Gladiators look to expand Far North Rugby League women’s competition in 2026
Mareeba Gladiators remain determined to bring in a female rugby league team into the Far North Queensland despite not quite getting over the line in 2025.
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Mareeba Gladiators remain determined to bring in a female rugby league team into the Far North Queensland despite not quite getting over the line in 2025.
The Gladiators last had a female’s side in 2022, where the club finished third and were eliminated in the first week of the finals.
The FNQRL women’s had six teams in the competition in 2022 and 2023 but just the five sides in 2024.
The Northern Pride will play in their inaugural BMD Premiership in 2025, showing the growth of rugby league in women’s in the region.
Gladiators president Shaun Fincham said the club will look to bringing in a side in 2026.
“We are committed to having a ladies team up here but there was just a lack of interest to be honest,” Fincham said.
“We were happy to put in funds and development pathways up here because the introduction to the BMD Pride side is going to be terrific for women’s game up here.
“But we need to make sure we are a sustainable team too and the interest level we had just wasn’t enough to substantiate a team week in, week out.”
Mareeba’s under 17s girls side claimed the 2024 premiership with a number of girls likely to move to surrounding clubs to play senior football as they step up in their rugby league careers.
“There will be a few that more or likely will promote into other clubs and that is with our blessing, they need to have a club to play for,” Fincham said.
“But the under 17s team next year will predominantly be the same team again, is my understanding.
“So we are hopeful we could progress them through in 2026.
“Atherton is definitely a pathway for our girls and if we can’t substantiate a team we will definitely push them over to Atherton because they need to be playing footy if the women’s game is going to strengthen.
“There is interest from people but their commitment to us just hasn’t been there so we just can’t substantiate that team.”
The Gladiators parted ways with their men’s senior coach Chris Sheppard at the beginning of October and welcomed for Mareeba A-grade players Trent Barnard and Tom Hughes as co-coaches.
Benard was a former captain of the Mareeba Gladiators, while Hughes had a great career as one of the top players from Mareeba.
“We have had a lot of interest from outside areas which has been really good,” Fincham said.
“The two new coaches are incredibly motivated and I think because of their personalities, we have had a lot of outside interest asking to come and play here.
“We will wait to see if that eventuates into anything but there is certainly interest around the mens game.
“We have had interest from other clubs and equally so players who haven’t played for a couple of years are interested in coming back.
“I think it is really helpful, the chat around the place is really encouraging.”
Sheppard played a big part of the development and pathways for the Gladiators, bridging the gap between top tier and second tier as well as the junior into senior pathways.
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Originally published as Gladiators look to expand Far North Rugby League women’s competition in 2026
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