NRLW can only become a full-time job if there’s the opportunity to play a full season
Pay parity is the hot-button issue for most when talking about the NRLW, but Dragons coach Jamie Soward wants another issue dealt with first.
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St George Illawarra NRLW coach Jamie Soward has called for more clarity around the future of the women’s game as discussions continue around expansion and pay parity.
It will be one of the busiest years for women’s rugby league in 2022, with two NRLW seasons set to be played, two statewide competitions, a State of Origin clash and a World Cup at the end of the year.
Broncos star Ali Brigginshaw and Sydney Roosters recruit Jess Sergis have both voiced their excitement in recent weeks ahead of the season kick-off on February 27, admitting the stacked calendar will bring more exposure to the women’s game.
With Queensland Rugby League’s recent pay parity announcement, it has now raised the prospect of whether the NRLW could become a full-time, professional sport for female athletes.
Soward said the first step should be to work out what the future of the NRLW looks like.
“At the end of the day, if you’re only going to have five rounds, the senior girls understand they need to be paid to the scale of what the games are,” Soward said.
“If you make it a full season, then you’re going to have to make it a full-time wage.
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“We need some clear outlines about where they want to grow that instead of saying it’s two seasons this year and one season next year.
“The girls want some clarity, some security and then you don’t have to worry about signing with two different teams in one season.
“We need some clarity around that before we start talking about pay.”
Soward hopes to one day see the NRLW competition grow to a 16-team format, with more rounds and opportunities for female players.
The premiership-winning playmaker is also a key part of the Dragons female academy in growing the women’s game around the Wollongong area.
NRL CEO Andrew Abdo has responded to calls on growth, revealing the ARL Commission will be investigating ways to grow the women’s game and earning potential of female athletes during the year.
“The Commission has ambitious growth plans for the women’s game,” Abdo told NewsCorp Australia.
“The Commission will make decisions regarding future growth plans of the NRLW in due course, but what I can say is that the NRLW is an absolute priority for the Commission.
“The Commission is also committed to growing the earning potential of our female athletes, that’s something that is important to us all.
“In 2022 the Commission is considering a wide range of initiatives and investment to grow the female elite pathway, from grassroots to the international game.
“We are focused on the enablers for expansion of female pathway competitions at all ages, the NSW and QLD State competitions with State Leagues, the NRLW competition with NRL Clubs, State of Origin and Test Matches. The Commission have a focus on expansion at all levels, not just the elite game.”
The competition showed it was heading in the right direction when The Daily Telegraph revealed (see below) that Parramatta’s NRLW side had sold out of all sponsorships on their shorts and jerseys for their first season.
HISTORIC DEAL THAT SILENCES NRLW PAY CRITICS
Corporate support and sponsorship for women’s sport has surged to extraordinary new heights.
And it’s not all about our global superstars Ash Barty, Sam Kerr, Elysse Perry and Olympic golden girls Emma McKeon, Ariarne Titmus and Jessica Fox.
The NRLW competition starts on February 27 with a triple header in Newcastle.
The Parramatta Eels have completely sold out their shorts and jerseys for their first season in the competition with great brands including Harvey Norman, Telstra and McDonalds.
In the past NRL clubs have been concerned about the extra costs of running professional women’s teams. Not anymore.
This is a better result than some of the traditional NRL clubs that often struggle to sell all their playing outfits.
The Eels’ sponsorship will cover all operating costs and player wages and will silence those who opposed pay increases for female players when the debate was raised late last year.
“We have existing sponsors from our NRL team and new ones who have come on board to support the girls,” Eels chief executive Jim Sarantinos said.
“They are all locked in for the first two seasons, a couple for longer.
“This allows us to run a sustainable team from day one. It’s a huge result for women’s rugby league in Sydney’s western suburbs.
“And this is something we will build on in future years.”
Female participation is by far the fastest growing area of rugby league.
There are now 33,278 registered female players, up from around 10,000 in 2016 — an incredible rise considering Covid.
“This team will have an enormous impact on young girls in Sydney’s west,” Sarantinos said.
“We really have an opportunity to make an imprint for young women in our area and get them playing some footy.”
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