Trail-blazing Taufa ready to create latest first with Raiders

Building a team from scratch is a unique opportunity for any player but for marquee Raiders signing Simaima Taufa, headlining inaugural teams has become a common theme.

In 2018, the veteran lock signed up to captain the Sydney Roosters for the inaugural Women's Premiership.

Three years later she skippered the Eels to the grand final in their first year as a women’s franchise.

Now the Australian international is ready to create history again, after the Raiders announced the hard-running forward will be donning lime green in 2023.

“It was around the time of the World Cup, I had a call from Don Furner (Raiders CEO) asking if I was interested in coming to Canberra and being part of the inaugural side that really excited me,” Taufa told NRL.com.

“To be part of an inaugural side is always an honour and it’s something that every player is grateful for because not long ago the opportunity wasn’t there for us.

“At the Roosters and the Eels, at first it was just a gamble, it was all new. I didn’t know what to expect. NRLW was nothing that we thought we’d ever be a part of because it was never seen before.

“We don’t take those opportunities for granted because you never know if it’s your first or last time to represent that jersey and I’m excited for the opportunity to rep the green army.”

While the 2023 expansion has opened the door for a flurry of player movement across the 10 NRLW clubs, 28-year-old Taufa stressed the importance of getting culture right from the outset when building a side from scratch.

“Building a culture and setting the right standards from the get-go is so important,” Taufa said.

“To be part of an inaugural side, it’s all about the culture that you try and build. That’s not only the responsibility of the staff but the players as well.

“I have every faith that the club has appointed the right staff and players who understand the importance of building a culture which involves being good people and great players. Because we know that if you’re a good person off the field then you’ll be a great player. 

“Darrin Borthwick our coach, is entrenched in the women’s game. He’s come through as a strength and conditioning coach, worked as an assistant coach and now as the opportunity to be a head coach.

“And Lisa Fiaola, who’s our NRLW wellbeing manager. Her name speaks volumes for itself, there’s a competition named after her.

“We as staff and players have a greater responsibility of making sure we leave a legacy that young girls want to be a part of… with a good culture from the start, the sky is the limit.”

Born in Tonga, Taufa has called Granville home ever since her family relocated to Western Sydney from New Zealand when she was 10-years-old.

Although it came as a big decision to move away from her local club and family, the NSW representative said the opportunity to start a new chapter in the nation’s capital couldn’t be turned down.

“Being able to get out of my comfort zone and move away from the hustle of Sydney has really reignited my passion to play the game,” she said.

“With Canberra, many of us will be relocated players so that family away from family notion will be really important.

“The players that we're going to be training and playing alongside are going to become our sisters and our family.

"I'm excited that what we are building together can help inspire the local girls and show them that they don't have to relocate as young girls anymore. They can stay at home and have a competition around the corner now.

“Hearing the stories of girls that have been travelling five hours to train and play the game and do that on a regular basis with a smile on their face, I sit there in awe of their stories because I don’t know if I would have had the capacity or financial means to do that.”