Rugby sevens: NRLW and AFLW stars Rugby Australia should target to boost gold medal chances
Luring stars from the NRLW and AFLW could be the key to getting Australia’s rugby sevens team back on top of the Olympic podium. See the top six players Rugby Australia should target.
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Code-hopping is nothing new in women’s sport and returned Rugby Sevens coach Tim Walsh thinks dual athletes could be the key to get the women’s team back on top of the Olympic podium.
Walsh, who guided the Australian women’s team to Olympic gold in Rio, revealed he had his eye on cross-code players.
Several of the players from the 2016 gold medal-winning team are now making names for themselves in the AFLW and NRLW, such as Evania Pelite and Emma Tonegato.
With the Commonwealth Games fast approaching, Walsh said he would be watching the upcoming NRLW and AFLW finals series closely.
Here are three AFLW and NRLW players Rugby Australia should target.
AFLW
Courtney Hodder (Lions)
Hodder, 21, grew up in Western Australia and was a rising rugby union star – playing for WA in the Super W season in 2018 and later the Queensland Reds, before switching codes to Aussie rules. The midfielder debuted for the Lions in the AFLW in 2021 and has had a top 2022 season so far with an average of 10 disposals a game and five goals to her name.
Tayla Harris (Demons)
Harris, 24, is arguably the most well-known face in the AFLW. She is back at Melbourne for the 2022 season after a stint at Carlton. She is known for her aerial skills, kicking strength and accuracy – all important skills in rugby. She has 45 AFLW games under her boots. Already an accomplished dual sportswoman having also made a name for herself in the boxing ring.
Chloe Dalton (Giants)
She already has an Olympic Rugby Sevens gold medal to her name so it makes sense Chloe Dalton would be on the radar of Commonwealth Games selectors. The 28-year-old midfielder was part of the Aussie rugby 7s team that won gold in Rio. She missed the 2020 Tokyo Games due to injury but is back fighting fit for GWS in the 2022 AFLW season.
NRLW
Evania Pelite (Titans)
The 26-year-old has fast made a name for herself in NRLW after hopping from Rugby Sevens. Pelite, this year donning Titans colours, was part of the sevens team that won gold at the 2016 Olympics. Made the switch to league in 2020, starring for the Warriors. A tryscoring machine and a danger whenever she has the ball in her hands.
Ali Brigginshaw (Broncos)
A legend of NRLW, there is little Brigginshaw hasn’t done on the field. The 32-year-old is the reigning Dally M Female Player of the Year and has three NRLW titles to her name – as well as back-to-back Origin wins with the Queensland side.
Kennedy Cherrington (Eels)
Cherrington’s debut 2020 season earned her the Dally M Rookie of the Year award. Grew up playing rugby league but signed a contract with the NSW Waratahs rugby union women’s team in 2018. She had a successful stint at the club, winning two premierships in her first two seasons. Made the leap back to NRLW in 2020. The 23-year-old is not afraid to tackle and is almost impossible to catch when she has the ball. Earned a spot in the NSW women’s Origin team in 2021.
Rugby scouting rival codes for best talent
By Selina Steele
Returned Rugby Sevens coach Tim Walsh is scouting all codes — including the NRLW and AFLW — to launch the women’s program back to the top of the Olympic podium.
Walsh, who guided the Australian women’s team to Olympic gold in Rio, revealed he had his eye on cross-code players.
The innovative Walsh refused to disclose names but with the NRLW and AFLW finals in April, there is scope to add developmental players before the Commonwealth Games.
Walsh will also expand his leadership group by naming Demi Hayes, Charlotte Caslick, Madison Ashby and Sharni Williams in the senior role.
The shift follows Australia’s fifth-place at the Tokyo Olympics and comes ahead of July’s Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.
“From a selfish point of view, the growth in professionalism of women’s sport, and in particular the football codes, is brilliant,” Walsh said.
“And we, as in rugby, have the ultimate product. We are full-time professionals, we have Olympics and Commonwealth Games, we travel the world with a world series.
“So athletes that wanted to come and play sevens, or who I wanted to come and play sevens,
they are halfway there because they understand preparation and training.
“There’s people knocking on my door at all kinds of levels.
“And while rugby is not the right sport for all athletes, there are a couple of names that I’d like to chat with in league and AFLW.”
Australia’s recent success on the world series circuit, three gold and a bronze, is somewhat of a false economy with New Zealand yet to play because of Covid travel restrictions.
However, Australia has avenged the quarter-final loss to Fiji that shattered their Olympic dream in Tokyo.
Caslick said the team, which is now in a heavy running phase, had found it’s new style under Walsh that allowed the players to keep the ball alive and offload.
“We’re working to the strengths of the girls we have in the group now,” Caslick said.
Shannon Parry and Emma Tonegato have since retired from sevens, Tonegato starring for the Dragons in the opening NRLW match at the weekend.
After the US tour, the Aussie women hope to maintain their stronghold on the competition in late April when they travel to Langford, Canada for the next leg of the world series.
“It’s still early days in regards to developing this squad but we will pick an Australia A and Australian side to tour the US in mid-March,” Walsh said.
“We play less games than the European team ... and post Olympics there is a massive discrepancy in training and playing output of our players.
“Some players are only at 37 per cent and we know they need to be at 87 per cent to be in the best position to perform.
“This is on the forefront of our minds and why the USA tour is so important — to make sure our players are fit and healthy.
“Most of the sevens squad have had Covid but to play so well in the world series and to be so under prepared has been character building for the team.”
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