A 22-strong squad laden with current and former Kiwi Ferns has been unveiled today to represent the Vodafone Warriors in the inaugural NRL women’s premiership next month.
With former Kiwi Fern Lorina Papali’i (41) signed, the Vodafone Warriors create rugby league history with a mother and son representing one club at the same time.
Lorina’s son Isaiah (19) has this year established himself as a first-choice second rower in his second season in the NRL.
Among the others confirmed at the club’s headquarters are Kiwi Ferns captain Laura Mariu and another legendary international Sarina Clark (nee Fiso).
Mariu, who was made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit in the Queen’s Birthday awards, had contemplated retirement after the 2017 World Cup but returned this season to help the Counties Manukau Stingrays to win the national final. She was also a key figure as the Manurewa Marlins beat the Richmond Roses in the Auckland women’s grand final last Sunday.
Clark missed the World Cup last year to have her third child. She returned to the field recently and signed with the Vodafone Warriors just this week.
“This is such an exciting day for our club and for rugby league in this country,” said Vodafone Warriors general manager football Brian Smith.
This is such an exciting day for our club and for rugby league in this country
Brian Smith Vodafone Warriors general manager football
“We were thrilled to bring Luisa (Avaiki) on board as the first women’s coach in the NRL and today we take another step forward with the announcement of our squad comprising solely New Zealand players.
“We have a group of talented players who are just so excited about being involved in this shot at history.”
Avaiki is delighted with the 22 players the club has been able to sign.
“We have some legends of our game in the likes of Laura and Sarina who are backed up by some fantastic players,” she said.
This is a dream for all of us to be involved in the NRL women’s premiership
Luisa Avaiki Vodafone Warriors women's head coach
“This is a dream for all of us to be involved in the NRL women’s premiership and we’re all working hard to make the most of what is an amazing opportunity for rugby league.”
Avaiki, appointed in last March, had an illustrious international playing career from 1995-2009. She captained the Kiwi Ferns to victory in two women’s World Cup tournaments in 2003 and 2008 and was also in the winning side in the first World Cup in 2000.
Features of the squad named:
- A total of 18 players are current or former Kiwi Ferns.
- The four players yet to represent the Kiwis have all been included in a wider 2018 national squad named by new Kiwi Ferns coach Kelvin Wright.
- A total of 16 players are from the Manurewa Marlins and Richmond Roses squad which met in the Auckland women’s premiership final last Sunday.
- Lorina Papali’i and Isaiah Papali’i become the first mother and son pair to represent a rugby league club at the same time.
- Two players Laura Mariu and Apii Nicholls – the New Zealand Rugby League’s 2017 women’s player of the year – were recently sworn in as constables with the New Zealand Police.
- Several of the players have been national representatives in other sports apart from rugby league:
- Sarina Clark has played kabbadi and touch for New Zealand.
- Georgia Hale and Krystal Rota have both played touch and tag for New Zealand.
- Amber Kani has represented New Zealand Maori at the tag World Cup.
- Apii Nicholls has played sevens rugby union and tag for Cook Islands.
- Lorina Papali'i, the NZRL's player of the year in 2014, has played tag for New Zealand and represented Samoa Mausina at two women's rugby union World Cup tournaments.
- Masuisuimatamaalii (Sui) Tauasa-Pauaraisa is a Samoa rugby union sevens representative.
The Vodafone Warriors will play NRL women’s premiership matches against Brisbane, St George Illawarra and the Sydney Roosters during the NRL finals in September.
They’ll warm up for the competition with a match against Auckland when the Vodafone Warriors stage a double header in their Women in League game day at Mount Smart Stadium on Friday, August 10.
The women’s game is scheduled to kick off at 6.05pm followed by the 22nd-round NRL clash between the Vodafone Warriors and the Newcastle Knights (8.00pm).
