He had other things on his mind, like ending the Burgh's 23-year first grade premiership drought. He did that in 2015, his second crown in a more than stellar playing and coaching career in the Illawarra.

He'd drifted away from the game in recent years and, when asked last year if he'd be interested in coaching the Tigerlillies, he wasn't all that hot on the idea - until his daughter set him straight.

"To be honest, when I was approached I wasn't all that keen but it was actually my daughter who said 'what are you to good to coach the women?" Powell said.

"That got me thinking and, since I've taken it on, the girls have absolutely given me my passion back in how committed they are, how willing they are to learn, and just the way they play the game.

"I've always had the passion to teach and see people grow in the game. I was starting to fade away from footy and getting a bit disillusioned with it, but they've really put me on my toes again.

"Last year we had Jillaroos players alongside girls who'd never played before and it was such a great space to come back to and get that vibe and excitement from rugby league again."

The list of Test players to have donned the Helensburgh jumper reads like a Jillaroos honour roll - because it is. The likes of Sam Bremner, Maddie Studdon, Kezie Apps, Corban McGregor, Ruan Sims, Allana Ferguson, Emma Tonegato, Tegan Chandler, Emily Andrews, Jess Sergis have made the Helensburgh name and emblem synonymous with women's rugby league.

The Tigerlillies this year reclaimed silverware they had a mortgage on in five of the first six years, snapping fellow Illawarra powerhouse Corrimal's three-year grip on the Illawarra League title.

It continued a rivalry that's been the backbone of the Illawarra women's competition, but the duopoly has kicked off a trend of the region's brightest female talents drifting north to the Harvey Norman Women's premiership, a necessary step in order to further their careers.

Corrimal guns Keeley Davis, Rikeya Horne and Jade Etherden have been a part of the exodus in recent seasons, exposing an obvious gap in the pathway from the Illawarra league to the NRLW and representative footy.

It's one the Burgh are looking to plug in 2021 in moving up the to the state's premier Sydney-based competition, the club's second push at it, with Powell to stay at the helm.

"It's really come from the girls themselves, they want more, they want to improve and they want to be better," he said.

"I had five or six girls this year ready to take that next step which is Harvey Norman Women's [comp]. They need to challenge themselves and, to improve, they need to be playing in that stronger competition.

"That's why all the girls have put their hand up to jump up and say 'yeah we want to take that on' and we're ready as a club and individuals for that next challenge.

"I spoke to the club about it and said maybe staying down here isn't where we need to be and the clubs been very enthusiastic about moving up.

"The club had a go at it a couple of years ago [2015] and came back but it's the right time now and it's not just a 12-month thing, they're doing it properly and they want to make something of themselves in that competition."

The likes of Apps, Bremner and Sergis will spearhead the leap up in class but, while they'll be wearing a Helensburgh jumper, Powell says it will be a team for the whole Illawarra region.

"I don't think it's just our girls, there needs to be a pathway for all upcoming Illawarra girls to go into NRLW and play for the Jillaroos," Powell said.

"I think the Illawarra, with the players it's producing, deserves that. We're looking to recruit, I'm looking for the best players in the Illawarra, the best players that think they have the right attitude and are willing to learn the game.

"I'm looking for the girls who want to improve, that have got the commitment it takes to be a rugby league player. It's a big commitment to try and make that elite level but those are the girls we're looking for."

The club will hold an information session for all interested players at Rex Jackson Oval this Friday at 6.30pm, with squad training to commence the following Tuesday, December 15.