An all-female ‘mini league’ will share the spotlight with the likes of NRL stars Greg Inglis and Robbie Farah during half-time at tonight’s Rabbitohs v Wests Tigers match, kicking off a weekend of activities and fundraising events for the 2013 Harvey Norman Women In League Round (17-20 May).
More than 50 girls aged 10–12 from South Sydney schools will step on to the field to play six games during half-time at ANZ Stadium, as NRL clubs across the country turn ‘pink’ to honour the thousands of female volunteers, members, staff, players, referees and coaches of the game.
Highlights this weekend include special edition pink jerseys to be worn by the Bulldogs, Cowboys, Dragons, Panthers, Sharks, Storm and Warriors, with select jerseys auctioned for charity post-match.
A number of players including Inglis (Rabbitohs) and Mark Minichiello (Titans) will also wear one-off pairs of ASICS pink boots, which will also be auctioned for charity.
The Broncos will host a female ambassador line for 32 of their female volunteers and Rugby League players at tonight’s match against the Titans, while on Sunday, the Sharks will turn their 40metre line pink and donate $1 from every general admission ticket to the McGrath Foundation in addition to wearing pink jerseys and boots.
For the fourth year, Harvey Norman Women in League’s charity partner is the McGrath Foundation. Round activities and the sale of merchandise such as pink socks and scarves will help to raise funds for breast care nurses. Other charities will also benefit from club activities, with more than $1.1million already raised for a variety of charities as a result of Women in League activities.
Grassroots clubs across the nation are also getting behind the Round this weekend, hosting ‘pink’ fundraising days and purchasing McGrath Foundation pink socks to support the charity.
Harvey Norman Women in League Round Draw
Round 10 of the Telstra Premiership (17-20 May)
Friday, 17 May |
7:35pm |
Broncos v Titans (Suncorp Stadium) |
7:35pm |
Rabbitohs v Wests Tigers (ANZ Stadium) |
|
Saturday, 18 May |
5:30pm |
Dragons v Eels (WIN Stadium) |
7:30pm |
Panthers v Warriors (Centrebet Stadium) |
|
7:30pm |
Cowboys v Roosters (Townsville Stadium) |
|
Sunday, 19 May |
2pm |
Sharks v Raiders (Sharks Stadium) |
3pm |
Knights v Bulldogs (Hunter Stadium) |
|
Monday, 19 May |
7pm |
Storm v Sea Eagles (AAMI Park) |
Club Activities
Club |
Activities |
Broncos |
17 May: Fillies networking event (invitation only) during Broncos v Titans game. 17 May: 32 female Rugby League players and volunteers will participate in the Ambassador Line – the guard of honour for the Broncos when they run onto the field at Suncorp Stadium. The participants will wear pink scarves. |
Bulldogs |
18 May: Bulldogs Junior League Clubs will support the McGrath Foundation by wearing pink socks. 22 May: Women in League brunch. 24 May: Bulldogs players will wear pink numbers on their jerseys. |
Cowboys |
18 May: The Cowboys will ask all attendees to the Cowboys v Roosters match in Townsville to wear pink in support of Women in League and the McGrath Foundation. Cowboys players will support the McGrath Foundation by wearing pink jerseys, and auction them online after the game. |
Dragons |
18 May: The Dragons will wear pink ‘V’ jerseys to raise funds for the Joanne Mackay Breast Cancer Foundation, which will later be auctioned online. Corporate guests will include Brad Mackay and family. There will be a women's exhibition match at half time and breast care nurses will form a guard of honour at game. 18 May: Ladies Day at the Footy – a ticket includes make-up touch ups, massages, palm reading and hair styling. Junior leagues teams will wear pink socks for that weekend. |
Eels |
18 May: Eels players will wear pink ties to the game against the Dragons at WIN Stadium, which will then be signed and auctioned for charity. |
Knights |
Knights players and staff will support local Hunter Breast Cancer Foundation activities in the lead up to the Harvey Norman Women in League round. 19 May: The Knights have donated reserved seating at the Knights v Bulldogs game at Hunter Stadium to volunteers from the Hunter Breast Cancer Foundation. |
