NRLW General Discussion

Lauren said:
HARVEY NORMAN WOMEN'S PREMIERSHIP

Women's team shortlisted for major award​

AuthorWests TigersTimestampThu 24 Nov 2022, 09:45 AM

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Wests Tigers Harvey Norman Women’s team has been shortlisted as a finalist in the ‘team of the year’ category at the 2022 NSW Sports Awards.

The honour follows the team’s golden-point grand final win over Cronulla Sharks at Campbelltown Sports Stadium in July, which earned Wests Tigers a maiden NSW Women’s Premiership title.


Maiden premiership for Wests Tigers Harvey Norman Women's team's team
Maiden premiership for Wests Tigers Harvey Norman Women's team
The NSW Sports Team of the Year Award, however, is about much more than on-field success.

The judging also takes into consideration several other aspects about the team, and its overall success.

It looks at the role the team played in talent progression at the club, its effect on grass roots participation, the growing profile and recognition of its players, and how it engaged with its local community.


Wests Tigers Women's players and community staff at NSW Youth Week 's players and community staff at NSW Youth Week
Wests Tigers Women's players and community staff at NSW Youth Week
On all these fronts, Wests Tigers Harvey Norman Women’s team has excelled.

Team Manager Jessica Schwartz has recently taken up a position at Wests Tigers as Pathways Operations Manager. Schwartz previously spent countless hours volunteering her time to help our Harvey Norman Women’s team to be the best it could be.

Smiles all round for Wests Tigers HNW team manager, Jess Schwartz
Smiles all round for Wests Tigers HNW team manager, Jess Schwartz
Jess was nominated as Wests Tigers’ Ambassador for NRL Women in League Round in 2022, and was also named Wests Tigers Woman of the Year at the club’s Kelly-Barnes Awards night.

Schwartz believes the team’s success, on and off the field in 2022, played a key role in the club being admitted to the NRLW in 2023.

“There are so many reasons to sing the praises about this team and these players,” said Schwartz.


"They selflessly give up their time to engage with our community at charity events, hospital visits, kids’ clinics and more.”


Captain Botille Vette-Welsh and friends at Wests Tigers Picton Community Day
Captain Botille Vette-Welsh and friends at Wests Tigers Picton Community Day
When asked about the team’s role in talent progression and player pathways at the club, Schwartz provided some glowing stats.

“About 90% of this year’s team were local juniors, including Campbelltown twins Emily and Sophie Curtain,” said Schwartz.

We also had players make their HNW debuts who came through our Tarsha Gale (U/19s) team, including Balmain junior Imogen Gobran and Leumeah local, Losana Lutu.”


Schwartz says Lutu is a classic example of talent progression.

"Losana made her Harvey Norman debut with Wests Tigers, she was selected for the NSW U/19s State of Origin team and was one of eight of our players picked up by NRLW clubs in 2022.”

Losana Lutu celebrating grand final glory with Kezie Apps
Losana Lutu celebrating grand final glory with Kezie Apps
Schwartz says the premiership-winning team’s on-field success in 2022 is more than matched by its off-field endeavours.

“These players are ambassadors for Wests Tigers and rugby league who continue to drive awareness and make positive social change,” she said.


"I am sure this was a major factor in Wests Tigers being granted an NRLW license next year.”

Wests Tigers Women's players at recent all girls footy clinic in Bradbury's players at recent all girls footy clinic in Bradbury
Wests Tigers Women's players at recent all girls footy clinic in Bradbury
Head of Pathways at Wests Tigers is Matthew Betsey, who is equally proud of the the team's achievements.

He says there is a clear link between their off-field work and growth in grass roots participation.

"They are all heavily invested in community programs to drive participation," said Betsey.


Our team is in pretty good company in the ‘best team’ category with the likes of NRL Premiers, Penrith Panthers and NBL Champions, Sydney Kings, also in contention.

NSW Sports Awards Team of the Year finalists

TeamSport
Australian Junior Men’s Coxed FourRowing
NSW Women’s Origin TeamRugby League
Penrith PanthersRugby League
North Cronulla Open Beach Relay TeamSurf Lifesaving
Sydney KingsBasketball
Wests Tigers Women's TeamRugby League
The 2022 NSW Sports Awards are NSW’s highest sports honours and the 12 category winners will be revealed at the prestigious rebel NSW Champions of Sport Ceremony at the International Convention and Exhibition Centre in Darling Harbour on Monday, November 28.

The new seasons for our HNW team and our Tarsha Gale Cup side (U/19’s) commence in March, 2023.

