NRLW enjoying an explosion of interest in Western Sydney
Women’s rugby league sign ups in Parramatta are double the average, and that’s only the beginning of a war for talent.
NRLW
Don't miss out on the headlines from NRLW. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Parramatta are on a mission to be the No.1 women’s rugby league club in Western Sydney and booming sign-ups prove they’re on their way.
The Eels are currently in a two-way fight for elite talent with Wests Tigers, but next year the Bulldogs will join an expanded NRLW in the battle, with Penrith set to join somewhere down the track.
New coach Steve Georgallis can feel it building after a crowd of around 1000 people showed up to the club’s first trial game in Merrylands on Saturday.
“It’s a fair crowd,” he said.
“The area itself is the centre of Parramatta, the Hills District, up to Ryde and all those areas. Our academies have squads of 30 and 40 players.
“I really think it can be the hub of women’s rugby league in the west.
“We’re flying the flag.
“We can be the revolution of Western Sydney.”
Parramatta district junior girls registrations are up 30 per cent from last year which is twice the national rate, which sits at around 15-18 per cent increase this year.
The club credits the increase to the boom around women’s State of Origin this year, which had record audiences in attendance and across broadcast.
The Eels have joined the NSWRL Harvey Norman women’s competition this season too, which completes the pathway.
When assembling the squad, the Eels had around 120 expressions of interest despite needing only 16 players to round out numbers.
The inaugural squad is filled mostly by local juniors coming through the Tarsha Gale Cup squad.
It speaks to an explosion of interest in Sydney’s west, and a huge potential for the future against Western Sydney rivals.
“There could be big change over the next few years,” Georgallis said.
“Most of these players playing in the NRLW missed the academies, the 13s, 14s, 15s development, but those players are coming through now.
“You see players from Lisa Fiaola now playing in the Harvey Norman team at the age of 17, so they’ve had four or five years behind them, which previously they didn’t.
“Which is great for us to have this whole pathway system at the club.”
A spate of injuries ruined the Eels’ season in 2023, winning just one game to land the wooden spoon.
But Georgallis is confident things are turning around.
“If you get a few injuries, you start looking at younger players and players who haven’t played many games. Last year they had a lot of injuries which led to them finishing where they did,” he said.
“This year, we’re making sure they’re fit, they’re getting stronger and we know our jobs. That’s the biggest thing we’ve talked about.
“The second thing is their hunger to learn, they’re always asking questions. They don’t have any bad habits, they just don’t have any habits. We’re teaching them a lot, a lot of repetition.”
More Coverage
Originally published as NRLW enjoying an explosion of interest in Western Sydney
NRLW Tackle: Rooster’s injury blow; star banned for season
The Roosters’ injury woes have worsened with one of their rep playmakers suffering a suspected AC joint injury. Plus, a Raiders enforcer has been hit with a suspension for a horror hip drop. THE NRLW TACKLE.
‘Embarrassed’ Soward opens up on shock Dragons exit
Jamie Soward revealed the hardest part about his Dragons axing was telling his daughter he’d lost his job. Hear from the club legend as he opens up on the disappointment of his shock dismissal, as well as his future coaching plans.