2022 Female Pathways Coaches, Signings and Squads
13th October 2021
The South Sydney Rabbitohs continue to build their female pathways squads with the announcement of some key signings and re-signings in the Harvey Norman NSW Women’s Premiership pre-season squad, the announcement of the 2022 Tarsha Gale Cup under 19s women’s pre-season squad as well as the Head Coaches for the Harvey Norman NSW Women’s Premiership, Tarsha Gale Cup and Lisa Fiaola Cup under 17s teams. The Rabbitohs will also increase female participation in their Black Rabbits elite player development squad from three players to eight in 2022.
Rabbitohs Head of Elite Pathways and Player Development, Joe O’Callaghan, is excited to see the female squads coming together. "This is by far the biggest investment we’ve made in women’s Rugby League so far at our Club as we build our pathways with a view to fielding an NRLW team in the not-too-distant future," Mr O’Callaghan said. The interest in playing for the Rabbitohs in all three tiers of female teams has been overwhelming and we’re delighted to see so many women and girls wanting to represent our great club. These players will have the opportunity to train with the elite young men’s players as well as NRL coaches and players throughout the season and we saw the benefits of this squad last year for the female and male players. We all really looking forward to the addition of the two extra teams to the Club in 2022 and young girls and boys playing junior football in the Souths Juniors competitions can see a clear pathway to the elite levels of the game. Everyone can now dream of, and work hard towards, becoming a South Sydney Rabbitoh."
Harvey Norman NSW Women’s Premiership
The Rabbitohs Harvey Norman NSW Women’s Premiership side will be led by experienced coach Shane Sultana, who will be assisted by Tarsha Gale Cup Head Coach Karen Stuart throughout the 2022 season. Sultana has extensive experience in pathways football with the Sea Eagles’ NRL and Jersey Flegg Cup squads; the Raiders’ NRL, NSW Cup and Jersey Flegg Cup teams; the Bulldogs’ SG Ball Cup side; the Tigers’ high performance program; the Western Suburbs Magpies’, Sydney Roosters and Wentworthville junior representative teams; Combined High Schools representative teams; Sarah Redfern High School and international teams Fiji, Italy and Thailand. The Rabbitohs have re-signed a number of key players from last year’s squad.
Key Additional Retentions
Ellie Johnston - Prop
Akira Kelly - Halfback
Aaliyah Fa’amausili - Lock
Seli Mailangi - Hooker
Key Additional Gains
Charlotte Booth - Prop (England 2018-19, Leeds, W-QRL Brisbane-Easts)
Patricia Raikadroka - Centre (PMXIII, Fiji, W-NRL Warriors, W-NSWRL Mt Pritchard, Wests-Tigers)
The pre-season squad so far for the Rabbitohs’ 2022 Harvey Norman Women’s Premiership team is:
Baird, Nikki Bell, Nellie Booth, Charlotte Burgess, Renee Cain, Terri Cook, Tia Dann, Summer Davis-Welsh, Brandii Donovan, Monique Donovan, Turzah Fa’amausili, Aaliyah Fa’amausili, Rysh’e Fa’amausili, Tiana Fonokalafi, Helen Gordon, Kyla Jennings, Kiarnie Johnston, Ellie Kafoa, Tayla Kelly, Akira Kilisimasi, Seneti Mailangi, Lorretta Mailangi, Seli Lamb, Rikka Leger, Mariah Leifi, Donita Moale, Moniqca Overton, Crystal Perugini, Nikki Post, Jessica Raikadroka, Patricia Whiteley, Cindy Zreika, Haneen
Tarsha Gale Cup Under 19s
The Rabbitohs’ return Tarsha Gale Cup team will be led by Head Coach Karen Stuart, will be assisted by Lisa Fiaola Cup under 17s Head Coach Shane Manning in 2022. Stewart has extensive experience as both a coach and player, having represented Australia and Queensland as a player in Rugby League, Rugby Union and OzTag, as well as holding Rugby League coaching roles with the Australian Jillaroos, Queensland, New South Wales, Queensland Indigenous, Indigenous All Stars and junior representative teams. The pre-season squad for the Tarsha Gale Cup team features from some familiar names for Rabbitohs Members and supporters including Kasey Taaffe, the cousin of NRL player Blake Taaffe; Yilara Widders, the daughter of former Rabbitohs player and coach Dean Widders; and Fifita Koloamatangi, the cousin of Rabbitohs first grader Keaon Koloamatangi. The pre-season squad so far for the Tarsha Gale Cup under 19s squad is:
Akeje, Catherine Anitalea, Alyna Brown, Kahliah Bush, Paige Fahey, Sheridan Fakaosi, Pricilla Fokes, Jasmine Green, Kiara Harris, Maya Hoffman, Lillah Kelly, Eliza Koloamatangi, Fifita Maile, Luti Manukia, Maata McDonald, Indie Mundine, Shyla Niki Esekielu Vai, Wilma Oxenbridge, Mackenzie Pallier, Avalon Prince, Lailah Rooke, Jamie-Lee Simpson, Havana Simpson-Carr, Darci Smith, Bianca Stanton, Parker Taaffe, Kasey Thomas, Payten Toga, Grace Turner, Tess Widders, Yilara Zgorzelski, Kiara
Lisa Fiaola Cup Under 17s
South Sydney will enter for the first ever time a team in the relatively new U17 Lisa Fiaola Cup. The squad for the under 17s Lisa Fiaola Cup squad for 2022 will not be announced until next year due to their competition not being played until the weekend carnival in mid-2022. The team will be coached by Shane Manning. Shane has previously held roles with the Rabbitohs Harvey Norman NSW Women’s Premiership team as well as various assistant coaching roles with junior representative teams at South Sydney over the past eight years.
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