Bears sisterhood: How North Sydney is helping hidden Indigenous gems from remote communities shine

Six young rugby league girls from remote communities in North Queensland have been unearthed at North Sydney, 2500km from their home. Read their amazing story.

April Major, Shenae Cassidy, Charlize Barrett, Latisha Kaitap and Lalita Kris of the NQ Sistas program who have joined the North Sydney Bears. Picture: Sean Teuma

There’ll be a distinct North Queensland flavour running out for the North Sydney Bears this weekend, and these Sistas hope it’s just the start of things to come.

Six young women from remote Indigenous communities will line up in the pathways as part of a program aimed at exposing their talents to a wider audience.

It all started at a low-key trial match at Wentworth Park in the off-season last year, and has since grown to exposing these talented players to both junior representative and club football throughout the year.

“We had the opportunity to bring 22 Indigenous girls in September to play a trial match against the Sydney Roosters Indigenous Academy,” NQ Sistas manager Lauren Morrison said.

“From that a number of girls were picked up by the North Sydney Bears and invited back for a train and trial period.

“The girls have been asked to stay on for the season, and now that it’s more permanent they’ll also play club football for West Pennant Hills.”

The initial success of the program has made waves up north, with Morrison indicating a large number of girls are already looking ahead to try their luck out next season.

She said the program involves not only football based skills, but helps build their educational qualifications as well.

“As a result of this, I’ve put an expression of interest and have had over 70 Indigenous girls from remote communities ask to come down again in September and trial,” she said.

“What we’re trying to do is give the girls a pathway and show them things that are available.

“We’ve been here three months and they’ve had inquiries from NRLW clubs already which is super exciting.

(Back) Charlize Barrett, Latisha Kaitap, (front) Shenae Cassidy, April Major and Lalita Kris of the NQ Sistas program who have joined the North Sydney Bears. Picture: Sean Teuma

“(With these new girls) they’ll trial and stay down here. They’ll play Tarsha Gale if they’re lucky enough. They’ll do school or TAFE, we’ll get them qualified and that will give them pathways for life.

“We’re trying to give them a toolkit to set them up for life, because what happens is they go to boarding school and ABSTUDY pays for their flight back home to community and they don’t often finish (their studies).”

The path for these six girls to get here hasn’t been an easy one however, with donations largely relied upon to keep these girls in Sydney to help follow their dreams.

Morrison said that generosity will need to be extended in order to ensure future generations can take advantage of these opportunities.

“We’re trying to get a house together for the girls so that every year we can bring more girls down here and give them somewhere to live,” she said.

“We’re looking at the moment to find something more secure. We had an awesome meeting with Zali Steggall (member for Warringah) and she’s trying to help us secure some land and give these girls a pathway to give them skills, get them qualified and get them playing NRLW, living a dream they thought they’d never have.”

Such is the dedication to seeing these girls succeed, Morrison is taking on a personal cost to ensure they don’t go without.

“The cost is adding up. It’s put a lot of pressure on our family because I just can’t see the girls go without, but I’m fundraising the best I can. A lot of these families don’t have the money to do it,” she said.

“At the moment we’re trying to get someone on board to help us securing land and building a place, and also people to help out with donations like a mini bus.

“Currently ARA, and Indigenous service have donated one for three months which has been amazing, but we obviously need to find something more permanent.

“At the moment everything is self funded. We’ve done a heap of fundraising. One of our massive sponsors was Kinetic Bus Company and they helped us along the way and Barpa, an Indigenous building company, has been a big help too.”

Lalita Kris impressed during the trials for North Sydney. Picture: James Baird

Charlize Barrett has been named in the leadership group for the Bears this season, and said she’s overjoyed with the chance to be a part of the program.

“Being down here has been very exciting because there’s not much opportunity where we’re from,” Barrett said.

“The coaching is a lot more professional and they’ve been really supportive. They’re kind and they’re honest to you.

“I would love to play NRLW. Playing professional sports was all I was interested in growing up, because I used to play union and AFL.
“I’m also interested in animals and studying vet.”

This weekend the girls will take their next step in their dreams of reaching the NRLW when they run out for the Bears in the Lisa Fiaola and Tarsha Gale Cup competitions at Hills Grammar.

Morrison said there’ll be tears of joy as they complete their journey from towns of less than 500 people to the big smoke.

NQ Sistas manager Lauren Morrison (centre) has played a key role in helping the girls get to where they are today. Picture: Sean Teuma

“Making the NRLW for one of them would be a dream come true for us,” she said.

“For them, to think they’ve come from these tiny little remote communities that don’t have doctors, hospitals or anything like that, to being an NRLW player would be absolutely amazing.

“Some come from families where there’s a lot of trauma, broken homes and in the community they’ve seen and experienced a lot, so this is a safe place to be engaged, and our house is like a family.

“Most Australians are naive to what community life really is for these girls. To give them this is amazing.

“It’s so exciting to think they’ve come from playing a club team in Townsville where they couldn’t get selected for a team, now they’re representing North Sydney

“They never really got a look in. Nobody wanted to give them an opportunity. That’s why we created that pathway so someone else can actually give you a go.

“I’ll be crying when they run out. I’m so proud of what they’ve achieved.”

Originally published as Bears sisterhood: How North Sydney is helping hidden Indigenous gems from remote communities shine