NRLW Recruitment & Retention Thread

Defence wins games said:
At least that is how it looks from the outside.
To lose Tamika is unforgivable, and the only thing saving the front office is the thin bones of information given about her departure.
It is extremely frustrating that the best player in the women’s game has walked.
It just doesn’t seem to happen with other teams, but it seems to be business as usual with the Knights.
It is really hard being a supporter of this team at times!
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Given the actual reason for her leaving, there’s no way they should be granting a release from a five year contract, three years early.

Sure it’s personal but it’s definitely not the end of the world. Let her take a break, go back home for a while and then try and work out a something early next year.

We can’t replace Tamika but other people can definitely be replaced instead.
 
We have a season of Tarsha Gale and the local comp before the NRLW season.
Last year we saw many of the Tarsha Gale players go on to play reserve grade and Evah, Evie and Lilly-ann play firstgrade.
I can't find ages for the TG girls, but I think most of the ones who were in their first year of TG in 2024 will be able to back up, which means Evah McEwen, Lelani AhSam, Elizabeth Montgomery, Fane Finau and the new Samoan winger who went so well in the Pacific cup are all 18/19 year olds who got us to the reserve grade and TG grandfinals last year.
Any or all of them could be working with Jefferies and Bec Young right now.
I mean, Elizabeth Montgomery, couldn't make the TG side till about round 3 in 2024 and finished the season as one of our best props in the HVN grandfinal. Who knows where she will be after another TG season?
 
Well Caitlain just announced she’s pregnant and baby due in May 2025, so massive congratulations to her .
but that would have a fair impact on her playing ability for 2025 whilst her body gets back to normality after birth
She might not play at all for sharks in 2025 as not sure what the areas are pregnancy and maternity leave in the NRLW as I know at the time of threats of strike couple years ago one thing they were fighting for was security for women who got pregnant and had young kidsIMG_2574.jpeg
 
Newygirl said:
Given the actual reason for her leaving, there’s no way they should be granting a release from a five year contract, three years early.

Sure it’s personal but it’s definitely not the end of the world. Let her take a break, go back home for a while and then try and work out a something early next year.

We can’t replace Tamika but other people can definitely be replaced instead.
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What’s the actual reason?
 
HarVeeGee13 said:
What’s the actual reason?
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If certain things were publicly acknowledged already then it would be ok to say, but since they’re not, will just say that she’s not going because of a sick family member.

I will say, it is not an uncommon problem in some women’s sports unfortunately.

Probably not too hard to put two and two together. Newcastle can still be a very small place at times.
 
Newygirl said:
If certain things were publicly acknowledged already then it would be ok to say, but since they’re not, will just say that she’s not going because of a sick family member.

I will say, it is not an uncommon problem in some women’s sports unfortunately.

Probably not too hard to put two and two together. Newcastle can still be a very small place at times.
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So either.
Misogynistic coach(s)
Someone has slept with someone they shouldn’t
Or there’s a zombie apocalypse.
 
I dunno, I feel like if the best player in the men's game walked out on the last three years of their contract, there would be huge uproar and everything would be getting reported. Imagine if Ponga did it!

If the women's game is to grow in popularity, expand into more games and more teams, pay players more, etc then this is some of the scrutiny that comes with it.

I'm actually quite amazed at the lack of outcry around the whole thing. And the Knights fans seem to have taken it so well, despite really leaving the club in the lurch - again, I can only contrast that to what the reaction would be if Ponga did the same.
 
jamesgould said:
I dunno, I feel like if the best player in the men's game walked out on the last three years of their contract, there would be huge uproar and everything would be getting reported. Imagine if Ponga did it!

If the women's game is to grow in popularity, expand into more games and more teams, pay players more, etc then this is some of the scrutiny that comes with it.

I'm actually quite amazed at the lack of outcry around the whole thing. And the Knights fans seem to have taken it so well, despite really leaving the club in the lurch - again, I can only contrast that to what the reaction would be if Ponga did the same.
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I'd imagine the telegraph would be on it for months, but I don't really care. Either Ponga/Upton are going to be playing for us next year, or they aren't. And if something came to pass the player wants to keep private, my only concern is the club and league look after them. If they did a sbw walk out, I'd probably feel differently.

It has been an absolute privilege watching the women's goat play for us and deliver two premierships. I'll miss her, but I'd rather players are great in their own skins first and foremost.
 
Billy said:
it's ............ none of our business I think
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jamesgould said:
I dunno, I feel like if the best player in the men's game walked out on the last three years of their contract, there would be huge uproar and everything would be getting reported. Imagine if Ponga did it!

