The landmark event showcasing the best of female rugby league – from grassroots juniors to elite players – will take place on 21 June at the Piggabeen Sports Complex in Tweed Heads.
Tweed Seagulls RLFC are hosting the inaugural Festival of Female Footy in collaboration with the Gold Coast Titans, QRL and NSWRL.
Over 250 female players from Grafton to Logan with Female Match Officials will participate at the same venue connecting our community Rugby League through to the NRL. With an expected turn out of over 5,000 people the Tweed Seagulls RLFC CEO Brendon Lindsay says it is a ‘reflection of just how far women’s rugby league has come’.
Gold Coast Area Manager, Queensland Rugby League Katie McAllister says, ‘The Festival of Female Footy is a wonderful opportunity to showcase the local female talent we have across our Northern Rivers and Gold Coast regions.
‘Both regions have experienced significant growth in the female game over the past few years and days like this give us a positive platform to promote the hard work of not just the players but also the mums, dads, coaching staff and clubs who have grinded away for years to put the girls game on the map.’
Head Coach for the Titans NRLW, Karyn Murphy, agrees saying, ‘This is going to be a really special event for rugby league on the Gold Coast and Northern Rivers.
‘To have this many female games being played in one place – from juniors through to the NRLW – is something we’ve never seen before. For us, the match against the Cowboys is a crucial part of our pre-season as we build towards our season opener on July 5. There’s still plenty of competition for spots, so I know our squad will be out to impress.’
Importance of investing in women
Mr Lindsay highlights the ‘importance of investing in women’s pathways. For women’s sport more broadly, it sends a strong message – there is genuine interest, strong community support, and a bright future ahead.’
‘It’s a clear validation of the game’s growing popularity and the incredible progress made in such a short time from the hard work of QRL and NSWRL.
‘Community is the foundation rugby league was built on. The game has a unique ability to unite people from all walks of life, and this is yet another example of that in action.’
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