Group Seven breaks new ground with launch of inaugural women's competition

Five teams (including one composite side) will contest the inaugural women's tackle competition this year, with the season to align with the first grade competition right up to grand final day.

While a number of the region's clubs fielded a side in a Southern Corridor competition featuring Illawarra and Shire clubs last year, 2024 will see Group Seven's first standalone premiership.

Sims said it's part of a long-term plan to grow female participation at all levels of the game.

"It's the first time in [our] 111 years that this has happened and we're really focused on implementing these competitions," Sims said.

"The excitement's really building here because the female participation in the Group Seven and around New South Wales Rugby League is at the highest it's ever been.

"With our local juniors, there's really strong female pathways there. Our registrations in the juniors are as high as they've ever been.

"We've implemented our first ever under 12 girls tackle competition this year, so we've got 12s, 14s and 16s merged with Illawarra.

"Now our open women's tackle [competition] shows these young girls that there is a pathway to stay in rugby league.

"It's not like 20 years ago where girls could only play rugby league up to a certain age and then they had to pick another sport. We've got that pathway developing there.

"You mix that with the junior representative programs, the Harvey Norman Women's [Premiership] and the success of the NRLW, the sky's the limit."

The first season will see Shellharbour, Warilla, Milton-Ulladulla, Nowra-Bomaderry and a merged Albion Park-Stingrays side contest the premiership that will streamline the female pathway in the region.

As part of the growth push, the Group Seven board has also resolved to fund BarTV streaming of all women's games to ensure maximum visibility.

The first season will see a broad group of players take the park, none more so than the combined Park-Stingrays side that will see the likes of tackle debutant Alice Purdie play alongside former NSW Under 19s Origin rep Tiana Kore.

"This is my first year, so I'm pretty excited to actually play, and play with some people that have had a lot of experience like T (Kore) has," Purdie said.

"When I was growing up women playing league was not a thing. I even remember having (Steelers great) Rod Wishart come to my school, seeing him play and thinking 'wow, that's amazing' but I didn't think I'd ever get an opportunity.

"Now it's a thing, women can do it, girls can do it. They're getting to see it on the TV, they're getting to see the women's Origin.

"I'm a bit older, I'll be one of the oldest in the team, but it's really good to see that we can be role models. The young ones see us at training, see us wearing the jerseys, and you can see them watching.

"I know when I was growing up it would have been really nice to see, and I probably would have gotten involved a lot earlier if I had seen it."

Not long out of her NSW Under 19s experience, Kore is embracing the chance to bring some leadership to the table despite her tender years.

"Being able to wear that badge and then bring that experience to girls that haven't played before has been really good," Kore said.

"Footy's has been really family-orientated [for me], so it's always just good energy, especially for newcomers coming into the teams and the game.

"It's inspiring for me as well being able to lend my experience to these newer girls and being able to show them what you can do and what you can make it to."