Over 60 of the brightest young females from St George, the Illawarra, and the South Coast came together at Helensburgh’s Rex Jackson Oval on Sunday to trial for the club’s NRLW Academy.
The group gathered to watch on as the club’s NRLW squad completed a training session in the morning before competing in several trial games which were coached and officiated by the top squad.
The club’s Academy is a targeted, high-performance development program for outstanding female athletes who are on a path towards a career in rugby league which aims to bridge the gap between junior representative football and the NRLW stage.
The session marked the conclusion of the squad’s preseason camp which saw them put through their paces in a conditioning session at Stanwell Park Beach on Friday afternoon before undertaking a range of team-building exercises at The Tops across the remainder of the weekend.
Sammy Bremner, the club’s General Manager of Female Football, lauded the squad’s efforts throughout the camp as they continue their charge towards Round 1.
“I think that we accomplished everything we set out to achieve through camp,” Bremner said.
“There’s a couple of values that we all landed on, both staff and players, things that were really important to us, but also things that we knew we wanted to improve on. The big ones were connection and hard work which are always really important. We want to make sure we’re connecting to our pathways and community which is what Sunday was all about.
“Friday, the girls trained so hard at the beach for two hours; they didn’t stop, didn’t even have a drink of water… No one complained, no questions asked, just a real tough mentality, and they got through that.”
“It connects the community, it brings them together, so that when they put on their Dragons jersey on this year, they understand it’s more than just themselves... They know they’re representing, so that, when they put their jersey on, they get those goosebumps.”
Sammy Bremner
Bremner says that the group is being driven by a newfound confidence bolstered by the connection they have crafted over the offseason and early part of preseason.
“There’s a real confidence I haven’t seen yet in this group,” she said.
“I think that comes down to a couple of things. The key players that we’ve recruited have been incredible for the group with their leadership and work ethic but also the work that the staff have put into this group to instil that self-belief. 12 months ago, the girls didn’t quite believe or know what they thought was possible for themselves, and now I feel like they’re really focused. They believe what they can achieve, and they’re going after it.”
A clear connection from the base of the club’s pathways system up to the top squad and the communities the club represents is a focus for Bremner – one of Helensburgh’s favourite daughters and success stories.
“The connection and alignment is super important,” she said.
“We had over 60 girls trialling for our Academy and they’re watching how our NRLW team operates, how they speak, how they carry themselves. They understand what it takes to be an NRLW player and leave with a bit of inspiration of what they could possibly be. On the other end, it’s also really important for NRLW players to look at these girls and understand that they are role models and understand what them being present means to the community.
“It connects the community, it brings them together, so that when they put their Dragons jersey on this year, they understand it’s more than just themselves. They understand that it’s for these young girls who watch it today, for the places we’ve been, the people we’ve met, and it holds a little bit more sentimental value. They know what they’re representing, so that, when they put their jersey on, they get those goosebumps.”