2023 will also see Wests Tigers field a team in the NRLW for the very first time.
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What a spread Lauren, great read, I hope Botille Vette-Welsh has some influence on her mates.
 
WESTS TIGERS

Insider series: Get to know Bo​

Author Wests Tigers
Mon 28 Nov 2022, 09:00 AM

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In the first edition of our new Insider series, we learn more about Wests Tigers new Community Engagement Officer, Botille Vette-Welsh.
screenshot-2022-11-16-182929.png

She talks about her upbringing, the origins of her name, and a couple of former schoolmates who now play in our NRL team.
It’s quite a story this one. Inspiring. Unique. Uplifting.

Botille Vette Welsh only knows of one other person named Botille. That was her great-great-grandmother, who moved from Denmark to New Zealand with seven young children, and another on the way.
Not long after arriving in New Zealand, her husband died in a tree-lopping incident, leaving her to raise eight kids by herself in a foreign land.

screenshot-2022-11-25-103404.png

Botille Vette-Welsh is the youngest of four children, and the only girl. Her parents named her after her stoic great-great-grandmother to ‘give her strength’ she says for the ‘rough and tough stuff that would hit me’.

Taipa, New Zealand
Taipa, New Zealand
Bo was born and raised in Taipa, New Zealand, a small settlement on the southern side of Doubtless Bay in Northland. When we say small, we mean small. Last count it had a population of 159, an increase of 24 people (17.8%) since the 2013 census.

As a young girl Botille displayed immense athletic ability. Only trouble was, it was a five-hour drive to a proper athletics track.

Long story short, when Botille was 14 years of age, her parents decided to relocate to Australia to give her and her brothers better opportunities.

Botille with Wests Tigers premiership-winning captain, Emily Curtain
Botille with Wests Tigers premiership-winning captain, Emily Curtain
Her natural talent and passion to succeed would see Botille build an impressive sporting resume.

She’s represented New Zealand in Touch and Athletics, played Rugby 7’s and Rugby 10’s for NSW, and has gone on to become one of the most recognisable names in women’s rugby league.

Botille is on the road to recovery after a season-ending knee injury playing for Parramatta Eels in the NRLW this year.

She says she can’t wait to start playing again, but in the meantime, is loving her new job at Wests Tigers.

“Being a part of the Community team at the club is a real eye-opener,’ she said.

It’s super rewarding, it warms my heart and I love giving something back to the community.”
Botille Vette-Welsh
Click to expand...
Keep an eye out in the coming days for our 'Insider' video with Botille Vette-Welsh.
 
KingRobbie said:
Not until the Collective Bargaining Agreement is finalised, no one's signed anywhere yet.

The new CBA is apparently going to include big changes for female pay, so they're all waiting for that to be finalised before they sign anywhere.
Click to expand...
Thanks bro
 
wests-tigers logo

Wests Tigers Women at NSW Sports Awards

PATHWAYS

Wests Tigers Women at NSW Sports Awards​

Author Wests Tigers
Tue 29 Nov 2022, 11:01 AM

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Wests Tigers Harvey Norman Women’s team has missed out on being named 'team of the year’ at the NSW Sports Awards.
screenshot-2022-11-29-105636.png

Penrith Panthers claimed the honours after winning this year's NRL title, as well as the 2022 NRL minor premiership.
hnw_nsw_sports_awards_2022.jpg

Wests Tigers Head of Pathways Matthew Betsey joined the players and coach Adel Hage at the awards night in Sydney.

He says it's been a milestone year for Wests Tigers women's programs.
Our players should be really proud of everything they have achieved this year.
Matthew Betsey
Click to expand...
"It's a credit to them and the coaching staff to be nominated for such a prestigious award. Congratulations to the Panthers after another terrific season."
"Our goal continues to be about winning games of football, but there's a bigger picture.
We also understand our broader responsibility to inspire the next generation of players.
Matthew Betsey
Click to expand...
"For the very first time next year we will have an NRLW team. That means boys and girls in Sydney's South West and Inner West can aspire to become Wests Tigers."
 
Do we have a thread about the woman's team? To be honest I don't know any of the players. Be interesting to see.
 
