Teenage sensation Brydie Parker has encouraged any aspiring women’s player to follow her Rugby League dream and register for the NSWRL’s Talent ID Day next month after becoming the first triallist to make it all the way through to the NRLW Grand Final last year.
The NSWRL will stage a women’s Talent ID day the Centre of Excellence at Sydney Olympic Park on Sunday 3 March to offer any player interested in the game an insight into the women’s pathway system. The day will involve fitness testing and a skills carousel.
Parker, 19, was among 150 hopefuls who attended an NRL Talent ID Day on the Gold Coast in May last year and was signed shortly after by the Sydney Roosters. By the end of the season she was playing in the NRLW Grand Final against the Brisbane Broncos at ANZ Stadium.
“To be in the first ever Women’s Rugby League Premiership was something I did not expect to be a part of in 2018,” Parker told nswrl.com.au
“It came as a shock to me but I was grateful for the opportunity and I learned so much.
“The Grand Final experience was surreal. There were so many people, I can’t even explain how I felt. It was just really cool.”
Parker, who has been signed with Mounties for the Harvey Norman NSW Women’s Premiership this season, grew up in a Rugby League-mad family and was keen to try her hand at the code when the chance arose to take part in the Talent ID Day.
She applauded the initiative from the NSWRL to hold a similar day this year and encouraged women who were keen on playing Rugby League but unsure how to start off to give it a go.
“I’m glad I went to that day and I’ve had a lot of success out of it,” Parker said.
“I didn’t think anything like playing in a NRLW Grand Final would happen from going to the Talent ID Day. I just wanted to go up, give it my all and see what I had in comparison to everyone else. I just wanted to give it a crack and see what happened.”
NSWRL Performance Solutions Manager Brad Pryjmachuk said: “The NSWRL Women’s Talent ID is designed to identify players from other sports, and areas around NSW, who are interested in joining the women’s Rugby League pathway.
“We want to ensure that we are giving all athletes an opportunity to showcase their physical abilities as well as their Rugby League skills at the NSWRL Talent ID day, as well as educating them on the pathway to the Women's State of Origin program.
“There will be representatives from NRLW clubs, Harvey Norman NSW Women's Premiership clubs and Harvey Norman Tarsha Gale Cup teams to watch on as these athletes take part in the day and scout them into potential squads.
“We want to provide opportunities for more players to be identified, and hopefully given an opportunity in the Harvey Norman Women's Premiership, and maybe represent NSW in Women's State of Origin.”
You can register for the NSWRL women's Talent ID day by clicking here.
