Ruan Sims heads up powerhouse Sydney Roosters squad

JILLAROOS star Ruan Sims heads an outstanding Sydney Roosters squad for the inaugural NRL Women’s Premiership with a host of representative players to pull on the red, white and blue.

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THE Roosters are about going big and they’ve done just that with their 15 marquee signings for the inaugural NRL Women’s Premiership.

They’re a formidable bunch.

Eleven NSW players and two Maroons snatched from under the Brisbane Broncos.

A Kiwi Fern and a former Wallaroo.

A star-studded lineup: Corban McGregor, Elianna Walton, Kylie Hilder, Nita Maynard, Ruan Sims, Zahara Temara, Maddie Studdon, Vanessa Foliaki, Karina Brown. (front) Taleena Simon, Lavina O’Mealey, Nakia Davis-Welsh, Simaima Taufa, Isabelle Kelly, Shontelle Stowers. Picture: Brett Costello

Nine were in the World Cup squad last year.

There is last year’s Dally M Player of the Year.

The Roosters are taking a one club approach in integrating the women’s team to the organisation. It’s what got so many stars to sign for them.

Players talked about it just feeling right when they walked in the door.

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“I went for my gut instinct. I’ve heard really positive stuff about the Roosters and being involved with that and having that sense of culture,” said 2017 Dally M winner Simaima Taufa.

“Nothing against the other teams, I loved the opportunities I got to visit and check out the facilities and meet some awesome people.

“But at the end of the day my decision was based on my family and what I wanted and what the club stood for is what drew me to the Roosters.

“I think when I walked straight in the door and I’m really one for that first feel and I just had that gut instinct that there was something good about it.”

Sims has been one of the stars of the game for several years.

Adam Hartigan, the club’s former under-20s coach, moves back into coaching after working in the Roosters recruitment department.

He said the whole club, including the men’s NRL side, have shown an interest in bringing their team together.

“We had a staff meeting the other day and the staff were informed I was going to be coaching and Cooper Cronk came over and congratulated me straight away and said if there’s anything you need me to do I’d love to help out, whether it’s with kicking or talking to the halves,” Hartigan said.

“The whole club is behind it. Robbo [NRL coach Trent Robinson] was a big part of the recruitment process. The players we brought through the door, he was very accommodating. Asked questions of them in terms of, why are they here? We want people to want to be Roosters, that’s what we build our club on.

Simaima Taufa won the women’s Dally M last season.

“It hasn’t just been me it’s been a whole club initiative to build this squad and it’s about getting the right people in.”

The chance to work alongside some of the best NRL players is a big bargaining tool too.

For half Lavina O’Mealey, that she could continue to hone her skills with someone she has framed her game around is still incomprehensible.

“I try to base a lot of my game around Cooper Cronk’s style of play. He’s very strategic, he thinks ahead,” O’Mealey said.

“It’s something that I’ve had to try master over the years, it doesn’t come easy it comes with a lot of hard work.

“He’s just a player that … mate, I’d be so starstruck.

“The first day I came in to sign, I got a great feel from the club, it was very family orientated and with my two little ones, they made us all feel welcome.”

Lavina O'Mealey is a Jillaroos stalwart.

With just a month to prepare for a month-long season, the Roosters went after players who were the best in their position and knew how each other played.

On Friday night Hartigan gets to watch 12 of his team in action in the State of Origin, almost a first hit out.

“A lot of it comes down to, we want the best possible players but they need to be good people and we want that team to gel and become one tight unit ready to play,” he said.

“We only get a short window of coaching them, so we need to make sure that there’s a lot of cohesion out there.

“A lot of these girls will play together but have played together in the past and that helps a lot.

“I’m excited to see how they go on Friday night.”

ROOSTERS 2018 MARQUEE WOMEN’S PLAYERS: Karina Brown, Nakia Davis-Welsh, Vanessa Foliaki, Kylie Hilder, Isabelle Kelly, Nita Maynard, Corban McGregor, Lavina O’Mealey, Taleena Simon, Ruan Sims, Shontelle Stowers, Maddie Studdon, Zehara Temara, Simaima Taufa, Elianna Walton.

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