A fierce advocate for Indigenous issues and mental health, the Sharks are proud to nominate Rhiannon Byers for the 2025 Veronica White Medal given her outstanding community service.
Away from footy, the NRLW star dedicates herself to the Kurranulla Aboriginal Corporation. Working across 21 local high schools, the second-rower mentors close to 400 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students annually.
The Veronica White Medal – Woman of the Year recognises the contributions an NRLW player has made not only on the field but in their local community.
Alongside nominees from the other 11 clubs, Byers has earned a well-deserved place in the NRLW Community Team of the Year. Fans have the opportunity to choose an automatic finalist, with three others to be decided by a judging panel.
The winner will be announced at the Dally M Medal ceremony.
Voting closes on August 26 at 5pm – CLICK HERE to support Rhiannon!
Byers' achievements over the past 12 months include:
- Leading Kurranulla's First Nations Health and Wellbeing Day (June 10) at Engadine High School with more than 200 youth participants.
- Regularly participating in several Sharks Have Heart programs, including Ungah Academy, One Heart, Equal Access and school holiday clinics.
- Volunteering her time as a coach for Cronulla's female pathways program, including the Lisa Fiaola Cup and Tarsha Gale Cup teams.
- Spearheading youth suicide-prevention initiatives and organising powerful mental fitness workshops with Find Ya Feet's Tommy Herschell.
- Courageously sharing her story during the Sharks' Mental Fitness Round.
"Working in the community and working for Kurranulla Aboriginal Corporation has been really important to me," Byers said upon being nominated.
"Going into schools every day and seeing the kids grow... When I first started, they were really disconnected with community and our culture.
"Seeing them growing and finding who they are as individuals has been really fulfilling for me. It's also been helping me with my cultural journey.
"I love every day that go into work."
Byers encouraged other NRLW players to immerse themselves in local initiatives, saying it brings about a "sense of belonging" to one's club and region.
"I'm not from the Shire – I'm from Moree, NSW," she explained.
"Moving here, I wanted to get more involved in the community. Sharks Have Heart are also very good at community work and I love what they do.
"With Kurranulla Aboriginal Corporation being involved in collaborations with the Sharks, it's been another thing that I love to do and strive for."
Having experienced personal tragedy, Byers is passionate about mental health. She shared her story of losing a close friend in a raw Find Ya Feet session with Tommy Herschell during the Sharks' Mental Fitness Round in May.
Byers is also committed to tackling the devastatingly high rate of Indigenous youth suicide, particularly in country areas like her hometown of Moree.
"Mental health is one of the many struggles that both men and women and our youth experience," Byers said.
Each member of the NRLW Community Team of the Year will receive a $1000 cash prize for their selected junior league club. The Veronica White Medal winner will receive $2000 for their selected club and $2000 for a chosen charity.
CLICK HERE to vote for Rhiannon!
