‘Tremendous’ female athletes take to rugby league

'They think the boys play a good brand, but the girls are just as skilled'.

JUNIOR STARS: Cunnamulla’s Phoebe Collins, Maddison Riley and Tilly Mitchell from Tenterfield, Sienna Norris from Blackbutt with Bonnie Zappa from Tenterfield, Ally Ramsay from Meandarra and Aleesa Hartley from Kingsthorpe. Picture: Greg Miller

RUGBY LEAGUE: Development officers will target primary schools with a view to introducing an interstate secondary school’s competition in an effort to get more girls playing the “greatest game of all”.

With more than 400 female athletes from across Queensland and the Northern Territory converging on the Sunshine Coast this weekend for the inaugural Sunshine Coast All Girls Challenge, regional NRL games development officer Steve Belsham said it was testament to how popular the game had become with the fairer sex.

Belsham said the game’s governing body had shown keen interest in growing the women’s game and providing pathways in rugby league.

He said that started by identifying school-aged talent.

But he admitted it had taken a lot of hard work to show the community the game was safe and enjoyable.

“A lot of people see our game as unsafe (for girls) because they see the big games on TV,” he explained.

“It’s certainly not to that level. The NRL has safe codes in place. When the girls do play it’s fun and it’s safe. It’s contact obviously, but not to NRL level.”

Belsham said it came as no surprise to see how much talent was on show at Caloundra Junior Rugby League this weekend.

“People should come and watch because of the standard of rugby league,” he said.

“They think the boys play a good brand, but the girls are just as skilled.

“There’s tremendous athletes adapting to our game.”

Belsham said due to the overwhelming response this weekend and its success, it would become an annual event, on the Sunshine Coast or elsewhere in Queensland.

The action continues at Caloundra today.