If the women's game is to grow in popularity, expand into more games and more teams, pay players more, etc then this is some of the scrutiny that comes with it.

I'm actually quite amazed at the lack of outcry around the whole thing. And the Knights fans seem to have taken it so well, despite really leaving the club in the lurch - again, I can only contrast that to what the reaction would be if Ponga did the same.
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I asked Newygirl what reason she heard because my mate whose fairly plugged in told me what he heard the reason was, and Newygirl basically corroborated what I’ve heard with her response.

So I’m now pretty convinced we’ve been lied to & it does seem like a massive double standard that that the real reason she’s leaving would be soft pedaled and covered up because she’s a female athlete. They could have said “homesickness” and that would be at least a half truth. Everyone would be filthy with her then though I guess, so she needs to be protected?

Everyone knows Mitchell Pearce’s departure from the club was expedited by him playing up on his missus. For a lot of us, it’s another reason we dislike him. But he at least sucked it up for another year and seemed to have every intention of staying on rather than immediately looking for the exit door. For male players there is absolutely no respect for their personal lives (nor those of WAGs, come to think of it).
 
jamesgould said:
I dunno, I feel like if the best player in the men's game walked out on the last three years of their contract, there would be huge uproar and everything would be getting reported. Imagine if Ponga did it!

If the women's game is to grow in popularity, expand into more games and more teams, pay players more, etc then this is some of the scrutiny that comes with it.

I'm actually quite amazed at the lack of outcry around the whole thing. And the Knights fans seem to have taken it so well, despite really leaving the club in the lurch - again, I can only contrast that to what the reaction would be if Ponga did the same.
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Yeah agree, that’s my issue. Her personal life is her business. I’m mad at the club for allowing the release. It’s pathetic how badly the last 12 months have been handled.

The season is a 20 week commitment. She’s got 7 months of the year to do what she wants. There’s no Rockhampton club, so regardless she’s going to have to be away from home anyway, unless she’s giving the game away.

Other players move for the season. Kernick lives on the GC but still plays for the Roosters.

Work something out. Teams exist to win comps. You need the best players to do that. She’s the best player there is. You don’t just let her up and leave. Find a way to make it work.
 
knights80 said:
Well Caitlain just announced she’s pregnant and baby due in May 2025, so massive congratulations to her .
but that would have a fair impact on her playing ability for 2025 whilst her body gets back to normality after birth
She might not play at all for sharks in 2025 as not sure what the areas are pregnancy and maternity leave in the NRLW as I know at the time of threats of strike couple years ago one thing they were fighting for was security for women who got pregnant and had young kidsView attachment 7161
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This kind of turned out good for us.
Only losers are Cronulla, although this situation is probably covered by some sort of insurance and they get their position and cap money back.
Good for her.
 
jamesgould said:
I dunno, I feel like if the best player in the men's game walked out on the last three years of their contract, there would be huge uproar and everything would be getting reported. Imagine if Ponga did it!

If the women's game is to grow in popularity, expand into more games and more teams, pay players more, etc then this is some of the scrutiny that comes with it.

I'm actually quite amazed at the lack of outcry around the whole thing. And the Knights fans seem to have taken it so well, despite really leaving the club in the lurch - again, I can only contrast that to what the reaction would be if Ponga did the same.
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Fair comment!!
 
I don't rate Ben Jeffries but I'm not convinced their were many better options out there.

I don't want Kylie Hilder as our coach at any point after how awful the Sky Blues were with her as the coach.

Which makes forcing Ron into the NSW Cup role even stupider. I think we should have given Ron a full time role with the women's side and pathways.

Anyways on Tamika's replacement, wouldn't sign the Tigers fullback at all. Think I'd rather have one of Gallagher or White play there instead.
 
What I took from the Pacific cup, especially the Samoan side, is that the young players coming through will sweep aside most of the established players over the next 2 or 3 years.

We had the second best under 17s side in 2024 - only behind the crazily stacked Bulldogs side that was flying kids in from NZ, Qld and even had 3 girls from the Hunter Valley in what was the most dominant junior side ever.
The Bulldogs have identified that these young girls have been playing league from an early age and have a far better grounding than the older players.
Every team has teenagers now. The Samoan team had a heap of brilliant teenagers.
We had the second best under 17s, second best under 19s and second best reserve graders - a heap in their teens.

I think 2025 will be the year we see a whole new generation of young players stamp their names across the NRLW and we might see 5 or 6 of our Tarsha Gale squad come from nowhere this year.
 
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