VODAFONE WARRIORS | 2018 NRL WOMEN'S PREMIERSHIP
RAQUEL ANDERSON-PITMAN
Born: November 2, 1991
Birthplace: Tokoroa, NZ
Club: Manurewa Marlins
Position: Halfback/hooker
Rep Honours: Kiwi Ferns (2017-2018), World Cup (2017), Counties Manukau Stingrays
Occupation: Boiler operator, Oji Fibre Solutions
Personal Note:
SARINA CLARK
Born: November 11, 1981
Birthplace: Auckland, NZ
Club: Manurewa Marlins
Position: Fullback
Rep Honours: Kiwi Ferns (2006-2016), World Cup (2008, 2013), NRL Nines (2015, 2016, 2017), New Zealand Maori (2015), New Zealand kabaddi (2013-2015), New Zealand touch (2009), Counties Manukau Stingrays
Occupation: Case manager, WINZ
LISA EDWARDS
Born: October 19, 1992
Birthplace: Auckland, NZ
Club: Mount Albert
Position: Wing
Rep Honours: Akarana Falcons
Occupation: Receptionist, Crittal Armold
LUISA GAGO
Pronunciation: Loo-ee-sah Nung-or
Born: November 8, 1993
Birthplace: Auckland, NZ
Club: Manurewa Marlins
Position: Second row/loose forward
Rep Honours: Kiwi Ferns (2017-2018), NRL Nines (2017), Counties Manukau Stingrays
Occupation: Customer service, Smith & Smith
GEORGIA HALE
Born: August 9, 1995
Birthplace: Auckland, NZ
Club: Richmond Roses
Position: Halfback/standoff/hooker
Rep Honours: Kiwi Ferns (2015-2018), World Cup (2017), NRL Nines (2015-2017), New Zealand touch, New Zealand tag, Akarana Falcons
Occupation: Community coordinator, Vodafone Warriors
AMBER KANI
Pronunciation: Car-nee
Born: January 17, 1991
Birthplace: Auckland, NZ
Club: Manurewa Marlins
Position: Centre
Rep Honours: Kiwi Ferns (2015-2018), World Cup (2017), NRL Nines (2016-2017), New Zealand Maori (2014-2016), Tag World Cup, New Zealand Maori (2012), Counties Manukau Stingrays
Occupation: Ambassador, Manurewa Business Association
ONJEURLINA LEIATAUA
Pronunciation: On-jar-lee-nah Lay-a-toe-ah
Born: December 1, 1995
Birthplace: Auckland, NZ
Club: Otahuhu Leopards
Position: Centre/second row
Rep Honours: Counties Manukau Stingrays
Occupation: Warehouse assistant, Tupperware
HILDA MARIU
Pronunciation: Mar-ree-oo
Born: August 9, 1983
Birthplace: Auckland, NZ
Club: Manurewa Marlins
Position: Second row/centre
Rep Honours: Kiwi Ferns (2014-2018), World Cup (2017), NRL Nines (2015), Counties Manukau Stingrays
Occupation: Health promoter, Te Kaha o Te Rangatahi Trust
LAURA MARIU
Pronunciation: Mar-ree-oo
Born: December 2, 1980
Birthplace: Auckland, NZ
Club: Manurewa Marlins
Position: Loose forward/halfback
Rep Honours: Kiwi Ferns (2000-2018), World Cup (2000, 2005, 2008, 2013, 2017), NRL Nines (2015, 2016, 2017), Counties Manukau Stingrays
Occupation: Constable, New Zealand Police
VA'ANESSA MOLIA-FRASER
Pronunciation: Var-ah-nessa Morleeah
Born: January 18, 1996
Birthplace: Auckland, NZ
Club: Richmond Roses
Position: Fullback
Rep Honours: Kiwi Ferns (2016, 2017), NRL Nines (2017), Akarana Falcons
Occupation: Student, AUT
APII NICHOLLS
Pronunciation: Ah-pee
Born: February 26, 1993
Birthplace: Rarotonga, Cook Islands
Club: Otahuhu Leopards
Position: Fullback
Rep Honours: Kiwi Ferns (2017-2018), World Cup (2017), Cook Islands sevens (rugby union), Cook Islands tag, Counties Manukau Stingrays
Occupation: Constable, New Zealand Police
