While the Rugby League World Cup may have just wrapped up, local clubs are beginning their preseason and an expanded 10-team NRLW season is just around the corner - things are definitely not slowing down any time soon in the realm of women’s rugby league.
Fans are still eagerly waiting for the official draw for next season’s NRLW contest to drop so they can mark down their first chance to see new teams from the Canberra Raiders, Cronulla Sharks, North Queensland Cowboys and Wests Tigers in action.
However, despite the increasing interest at the stadiums and on the TV screens - which is also driving record participation at the grassroots level in the female game - things can still be a struggle and a juggle for rugby league’s elite female athletes.
NRLW fans will be able to catch a glimpse of what life is like at the elite level and the sacrifices that still need to be made to reach the top thanks to a new documentary.
A League of Her Own comes to ABC
A League Of Her Own follows the 2021 Harvey Norman Queensland Maroons team as they “strive to achieve the extraordinary in one of the most physically demanding professional sports in Australia” - taking on New South Wales in the women’s State of Origin.
Maroons forward Chelsea Lenarduzzi, who features in the documentary and was a major player in the 2021 game on the Sunshine Coast, said the documentary captured a snapshot of the lives of some of the women who played; and the different barriers and hurdles they had to overcome to play the game they love.
“It’s about the struggles that semi-professional female athletes have to face, balancing work, family life; but still trying to maintain that high level of professionalism and training standards,” Lenarduzzi said.
“There’s a lot of challenges with that, and this doco tells that story for people who might not know about it.
“They have done a few segments on a few different athletes in it, one of them is Julia Robinson who is in the Defence Force, Tazmin Gray who is a mother, so it shows the diversity within our team which is what makes up the Maroons – everyone is so different, but at the end of the day, your day is different, but you show up to training and everyone is the same again and you have to switch on and be a footy player.”
The documentary had a successful launch at the recent Brisbane International Film Festival in October, with stars of the feature including Karina Brown, Tazmin Gray and coach Tahnee Norris special guests at the premiere.
A League Of Her Own will air tonight (Monday, December 5 at 8.52pm AEDT and AEST) on ABC TV.
