A bit of legwork by officials from the Manly and North Sydney Junior Rugby Leagues has helped continue the legacy of one of NSWRL’s most-valued former staff members – Danielle Kifooti.
Kifooti, 49, lost her battle with cancer a year ago. But a community recruitment program she created in 2022 – Manly Minis – is enjoying a boom year in 2025.
“Last year we had somewhere between 50 to 60 participants,” said Donna Smith, NSWRL League and Club Support Coordinator.
“Obviously Daniel Kifooti started the program several years ago and it’s a legacy to her to continue this program as it’s a good one.”
Stars from the Sea Eagles side in The Knock-On Effect NSW Cup – half Jake Arthur (pictured below) and hooker Gordon Chan Kum Tong – were also on hand this week to help put the participants through some skills and encourage them to take up Rugby League.
More than 100 children aged between four and seven years have now registered to take part in Manly Minis, which runs every Wednesday during February at the Sydney Academy of Sport and Recreation at North Narrabeen.
There are 11 clubs in the Manly-Warringah Junior Rugby League district.
“Numbers in Manly aren’t as big as areas like Penrith and Parramatta,” Smith said.
“We had a number of clubs last year that didn’t field an Under 6s or Under 7s team at all with soccer and few other sports being very competitive for kids’ time.”
So Smith and her offsider Ruby Watterson from the North Sydney Bears drove around and put flyers up in local shopping centres; sent emails to local pre-schools; with the goal to have more participants than 2024.
“We thought if we get 80 that would be great and we had 103 register,” Smith said.
“We are still getting emails from people who have heard about the program through friends and want their children to come along.”
Participants get a pack – T-shirt, water bottle, football – and there’s a personalised letter to them and parents with a registration link to their local club based on their home address.
There are NRL Game Development Officers running the training every Wednesday for the group. Sessions include ball work like passing and catching, running with the ball.
“Then they play little games which really get the kids involved and all the parents seem really happy,” Smith said.
“The goal is then to get the children to register with their local team. We have a simple QR code in that letter which makes the process easy.”
Watterson has been working closely with Smith and the Manly district as there is no similar program at the Bears. But her involvement may now see a ‘Baby Bears’ program start in 2026.
