Norths Knights answer plea from Central Highlands U14 footy girls

Motivated by inspirational coach Jay Edwards, the Central Highlands under-14 girls are literally going the distance to play the game they love. Discover how a Rockhampton club has answered the call.

The Central Highlands under-14 girls are now playing Rockhampton's Norths Knights on a regular basis.

The Central Highlands under-14s are not your average girls footy team.

The home towns of the individual members are dotted across a vast area of Central Queensland and while they diligently train twice a night, many of them do it hundreds of kilometres apart.

As passionate and devoted as they come, they just want to play footy but have no regular competition in which to do it.

Their dedicated co-ordinator Jay Edwards is trying to remedy that, searching out any opportunity to get them on the park, be it an annual carnival or one-off games against opponents within a manageable distance.

Central Highlands under-14 girls co-ordinator Jay Edwards with captain Olivia Price and vice-captain Natalie Robinson.

He is determined to showcase the talent that continues to rise from a proud rugby league region that has produced the likes of Tamika Upton and Mariah Denman.

“We make do with what we’ve got - we’re not a normal football team,” Edwards said.

“We’ll play anyone, anywhere, anytime.

“That’s just how it is, we don’t have a choice.

“It’s not easy but it’s better than the alternative, which is nothing.”

Edwards said more than 20 players from towns including Emerald, Dysart and Clermont, and out to the Central West were part of the line-up.

The Central Highlands girls in action against Norths Knights in Rockhampton.

He put a call out to interested players after it appeared the female pathway after under-12 looked tenuous and he feared a number of players would be lost to the game.

“I started up a Facebook group and added in nearly every coach and manager of girls teams within 1000km of us,” he said.

“I included people I knew, people I didn’t know.”

Edwards put up a post calling for willing opponents and Rockhampton’s Ben Ardley, coach of the Norths Knights under-14 girls, answered the call.

His older daughter Taiah plays for the Emerald Tigers senior women, his other daughter for Norths under-14s.

Ardley said his girls would be up for a few games, which was music to Edwards’ ears.

Norths Knights under-14 girls coach Ben Ardley with manager David Harmsworth.

The Norths girls, who finished runners-up in their division in the Rocky Junior League this season, made the 540km round trip to Emerald for the first of their meetings early this month.

The Courtney Chapple-coached Central Highlands then travelled to Rockhampton last Saturday, with two more games planned in the next couple of months.

Ardley said it was a win-win for both parties.

“The girls are finished for the year so this gives them a chance to play football for longer than they normally would,” he said.

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“At the end of the day, that’s what they love doing and that’s why we’re here.”

Norths too the honours again at the weekend, with Ava Hoult providing plenty of go-forward, halves Mia Ardley and Lilly McLean directing the team well and Kiarnie Songoro producing her trademark standout performance.

For Central Highlands, it was their exciting halfback Paisley Bretherton who led the way, with five-eighth Murphy Wells and second rowers Ruby Rose, Inneka Campbell and Maisy Lamrock also putting in big games.

The players and officials after Saturday’s game at the Gymmy Grounds in Rockhampton.

Edwards could not thank Norths enough, saying there was nothing more important than match play to develop skills.

“We’ve plenty of talent, they just need the opportunity to show it,” he said.

“You have to play football to get better; you can train and train and train but unless you’re playing footy along with it, you won’t get better.

“We don’t get the footy that other regions do so for Norths, after finishing their own season, to turn around and say they’re going to play and help us out is amazing.”