As one of the first established rugby sevens athletes to make the move to the NRLW, Evania Pelite knows what it takes to successfully transition into a new sport.
The Gold Coast Titans fullback helped persuade Kiwi Black Ferns sevens star Niall Williams-Guthrie to test herself in league with the club last season and is convinced new signing Ivana Lolesio also has what it takes to also be a success.
“I have seen at sevens how hard she’s worked to get where she’s gotten to now,” Pelite said of Lolesio.
“She’s someone who will work really, really hard to make sure she can adapt and play the game of league.”
'Making the switch': Williams-Guthrie's journey to NRLW
Pelite – better known as Vani – has known the ‘mini Vani’ since the latest recruit was six years old; with the pair crossing paths at both touch and sevens tournaments for a number of years.
So when the time was right for Lolesio to make the leap into league, she knew where to get advice.
"Vani was a big push for me to come over, and I'm glad I did. I'm very grateful to be here," Lolesio said. "She’s someone that I've always deeply respected and admired.
"I've always trusted her opinion and her advice on where to go. She’s definitely a big influence in my life, not just as an athlete, but also as a person.”
In announcing Lolesio's signing, Titans coach Karyn Murphy said she was a “talented athlete with so much potential”, whose previous representative experience would serve her well when it came to the task of learning a new code.
“She’s got all the makings to be a dominant outside back with her speed, agility and power; and most importantly, she has such huge desire and motivation to learn and continue growing as a player,” Murphy said.
“We have several senior leaders like Vani and Niall who have also made the successful transition from sevens to league, and I know they are really excited to have her with us and are keen to help guide her during her first season of NRLW.”
Pelite was also certain Lolesio would fit right in to the team culture of the Titans, who made it all the way to the NRLW grand final last year with a mix of experienced campaigners like herself and Steph Hancock and keen youngsters and unique characters like Rilee Jorgensen, who enjoyed a breakout season.
“We have had a lot of conversations since my transition coming over and I think a lot of the girls have seen a lot of sevens girls transition and really enjoy their time over here," Pelite said.
"They look a lot happier and when I left, Vani was still trying to cement her spot in the Aussie team ... it’s an emotional rollercoaster being in sport, especially when you are trying to crack it
"I remember saying to her – 'why don’t you come over the league, it’s a great environment, you will fit in so well, you’ll love the Titans team, everything we do there is exactly what you keep telling me you want in an environment'.
“I said when you are ready, let me know ... We have created this environment where girls feel like they can show up every day and be wholeheartedly themselves and not be judged.
"That’s what we wanted and it is what we created, we have all those different personalities and they still want to show up here every day and they love it.”
While Pelite and Lolesio have known each other for years, they have never played with or against each other, with the pair hoping to finally face off this weekend in the BMD Premiership competition before taking to the field together when the NRLW kicks off in July.
Lolesio is currently playing with the Burleigh Bears alongside fellow Titans Jorgensen, Dannii Perese and Lauren Brown, while Pelite made her return to the field with Souths Logan Magpies at the weekend after off-season surgery.
The young convert however will still have to earn her place in Murphy’s lineup come the NRLW season, but Pelite said her hard work and preparation would put her in a strong position to succeed in her new code.
“I remember speaking with Niall (before she signed) and I said to her to keep asking lots of questions and Niall was in a really unique position because she was still in the Black Ferns sevens team and was still living in New Zealand with young her family as well, so she couldn’t relocate at the time," Pelite said.
“With Ivana, when she approached me, I said to her, if this is something you want to take seriously, go and find a BMD team and play BMD, because that will prepare you to step into NRLW, rather than coming straight out of sevens because it is so different.
“So I commend her highly for making that decision and saying 'I want to do this the right way and I want to be well prepared'.
“We have all seen sevens girls come over and have these incredible talents, but it’s about trying to find how those talents fit into a different game.
“I have full confidence in her that she is going to kill it.”
