10 years out of the game.
Bell played her first Koori Knockout as a 15-year-old.
The long-term couple were set to get married in November last year but decided to postpone the festivities to a post-Covid moment when they would be able to dance.
The pair have two boys together.
ASHLEIGH SIMS
The wife of barnstorming back rower Tariq Sims, Ashleigh is a woman of many talents, working as both a photographer and running a skincare business she founded herself.
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