SCRU: Leading women’s coaches name key players, 2024 finals aims

The Sunshine Coast women’s rugby union season is quickly approaching finals with leading coaches revealing their team’s key players, major takeaways and run home aims.

Sunshine Coast women's rugby union. Pictures: Rachel Wright Images, Facebook, Contributed.

After 12 rounds of entertaining rugby union across the Sunshine Coast, we’re quickly approaching finals for the 2024 senior women’s season.

With just two rounds in the regular season remaining, teams are still battling it out for their place in the top four before the eventual grand final on August 17.

In a rollercoaster season of unpredictable results, we’ve spoken to leading coaches to gauge their side’s strengths, weaknesses, standout players and finals aims.

Read below to see how the top five sides are tracking.

• SCRU: Leading A-grade coaches name key players, 2024 finals aims

SENIOR WOMEN’S

BROTHERS

Current position: 1st (7 wins, 0 losses, 1 draw, 3 bonus points)

Head Coach: Geoff Flood

Key Players: “Every single one of the girls has been great to be honest with you. We were second last at the end of 2023 whereas this year we’re undefeated at the top of the table. Every player has done something special with others earning representative honours as well. If I had to pick one I would say Bliss Wilkins. She’s just been invited into the Queensland Reds Super W squad to go on the tour to Tonga with them.”

Sunshine Coast Brothers senior women's players Chloe Sobieralski, Krystal Hurst and Neala Milburn. Picture: Patrick Woods.

Biggest Positive: “Teams win competitions by working as one connected group in defence. Defence wins you competitions and our players play for each other every week. They won’t give up and you see that in their effort and performance each game. Our results have come off the back of that hard work.”

What needs improvement: “We broke the season up into five steps and we’re now just moving into that final step for the final part of the season. We’ve developed our pattern of play more and more and have grown so much already since round one. There’s nothing specific we’re looking to work on now, it’s more an all round plan that should hopefully keep us in good stead.”

NAMBOUR

Current position: 2nd (6 wins, 2 losses, 0 draws, 7 bonus points)

Head Coach: Luke Zeremes

Key Players: “To be honest this is a hard question to answer. We currently have 28 players in our playing group and I am so proud of the team for their versatility and understanding when it comes to game time. We have a lot of backs, so we have had to move several of them into the forwards. Isla Brennan has been fantastic since moving from the wing to flanker, while 17 year old Meg Fortune has moved from fullback to flanker and she has been relishing the opportunity. In the backs, we have two young guns Madi Collins and Lauri McGovern who have been playing outstanding rugby well beyond their years, while our Ferrari’s Jennifer and Dianne Ladewig have been exciting to watch on the edge. New recruit Brooke Day has been a revelation over the past three rounds.”

Caloundra pack their scrum against Nambour. Picture: Rachel Wright Images.

Biggest Positive: “There is no denying that other teams have a considerable size advantage over our team and we have seen most teams use that to their advantage in 2024. However, I am extremely proud of the defensive resolve of our team, as it feels like we spend the majority of most games without the ball. We have also had two last-minute wins during the season, showcasing the self-belief that we have within the squad. Although our biggest strength is having fun. We are a competitive side, but not results- driven, and we always make sure we are having a blast on and off the field. If we win, that’s a bonus!”

What needs improvement: “I am really happy with how we are tracking. As I mentioned, we have nearly 10-12 reserves each game so maintaining continuity and consistency is a challenge. If I had to say one thing to improve, it is our game management. Being a relatively young and inexperienced side, there have been a few times when some more composure and game nous would have been beneficial.”

CABOOLTURE

Current position: 3rd (4 wins, 4 losses, 0 draws, 7 bonus points)

Head Coach: Aaron Vinton

Key Players: “Obviously Olivia Fidow has been fantastic. She’s a real leader of the side and shows why she’s a standout player in the competition every week. Shannon Howard made her step up into the forwards and has done really well as has Ane Mailau so that whole front row has been really solid. I think our real surprise packet has been Georgia Sturgess. She’s come into her first year of rugby and is killing it at number 10. She’s got a touch football background but she’s come across and is an absolute terroir. She’s almost too involved sometimes just because she loves tackling and getting in the rucks but she’s loving it and is good at it.”

Caboolture Snakes women's captain Olivia Fidow runs the ball up.

Biggest Positive: “At the moment it’s the way the girls are sticking together when things get tough. We’ve had struggles all year with numbers and things like that so it hasn’t been the smoothest season, especially at training. When the games are getting tough they’ve really stuck together which is very satisfying for me. Teams have to beat us, we’re not going to beat ourselves too often.”

What needs improvement: “I’d say discipline and our attention to detail. The type of footy we play is pretty basic but it relies a lot on doing the little things well so sometimes when we get tired or zone out for a little bit we let ourselves down.”

MAROOCHYDORE

Current position: 4th (3 wins, 4 losses, 1 draw, 4 bonus points)

Head Coach: Andrew Block

Key Players: “Olivia Reginato is our halfback that’s come back this season after being away so she’s added a lot of speed and skill to our side. Lucinda Kelly got her first taste of Stingrays footy this season so she’s gone to another level for the back half of the year. Zindy Erapia is our tighthead prop and she’s added a lot of strength and stability to our scrum and ruck control.”

Maroochydore Swans 2023 senior women’s rugby union side.

Biggest Positive: “A big thing for us is that we’ve been competitive in all of our games this year. We’ve kicked on from last season and are starting to play with a bit more structure which is really positive.”

What needs improvement: “We’re looking at finishing games off and being a bit more ruthless. Once we get into a lead we need to make sure we don’t let teams back into the contest which has been our biggest weakness this season.”

CALOUNDRA

Current position: 5th (2 wins, 4 losses, 2 draws, 7 bonus points)

Head Coach: Tim Burgess

Key Players: “I think we need to give a real big wrap to Jane Greenland and Maddie Janke. They’ve both been really great all season as well as Heidi McDonald who is one of our younger players. She’s still in school and is only a smaller player but she isn’t afraid of anything.”

Caloundra women's rugby union captain Maddie Janke leads her team out. Picture: Rachel Wright Images.

Biggest Positive: “The big thing for us is we managed to get eight players into representative footy. We haven't won all our games but we’ve certainly blooded a few younger players and developed their skills.”

What needs improvement: “Now that we’re getting our full strength squad back we need to concentrate on our defence. We’ve got a bit of a new game plan as well that we’re trying to implement for the final few games. It should help our attack so hopefully we improve there.”

WYNNUM

Current position: 6th (0 wins, 8 losses, 0 draws, 0 bonus points)

Head Coaches: Ben Salm

Cannot make the finals.

Originally published as SCRU: Leading women’s coaches name key players, 2024 finals aims