Live stream: Macey Cox, Liesl Hopoate lead NSW Combined Catholic Colleges at ASSRL National U18 Championships

After 12 months of being plagued by questions of what if, a new-look NSW CCC side featuring a uber-talented fullback and another Hopoate bound for the bright lights will get a chance to answer them. Find out more.

After falling agonisingly short of a grand final berth in the inaugural Under-18 Girls ASSRL National Championships last year, NSWCCC has its eyes on the prize in 2024.

For 12 months, the coaching staff and players in the NSW Combined Catholic Colleges girls side have been plagued by what ifs.

The side was the only team to topple a red hot NSW Combined High Schools last year at the inaugural girls national championships.

But the NSW CCC side was forced to watch on as their sky blue rivals ran away with the title after they fell agonisingly short of reaching the decider, going down to Queensland in the semi-finals.

A new-look NSW CCC side, albeit with a sprinkling of last year’s talented squad still in its ranks, will get a chance to answer those what ifs in Coffs Harbour this week.

Every match of the ASSRL Under-18 National Championships will be exclusively live streamed on KommunityTV and across News Corp Australia’s digital mastheads from July 7-12.

FIND OUT HOW TO WATCH THE ASSRL NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS LIVE

NSW Combined Catholic Colleges were beaten by Queensland in the semi-finals stage last year. Picture, John Gass

While the squad might have experienced some upheaval in the 12 months since last year’s tournament, coach Scott Ashcroft said the expectations remained the same.

“We want to make sure we’re meeting our standards,” Ashcroft said.

“If we do everything we need to do during the game, the results will speak for themselves.”

There will be plenty of fresh talent featured for NSW CCC, with only Tarnee Ingram, Rhian Yeo and Georgie Barrett backing up from last year.

But that doesn’t mean they are inexperienced, with many in the squad stepping up from last year’s Under-16s Nationals including dynamic fullback Macey Cox (St Joseph’s Catholic College, Aberdeen).

Evie McGrath was a key part of the NSW CCC side who won’t be back this year. Picture, John Gass

While she has made a name for herself on the netball courts in Sydney’s south, the niece of famed former Manly winger John Hopoate, Liesl, will make her ASSRL Nationals debut in the centres for the NSW CCC side.

“There are some really exciting players this year,” Ashcroft said.

“There’s Macey from up north, she’s really just a student of the game, wanting to learn more and do more.

“Liesl Hopoate (Mount Carmel Catholic College) is a big, strong centre, she’s still pretty raw but has a truckload of natural talent.

“Then there’s Kiana (Vatabua), she’s coming in from a rugby union background and has loads of potential.”

Macey Cox in action for the Knights in the Lisa Fiaola Cup finals earlier this year. Picture: Warren Gannon

Where in previous years the representative sides have been made up of a motley crew of sporting talents, with rugby, soccer and even netball converts, Ashcroft said he had seen a genuine shift toward pure rugby league talent coming through the age groups.

“We’re seeing genuine rugby league girls and really well-rounded rugby league players,” he said.

“As opposed to the sort of girls that are just giving it a try.

“As the pathways and the consistency in rugby league become a little bit more available and clearer, we’re starting to get a few more girls now that are just starting to focus on rugby league and making that their priority. It is awesome.

“Girls are flocking to the game and there’s a framework now to allow them to go in and be successful, which I think is really important.

Originally published as Live stream: Macey Cox, Liesl Hopoate lead NSW Combined Catholic Colleges at ASSRL National U18 Championships