GULLS TAKE GIRLS UNDER THEIR WING
TWEED’S inaugural senior female rugby league team are not only providing inspiration for women their age; their influence is spreading to girls just starting their sporting journey too. The Seagulls are fielding their maiden all-girls junior team this year in the under-7 Group 18 Northern Rivers competition.
“They have all got brothers in a couple of age groups above so they were there and kicking the footy around and then they were playing,” junior president Daniel Taylor said.
“So we went from two registered girls for the last couple of years to this year having seven and it sounds like we have got some more coming because now they know the girls are all there and in a girls team.”
Under-7 teams play six-aside; Tweed’s are coached by Nick Hillman.
Taylor is proud of the pathway his club is facilitating.
“It’s good. We’ve been trying to get a girls program up and going and it’s sort of starting at 14s and 16s as a league tag competition but it’s not really taking off,” he said.
“So the fact that we have got a full team of girls wanting to play tackle rugby league at such a young age to start developing, if they stay together and keep going, they will drag more girls into it.
“This is the way to get to a girls’ competition.”
The Seagulls girls won’t have to search far for role models, with Tweed’s seniors pulling off a stunning last start upset win against South East Queensland division one defending champions Burleigh.
TWEED’S NEW NRL HOPE: Tomorrow’s Bulletin