History will be made at 4 Pines Park on Saturday, July 6, when the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles make their exciting debut in the Harvey Norman NSW Women’s Premiership.
The only statewide open age competition for women in NSW, the Sea Eagles take on traditional rivals Parramatta Eels at 3pm in the opening round of the 12-team competition.
In fielding a Harvey Norman NSW Women’s Premiership team, the Sea Eagles have outlined a clear pathway for female rugby league players after the club competed in the Lisa Fiaola (U17s) and Tarsha Gale (U19s) competitions for past two years. The next step is entry to the elite NRLW competition in the near future.
The Sea Eagles will be coached by the experienced Keith Hanley and captained by centre Shontelle Stowers, who has played NRLW for the Parramatta Eels, represented NSW Origin, and played Test football for Samoa.
Players were presented with their jerseys by Sea Eagles legend Geoff Toovey, who holds the role of Manly’s Junior Pathways Coaching Co-ordinator, at a Club Induction Day on Sunday.
If enthusiasm and excitement are an indiction of how the team well perform, then they are already over the halfway line, such was the energy and passion embraced by the players who are proud to create their own legacy for the next generation of women coming through the Manly pathways program.
Hanley, who has coached the Maori All Stars women’s team for the past three years, said it was an exciting time for the Sea Eagles team.
“I think we are going to be a team that has a fair bit of grit about us,’’ Hanley said.
“There will be moments when we’re not going to be the prettiest football team on the field, but we are going to hang in and stay with teams that might have a little bit more skill than us.
“And we’re going to compete. That’s what I’m seeing from the group that we have.”
The Sea Eagles squad have several local players raised on the Northern Beaches in it, including Teagan Long, Chelsea Smyth, Pier Pritchard, Maddison Binding, Lili Boyle, Paris Ingegenri, Nicole Backhouse, Aaliyah Paki, and Riley McKay.
Furthermore, seven players have progressed to the Harvey Norman NSW Women's team after playing for Manly in the U19s Tarsha Gale Cup competition over the past two years.
The Sea Eagles made the Tarsha Gale Cup finals this season under Hanley in their second year in the competition.
The Sea Eagles last week signed a landmark agreement with the Gold Coast that will see their Titans NRLW players not selected available to play for Manly in the Harvey Norman NSW Women’s Premiership.
It is a tremendous opportunity for the Sea Eagles players to develop their skills alongside the NRLW players, who will boost the squad with extra depth and experience.
The NRLW season kicks off on July 25 with Gold Coast players flying into Sydney the day before Manly’s games to attend the team’s final training session.
And in a huge thrill for the team, the Sea Eagles' second home game in the Harvey Norman NSW Women's Premiership will be the curtain raiser match to the NRL clash between Manly and the Gold Coast Titans at 4 Pines Park on Sunday, July 21.
Sea Eagles Harvey Norman NSW Women's Premiership squad
Nicole Backhouse
Matisse Bettridge
Maddison Binding
Lili Boyle
Miah Brusnahan
Kobe Dymock
Kayla Eli
Kyla Gordon
Mia Holo
Tupou Hopoate
Paris Ingegneri
Teagan Long
Leela Ma-Chong
Mahina-Maara Manapori
Riley McKay
Tayla Montgomery
Nicole Nathan
Tanika-Jazz Noble-Bell
Aaliyah Paki
Taytana Pati Ah-Cheung
Shiloh Phillips
Pier Prichard
Becca Riley
Danica Sardelich
Shontelle Stowers
Anna Kina Tabuai-Dingley
Mollie Tagaloa
Jamee Taitoko
Lavinia Tauhalaliku
JayJay Taylor
Anna Tonu'u
Aleksandra Tunufai
Alicia Weir
Development Players
Chelsea Smyth
Lauryn-Val Tovia
Krystal Weekes
