CANTERBURY PLAYERS TO FEATURE IN NSWRL’S JUNIOR WOMEN’S COMPS
A group of Canterbury’s most promising young players are on their way to Sydney to take up opportunities in the 2025 Tarsha Gale Cup, the NSWRL’s elite under-19s women’s competition, and the Lisa Fiaola Cup, the NSWRL’s under-17s women’s grade.
Hornby’s Kyra-Lee Westland and Linwood’s Dejah Tuliau have been selected in Penrith Panthers’ Tarsha Gale Cup squad, while Hornby’s Manisha Seebeck joins Sydney Roosters and Linwood’s Te Koha Te Rito will line up for South Sydney Rabbitohs.
Westland, Tuliau and Seebeck represented Canterbury 18s together at the 2023 and ’24 South Island Girls Tournaments, and South Island Scorpions 18s at the 2024 National Youth Tournament. Te Rito joined the trio in the Canterbury 18s team last year.
Meanwhile, Te Rito’s sister, Canterbury 16s rep Ariana, will feature for the Rabbitohs’ Lisa Fiaola Cup side.
Halfback Westland and centre Seebeck were key members of the Hornby side that reached the 2024 CRL Bartercard Women’s Premiership grand final. Westland, the competition’s top pointscorer, scored both of the gallant Panthers’ tries in their 20-12 loss to Sydenham Swans.
Tuliau was a versatile backline performer for the Keas, who bowed out in the semi-finals. Seebeck was subsequently chosen in the Trillo Metals Women’s Canterbury Bulls squad for the NZRL National Premiership.
Te Koha and Ariana Te Rito played for the Keas’ 18s and 16s teams, respectively, in 2024.
Another Canterbury age-group rep, Linwood’s Olive Connolly, was also set to feature in Penrith’s 2025 Tarsha Gale Cup campaign before an injury suffered during an outstanding National Youth Tournament for the Scorpions ruled her out.
Papanui Tigers’ Jaydika Tafua was a mainstay in Cronulla’s Tarsha Gale Cup line-up in 2024, then progressed into the Sharks’ NSW Women’s Premiership side later in the season.
The nine-round Tarsha Gale Cup gets underway on Saturday, February 1. Westland and Tuliau could debut for the Panthers against the Sharks, while Seebeck’s Roosters take on Wests Tigers in their series opener. Souths’ Tarsha Gale and Lisa Fiaola Cup teams kick off their campaigns against Newcastle on February 1.
Follow our players’ progress in the NSWRL and QRL junior competitions via Canterbury Rugby League’s weekly Red and Black Report.
