Following on from the appointment of Corban Baxter, Kiana Takairangi and Holli Wheeler as team coaches, the Sharks have announced a 30-player squad to play in the under-17’s Lisa Fiaola Cup.
A Gala Day to be played at St Mary’s Stadium on July 6, the Lisa Fiaola Cup will add to the female pathways already in place at the Sharks, leading to the Tarsha Gale, Harvey Norman and potentially an NRLW team were the Cronulla club to be successful in gaining a license to compete in the 2023 elite women’s competition.
The team will undergo four weeks of training under the tutelage of three Baxter, a Jillaroo and NSW Sky Blue, Kiwi international Takairangi, who currently partners Baxter in a junior coaching business, as well as another former Jillaroo and NSW Origin rep in Wheeler who joined the Sharks Harvey Norman team in 2022.
While the Sharks are eagerly awaiting the outcome of their application to be a part of the 2023 NRLW competition, the Lisa Fiaola Cup is an example of the Club’s continued efforts to offer pathways and playing opportunity to young female athletes in another display of the Sharks commitment to growing the women’s game.
“I’ve felt we’ve always had a good pool of young girls that play league tag and touch footy and Oztag, but to have a full contact competition for that younger age I think is going to be great for their development,” Baxter expressed.
“I’m excited to see some of the young girls coming through, especially in the Cronulla area. They can start playing at a more elite level at a younger age which will be great,” she added.
The Sharks Lisa Fiaola Cup squad, made up of players turning 16 or 17 and registered with a club in the local Cronulla-Sutherland junior league, begin preparations with their first training session on Monday.
Sharks Lisa Fiaola Cup squad
Elle Mercer
Sage Gray
Erica Pritchard
Lailah Sheridan
Stephanie Faulkner
Alena Pale Eli
Kelsey Wilson
Keona Quinn
Maddison Shatte
Ava Williams
Jessica Stonestreet
Tegan Jenkins
Suga-Rae Hemara
Tess Robinson
Kira Hensley
Jayla Webster
Leilani Havea
Brydie Kadziela
Ariana Harden
Olivia Herman
Joy Levy
Chynna Hardy
Ava Hardy
Ava Cahill
Tairah Bolatagici
Abigail Brickwood
Raphaela Stojoski
Caitlyn Halse
Manalita Takapautolo
Manaia Harris-Wilson