Fiji and PNG join expanded National Championships
Teams from PNG and Fiji will participate in this year’s Harvey Norman Women’s National Championships, which will be held on the Gold Coast starting next week (Thursday, March 21).
The National Rugby League will partner with Experience Gold Coast to hold the Harvey Norman Women’s National Championships on the Gold Coast in 2024.
This year’s Harvey Norman Women’s National Championships will be held at Pizzey Park, Burleigh, between Thursday, March 21 and Sunday, March 24.
The inclusion of the two Pacific teams in the tournament for the first time has been made possible by the PacificAus Sports Program.
“The tournament is an important part of our pathways and it is great to see the addition of PNG and Fiji,” NRL CEO Andrew Abdo said.
“The tournament has always been about providing an opportunity for our emerging talented female players to be discovered and developed.
“The opportunity for players from the Pacific to participate as well as the support of Experience Gold Coast will ensure the National Championships continue to grow as a major pathway for the women’s game.”
Experience Gold Coast CEO John Warn added: “Backing women’s sport is a key strategic priority for continuing to grow our city’s event calendar.
“We’re proud to partner with the NRL to see the Harvey Norman Women’s National Championships return to the Gold Coast.
“Our city is a breeding ground for sporting stars like our Gold Coast Titans NRLW team who had a legendary campaign in 2023. We look forward to seeing emerging players from around Australia and the Pacific shine on our fields later this month.”
Adding to the international flavour of this year's tournament, USA international MarCaya Bailous and Canada Ravens representative Megan Pakulis, who were selected from the NRL Combine held in Las Vegas earlier this month will also be involved.
*PacificAus Sports is an Australian Government sports diplomacy initiative developing pathways for Pacific teams and athletes to compete in elite competitions and access high performance coaching in Australia and internationally. The program partners with Australian national sports organisations to support a range of Pacific sports, including rugby league, rugby union, netball, football, AFL, cricket and Olympic/Paralympic sports, with funding split evenly between women and men. PacificAus Sports also partners with the Australian Broadcasting Commission (ABC) to promote Pacific sport through ABC Television’s ‘That Pacific Sports Show’ and ABC Radio’s ‘Fresh Off the Field’. The high performance outcomes of PacificAus Sports are complemented by the Australian Government’s Team Up program, which focuses on sport for development in the Pacific. For more information about PacificAus Sports and its initiatives, visit www.pacificaussports.gov.au and follow PacificAus Sports on Facebook and Instagram.
