Northern Pride realistic about women’s state league plans

The Queensland Rugby League intends to introduce a women’s state league to run alongside the Queensland Cup in 2020. Here’s where Northern Pride stands on their involvement.

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FAR North Queensland may have some involvement in a new state women’s rugby league competition but they might not be wearing the blue of the Northern Pride.

As revealed by the Cairns Post in early November, the Queensland Rugby League intends to introduce a women’s state league to run alongside the Queensland Cup in 2020.

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Discussions are still in the initial stages, with the QRL asking existing Intrust Super Cup clubs for Expressions of Interest to participate in a maximum eight-team competition.

“The model we are working towards is a maximum eight-team league with a presence in all

three QRL Regions – South East, Central and Northern,” QRL managing director Robert Moore told the Courier Mail.

While Cairns has been a hotbed of talent, with three current Queensland Maroons - Heather Ballinger, Jenni-Sue Hoepper, and Stephanie Mooka - having played junior or senior rugby league in the region, it is unlikely the Far North could support a team.

Northern Pride football manager Chey Bird told the Cairns Post it was “before our time”.

Stephanie Mooka of the Maroons is tackled by Vanessa Foliaki of NSW during the Womens State of Origin match between New South Wales and Queensland at North Sydney Oval in Sydney, Friday, June 21, 2019. (AAP Image/Dan Himbrechts) NO ARCHIVING, EDITORIAL USE ONLY

“We’re certainly interested, but it’s an expensive exercise to get a football team on the paddock,” Bird said.

“It would be great for the club to participate in the competition one day, but it has to be a thought-out process. You can’t just jump in on something like this.”

The QRL’s introduction of such a competition could force the Cairns District Rugby League and other league officials to do more work in growing the women’s game.

Currently, there is no tackle rugby league competition for women in Cairns, with several players forced to travel to either Townsville or Brisbane to play.

Mooka, who made her Origin debut this year and was part of the Dragons’ NRLW squad, captain South Cairns in the AFL Cairns due to the absence of a competition.

The Pride, or Cairns, may not have a presence in this new competition by name, but players could find a way into the league.

There are talks of a combined team or bid, which would draw the best players from across North Queensland and their QRL clubs, the Pride, Townsville Blackhawks and Mackay Cutters.

Townsville appears a strong option given the strength of its women’s rugby league competition and the introduction of the Cowboys’ Women’s Academy, which will start next year.

Bird said the establishment of a visible pathway, from Cairns District Junior Rugby League’s girls competition through the NRLW and Origin, would help encourage greater female participation.

“We’ve got a lot of work to do in the space but the quality has to be there,” Bird said.

“We have to make sure we do as much as we can do.”

Cairns Post sports editor Matthew McInerney primarily writes about football and rugby union, as well as rugby league and cricket. Click here to like his page on Facebook, or here to follow him on Twitter.

Originally published as Northern Pride realistic about women’s state league plans