Group Seven rugby league community unite to tackle child sexual abuse

Kissell, who manages the Shellharbour Sharks open women's tackle side coached by her husband Ronny Kissell, led the way in organising a special Charity Shield fixture to raise awareness and funds for Bravehearts.

The inaugural fixture will be played between the Shellharbour Sharks and Warilla Lake South Gorillas at Ron Costello Oval on Friday, May 17.

All money raised during the inaugural Charity Shield will be donated to Bravehearts, a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to treating and preventing child sexual abuse.

Kissell was ecstatic the rugby league community was uniting to support the good work Bravehearts does.

"Bravehearts often go unnoticed but not by the people they help. It's important I think for all of us to support the work they do in treating and preventing child sexual abuse," she said.

"I'm so glad we've organised this game so the whole rugby league community can come out and not only support open women's tackle, but a great charity organisation in Bravehearts.

"Hopefully this can also get people talking about an issue which most are afraid to discuss in the open. We need to work as a community to address a very serious topic which affects the whole society."

The Charity Shield game will be held just two weeks before the inaugural Group Seven rugby league open women's tackle competition kicks-off on June 1

Group Seven rugby league football operations manager Ashton Sims praised Kissell for organising the inaugural Charity Shield fixture.

"We're really excited to partner with Warilla Gorillas, the Shellharbour Sharks and the St George Illawarra Dragons in our efforts to tackle sexual abuse in our communities," he said.

"It is something that unfortunately is still a common thing at the moment. If we can provide some awareness and education, and some literature around how to minimise, mitigate and also eradicate this from happening in our communities, we will do whatever is needed.

"Hopefully using the sport of rugby league as a platform to make positive change in our regions, in our communities is going to be a positive thing for the future."

Sims said there was no reason why the Charity Shield could not become an annual event.

"I can't see why it wouldn't. We always want to partner with teams, clubs, associations that are really looking to make those positive changes in our communities.

"There's so much education and literature out there about it. If we can use sport, if we can use rugby league, to eradicate this, we'll support that," he said.

The game itself on Friday kicks off at 6.30pm but gates open at 5pm, with St George Illawarra Dragons NRLW players to run a special kids clinic from 5.15pm.

Donations can be made at https://fundraise.bravehearts.org.au/fundraisers/group7sharksvsgorillascharitymatch

"There will also be buckets at the ground for people to donate and we will have a number of great prizes to win," Kissell said.

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