The Sharks female program, highlighted in 2024 with a Grand Final appearance by their NRLW team, continues to go from strength to strength.
The senior NRLW girls proved they are a competitive force, and our teams in the under 17's Lisa Fiaola Cup and under 19 Tarsha Gale Cup hope to do the same after beginning their 2025 campaigns with trial matches last weekend.
At a junior club level, numbers continue to grow at an amazing rate as more and more girls make rugby league in all its forms their sporting choice.
More than ever before, the young women at the grassroots and in the pathways teams can now dream and work towards a future in professional sport and to representing the Sharks at the highest level in the years to come.
However, while many positives surround the impressive growth of the women's game in the Sutherland Shire, the Sharks will openly admit they are falling behind the competition when it comes to the club's ageing facilities, which aren't equipped to accommodate the growing demand and ever-increasing professional standards.
Pledging their support, Liberal MPs Simon Kennedy, the Federal Member for Cook, and Jenny Ware, the Federal Member for Hughes, have launched a campaign supporting the creation of new women's changerooms at Sharks Stadium and are urging the community to sign a petition in backing the initiative.
Should the petition indicate strong support from the community, Mr Kennedy, Ms Ware and the Federal Liberal Party will pledge a $4 million grant to upgrade the Sharks female facilities if the Coalition forms the government after the next election. That amount will be matched by the Sharks.
Currently antiquated and in need of a considerable improvement, an $8million upgrade to dressing room and training facilities at Sharks Stadium will go a long way towards providing the high-performance environment our female athletes deserve.
"Women in sport deserve better, our grand finalist NRL women deserve better. This is just the start; we're calling on your support to help raise enough signatures to show that we, as a community, stand by our Sharks in fighting for funding for an upgrade to their changerooms," Mr Kennedy said.
As it stands, the NRLW Sharks – along with junior representative teams – use cramped dressing sheds and inadequate shower facilities. Visiting teams are often forced to prepare in temporary demountable structures or at the junior rugby league ground opposite Sharks Stadium.
"To think that our women wouldn't be forced to use rooms that certainly aren't suitable, and to accommodate our women and visiting female teams in facilities they deserve, would be amazing. It would be a game changer," Sharks CEO Dino Mezzatesta said.
"Well done to Simon, Jenny and to Peter Dutton and the Liberal government for having the courage to support this initiative and to have the understanding as to how important this is for our community," Mezzatesta added.
Signing the petition will underscore the importance of this issue ahead of next year's federal election.
CLICK HERE to add your signature to the cause.