SeanT said:
Do we have a thread about the woman's team? To be honest I don't know any of the players. Be interesting to see.
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We had some super stars in our NSWRL Womens team this season that played in the Harvey Norman NSW Womens Premiership NSWRL Comp .. Skipper was Botille Vette-Welsh and we recruit Kezie Apps and Jess Sergis all 3 players have been picked in Australian Jillaroos Squad and NSW Origin Team together. 👍👍

We now have a NRLW license for the 2023 comp (moving up from the NSWRL Womens Comp) but unfortunately all 3 women will return to their contracted clubs for the 2023 NRLW comp .. :(
 
The-moP said:
We had some super stars in our NSWRL Womens team this season that played in the Harvey Norman NSW Womens Premiership NSWRL Comp .. Skipper was Botille Vette-Welsh and we recruit Kezie Apps and Jess Sergis all 3 players have been picked in Australian Jillaroos Squad and NSW Origin Team together. 👍👍

We now have a NRLW license for the 2023 comp (moving up from the NSWRL Womens Comp) but unfortunately all 3 women will return to their contracted clubs for the 2023 NRLW comp .. :(
Click to expand...
Vette-Welsh will stay with us and be our inaugural captain in NRLW 2023.
 
The-moP said:
We had some super stars in our NSWRL Womens team this season that played in the Harvey Norman NSW Womens Premiership NSWRL Comp .. Skipper was Botille Vette-Welsh and we recruit Kezie Apps and Jess Sergis all 3 players have been picked in Australian Jillaroos Squad and NSW Origin Team together. 👍👍

We now have a NRLW license for the 2023 comp (moving up from the NSWRL Womens Comp) but unfortunately all 3 women will return to their contracted clubs for the 2023 NRLW comp .. :(
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Rediculous.
I believe they are still contracted to us for the HNW so they’ll play in the lower tier comp making us a strong side then leave to other clubs making us possibly the weakest side in the top tier comp in our inaugural season.
Probably have to imagine Emily Curtin is in the same boat as well and Latu (sorry can’t remember her first name)
Who the hell are we going to have available for the NRLW?
 
Needaname said:
That’s true aye, she was replaced at Para by the hmw Mounties fullback because of her ACL.
Good to hear. Deserved captain.
Can you confirm the others I mentioned?
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Pretty sure Losana Lutu and the Curtain sisters will be in Wests Tigers NRLW squad along with Tess Staines and a few other regulars from the women’s NSW cup team. Every chance Sergis and Apps could be. They aren’t signed anywhere yet as there’s no CBA in place for 2023 yet. There was an article or two a few weeks back saying that Noddy would be going after a few big names including those two. It was in the same article where Vette-Welsh was announced along with her ambassador role with the club.
 
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WOMEN'S RUGBY LEAGUE

Losana Lutu: One to watch in 2023​

Tom Gibbs
Mon 19 Dec 2022, 09:01 AM

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When Losana Lutu made her mark for Wests Tigers this season, the Fijian international always demonstrated talent beyond her years. So much so, that she had made her NRLW debut by the end of 2022.
Touted as one of the rising stars to come through the ranks at the Tigers, Lutu competed in her first Harvey Norman Tarsha Gale Cup season this year under coach Letitia Taylor.

She excelled at both halfback and hooker in the Under 19s competition, scoring five tries from nine matches and helping the Tigers to a Semi-final appearance, which quickly caught the attention of True Blue and Harvey Norman NSW Women’s Premiership coach Brett Kimmorley.
Lutu debuted for the NSW Women’s Premiership side off the bench in Round Four - within a month of the Tarsha Gale Cup finishing - before playing at fullback for the next two games.
Her stellar season led to representative honours with NSW City Under 19s in the Women’s National Championships, before she lined up at five-eighth and set up a try for the NSW Women’s Under 19s in their State of Origin win.
The Tigers’ youngster showed no signs of slowing down after returning to the NSW Women’s Premiership, where she partnered Emily Curtain in the halves from Round Nine. Lutu helped the Tigers progress past the Semi-final stage against North Sydney, before tasting Grand Final glory against Cronulla-Sutherland in a 21-20 thriller.
It was already a breakout year for Lutu when she earned the ultimate reward of an NRLW contract with the Parramatta Eels and a debut in Round One for the 2022 season.
At 18, she is still only scratching the surface as one of the players to watch in the women’s game and there is little doubt the future star could make even greater strides next year after a whirlwind 2022.
 
Needaname said:
That’s true aye, she was replaced at Para by the hmw Mounties fullback because of her ACL.
Good to hear. Deserved captain.
Can you confirm the others I mentioned?
Click to expand...
Would be very, very surprised if the Curtain girls and Lutu aren’t with us in NRLW 2023.

Can almost guarantee they’ll be here.

Them + Vette-Welsh should be the core of our side in our inaugural season.

Sergis and Apps, I don’t think so.
 
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