TANIKA-JAZZ NOBLE-BELL
Born: February 20, 1996
Birthplace: Auckland, NZ
Club: Manurewa Marlins
Position: Second row/prop
Rep Honours: Kiwi Ferns wider squad (2018), Kiwi Ferns (2017), NRL Nines (2017), Counties Manukau Stingrays, Auckland Vulcans
Occupation: Student, University of Auckland
ANNETTA-CLAUDIA NUUAUSALA
Pronunciation: Noo-ow-sar-lah
Born: January 22, 1995
Birthplace: Auckland, NZ
Club: Richmond Roses
Position: Prop
Rep Honours: Kiwi Ferns (2016-2018), World Cup (2017), Akarana Falcons
Occupation: Customer/after sales support, Husqvarna NZ
LORINA PAPALI'I
Pronunciation: Law-ree-nah Par-par-lee-ee
Born: January 16, 1977
Birthplace: Hamilton, NZ
Club: Richmond Roses
Position: Second row/prop
Rep Honours: Kiwi Ferns (1994-2005), World Cup (2000, 2005), New Zealand tag (2007, 2010, 2011), Samoa Mausina rugby union (2002 World Cup, 2006 World Cup), Akarana Falcons
Occupation: Office supervisor, Worth & Douglas
KAHURANGI PETERS
Pronunciation: Car-who-rung-ee
Born: February 23, 1994
Birthplace: Auckland, NZ
Club: Manurewa Marlins
Position: Prop
Rep Honours: Kiwi Ferns (2013-2018), World Cup (2013, 2017), NRL Nines (2015, 2016, 2017), Counties Manukau Stingrays
Occupation: Mother
KRYSTAL ROTA
Pronunciation: Roar-tah
Born: October 3, 1985
Birthplace: Auckland, NZ
Club: Manurewa Marlins
Position: Hooker
Rep Honours: Kiwi Ferns (2008-2018), World Cup (2008, 2017), NRL Nines (2015, 2017), New Zealand Maori, New Zealand touch, New Zealand tag, Counties Manukau Stingrays
Occupation: Mother
AIESHALEIGH SMALLEY
Pronunciation: Ah-eee-shar-lee
Born: September 23, 1991
Birthplace: Auckland, NZ
Club: Otahuhu Leopards
Position: Prop
Rep Honours: Kiwi Ferns (2017-2018), World Cup (2017), NRL Nines (2017), Counties Manukau Stingrays
Occupation: Mother
MASUISUIMATAMAALII (SUI) TAUASA-PAUARAISA
Pronunciation: Mar-sue-ee-sue-ee-mar-tah-mar-ah-lee-ee Toe-ar-sah Par-wah-rye-sah
Born: October 30, 1987
Birthplace: Motootua, Samoa
Club: Linwood Keas (Christchurch)
Position: Second row/loose forward
Rep Honours: Kiwi Ferns wider squad (2018), Canterbury (2017-2018), Samoa rugby union sevens (2016, 2017, 2018)
Occupation: Clinical administrator, Christchurch District Health Board
CRYSTAL TAMARUA
Pronunciation: Tar-ma-roo-ah
Born: July 30, 1995
Birthplace: Auckland
Club: Richmond Roses
Position: Second row/loose forward
Rep Honours: Kiwi Ferns (2017), Cook Islands (2017), World Cup – Cook Islands (2017), Akarana Falcons
Occupation: Postie, NZ Post
ALICE VAILEA
Pronunciation: Vie-lee-ah
Born: January 30, 1996
Birthplace: Auckland, NZ
Club: Richmond Roses
Position: Second row
Rep Honours: Akarana Falcons
Occupation: Teacher aide, Waikowhai Intermediate School (Auckland)
Personal Note:
LANGI VEAINU
Pronunciation: Lung-ee Vee-eye-nu
Born: November 3, 1993
Birthplace: Auckland
Club: Otahuhu Leopards
Position: Wing
Rep Honours: Kiwi Ferns (2016-2018), NRL Nines (2016, 2017), Counties Manukau Stingrays
Occupation: Mother
SHONTELLE WOODMAN
Born: September 2, 1986
Birthplace: New Plymouth, NZ
Club: Richmond Roses
Position: Centre/wing
Rep Honours: Kiwi Ferns (2014-2018), World Cup (2017), Akarana Falcons
Occupation: Teacher, Melville High School (Hamilton)
