Emmaus College’s wish to have its girls team compete in the state’s most elite independent-school rugby tournament has finally been granted.
The Confraternity Shield competition begins next month, and Emmaus has entered both a girl and boys’ team.
Girls team co-captain, year 12 student Jessica Walker, said it was amazing to finally have a girls’ team in the confraternity competition.
“We’ve been pushing for this team in this competition for years, and to finally have a girls team is great,” Miss Walker said.
“It’s such an honour, especially to be a captain for the first year confro.”
She said her team was inexperienced, but they were working hard to prove their worth.
“When we started, we didn’t have very much exposure to rugby,” she said.
“We all have different backgrounds… but we’ve worked really hard together over the last few months and we’ve definitely improved.
“We’re going to this competition and we’re pumped.”
The girls’ coach, Nick Jones, said despite some of the girls not knowing the rules, they were “progressing really well”.
“They’ve been training hard and they’re putting their time and effort into their training,” Mr Jones said.
He said Covid played a role in delaying a girls side.
“I think it may have happened a bit earlier if Covid didn’t happen,” he said.
“But I also think it’s the whole exposure that women are getting to the game now with the NRL women’s side, touch football and things like that – getting them involved is a huge thing.”
According to Mr Jones, the plan is to build a rugby legacy at Emmaus – this includes the girls.
“This year we’re just getting our feet in the water and getting the taste of what rugby league is like with the girls,” he said.
“We plan to get better every year and expose the younger grades… so by the time they’re in years 11 and 12, they’ve been playing for three or four years.”
The boys team is also working hard to stake their claim on the Confraternity Shield, as well as some other competitions.
The boys coach, Jason Brechin, said they are struggling but getting the necessary experience.
“This year was the first year that we’ve done Titan’s Cup, the largest rugby league competition in Australia, so that’s good experience,” Mr Brechin said.
“The Confraternity Carnival is a pretty tough competition, because they play six times in four days and our first round is against the team that won last year.”
17-year-old Jaxon Morgan started playing league at the late age of 13, but he’s already made captain.
“The team has potential, we’ve just got to get our stuff right,” he said.
Mr Morgan’s younger brother is also in the boys team, but he said sibling rivalry wouldn’t get in the way of winning.
