POWER GAME
With a 417kg powerlifting total it’s no surprise Tara Reinke’s move to the TRL has been a success
SHE’S the champion powerlifter that is proving to be one of the finds of the TRL women’s competition.
Tara Reinke has made a big impression for Gatton, with the athlete transferring her strength in the gym to a power game on the footy field.
RUGBY LEAGUE: Is Tara Reinke the strongest woman in the TRL?
The Gatton Hawks front rower has made a big impression in her first season of rugby league with powerful running and hard-hitting defence.
When you look at her background, it’s not hard to see why she’s enjoyed immediate success.
Reinke is also a champion powerlifter, with national and Oceania titles under her belt.
She’s been competing in the sport since 2017, with a simple philosophy spurring her involvement.
“I finished school and didn’t play sports anymore, so I thought why not hit the gym and get big,” Reinke said.
That’s exactly what she’s done, posting personal bests of a 147kg squat, 85kg bench press and 185kg dead lift.
“I’ve been competing since 2017. I started at 17 and have won at the nationals three times, Oceanias once and was ranked in the top 15 last year for overall,” she said.
“I was supposed to have a comp in September but it was cancelled due to the lockdown. There’s another coming up in November to qualify for next year.”
While excelling in the gym, Reinke said the opportunity to come on board for Gatton in the inaugural season of the TRL women’s competition was too good to ignore.
Such is her form that she was named as one of the TRL women’s 12 most underrated players.
“I really think it’s great getting to play with a team again,” she said.
“Lifting can be quite individual, where with footy you can see your mates a few times a week and enjoy a couple of beers.
“We saw that our local club had posted on their Facebook team that they were looking at putting in a women’s team.
“A few friends and I thought that if they have one, why not join.”
It’s proven to be a success, with the Hawks completing an unbeaten regular season and one win away from booking their spot in the grand final.
“We went up for a trial match before the season started,” she said.
“Some of us were a bit nervous, but we had a lot of fun and thought it wasn’t that bad at all.
“We have a great bunch of girls that turn up and play well. We’re basically all good mates.”
The Toowoomba Rugby League hosts its preliminary finals at the Toowoomba Sports Ground on Sunday, with action kicking off at 10.15am.