Panthers |
18 May: Panthers Beauty Tent and Cup Cake Pavilion at Panthers v Warriors game at Centrebet Stadium. Players will also wear pink Panthers jerseys, shorts and socks on the day, and some will wear pink boots. The jerseys and boots will be auctioned after the game, with money going towards McGrath Foundation and Panthers on the Prowl. |
Raiders |
The Raiders are away for the Round (Raiders v Sharks at Sharks Stadium). |
Roosters |
18 May: The Roosters will support the McGrath Foundation by wearing pink socks at the Roosters v Cowboys game at Townsville Stadium. The Roosters are away during the round, but are looking at staging female themed events throughout the season as part of the Chic Membership, tailored to female supporters, including a specially-themed Ladies Day at the Football. |
Sea Eagles |
18 May: Manly Junior League Clubs will support McGrath Foundation by wearing pink socks. 20 May: Players will wear pink socks on game day (Sea Eagles v Storm – AAMI Park). The Sea Eagles will hold a women’s luncheon in August with volunteers and Eagles Angels. |
Sharks |
17 May: Women in League luncheon at Summer Salt restaurant with speakers including CEO of McGrath Foundation Kylea Tink, Luke Lewis, Bryce Gibbs, Wade Graham and Beau Ryan. The Sharks have put together a video featuring their ambassador Melinda Farrell (who will also MC the event) that will be shown during the lunch and during the game on Sunday, 19 May. 19 May: Sharks players will be wearing pink jerseys and pink boots during the Sharks v Raiders game at Sharks Stadium. McGrath Foundation will have a strong presence on the day, and their jerseys will be auctioned online after the game. The club will also change the 40 metre line and outlines of the numbers on the field from red to pink for the game. $1 from every general admission ticket sold will go to the McGrath Foundation and a local McGrath nurse and the families she has supported will form a Guard of Honour. |
Rabbitohs |
17 May: At the Rabbitohs v Wests Tigers at ANZ Stadium there will be: A pre-game march past for junior club volunteers and female teachers in the club’s community programs; A guard of honour by female members; An all-girls Mini League at half time; Pink match day tickets, and; Videos from players thanking their mums and explaining how important their role is. 21 May: Women in League Breakfast - high profile female supporters, board members and player partners (including Kristina Keneally, Joelle Maguire, Angela Clark) will have breakfast with the full NRL squad in attendance including Head Coach. There will be a fundraising raffle and giveaways. |
Storm |
19 May: Storm Network of Women (SNOW) function 20 May: The Storm community partners Ovarian Cancer Australia and Victorian Women's Trust will be highlighted during game day activities. The Club will also be engaging schools / participants involved in the ‘Be the Hero’ program, which is delivered by Victorian Women's Trust in partnership with Storm. This is a prevention of violence program where all Storm U20 and U18 players undergo formal training with some assisting to facilitate school sessions. |
Titans |
17 May: Mark Minichiello will wear a one-off pair of ASICS Pink Lethal Tigreor boots, which will be signed and auctioned off to charity. |
Warriors |
26 May: The Warriors will celebrate Women in League at their home game against the Knights at Mt Smart Stadium. Players will wear a Women in League strip to support Shine, a national domestic abuse charity, in addition to a gold coin collection for the charity. The Warriors have also recently announced major sponsorship of the Kiwi Ferns – the New Zealand female Rugby League squad. The Kiwi Ferns will head to the World Cup in the UK in July to defend their title after winning the previous three World Cups. |
Wests Tigers |
There will be celebrations for this year’s Wests Tigers ‘Woman of the Year’ award, with the winner to be announced at their round 11 game. |
For more information on the Harvey Norman Women in League Round please visit www.nrl.com/womeninleague
