As part of its commitment to being player-led, the Rugby League Players Association held its first-ever Women’s Vision and Strategy Day – an important milestone in the journey toward a stronger, more sustainable future for the NRLW and players.
Proudly supported and hosted by Westpac, the session brought together a diverse group of established and emerging NRLW player leaders. The Women’s Vision and Strategy Day allowed player leaders to engage in open and honest discussions about the current state and future of the women’s game, with a focus on solutions.
The day will lead to the development of a new all-encompassing Women’s Vision and Strategy that is grounded in the insights, priorities, and ambitions of the players themselves.
The RLPA and players thank Westpac for their investment into and ongoing support of women’s rugby league. Westpac continues to demonstrate its commitment to meaningful progress and gender equity in sport.
Clint Newton Praises RLPA Women’s Vision and Strategy Day
“The groundbreaking RLPA Women’s Vision and Strategy Day was an important milestone for the RLPA and continues our forward-focussed engagement with players,” says Clint Newton, CEO of the RLPA.
“You cannot put a value on how important it is to hear directly from the players in such a collaborative, inclusive and trustworthy environment. Player-led means the athletes shape the decision-making process. The robust discussions, opinions and perspectives shared will be critical to the strategic work we will now develop and implement.
“The result of the RLPA leadership team offering a dedicated and psychologically safe space for female players to share their views will be the development of the most effective roadmap for the game’s future, all based on the lived experiences of players.
“On behalf of the RLPA, I would like to thank Westpac for supporting the Women’s Vision and Strategy Day and their broad commitment to women’s rugby league. We are fortunate to have such loyal and dedicated partners invest in our game and its players, who are responsible for creating the product.
“We look forward to exploring further opportunities with Westpac and welcome other major partners to collaborate on innovative activations that propel the game forward.”
RLPA Women’s Vision and Strategy Day to Shape the Future of NRLW
The RLPA Women’s Vision and Strategy Day was designed to build on the vital foundation that the existing collective bargaining agreement has set for elite women’s rugby league. The RLPA’s continued collaboration and engagement with players is essential to our advocacy and proactive planning for players.
This strategy will help guide the RLPA’s ongoing work in the women’s space, setting out short-, medium-, and long-term goals, while also identifying key areas of focus for future CBA negotiations.
“The RLPA Women’s Vision and Strategy Day showed the value of direct player input and will completely guide the next phase which is developing the strategy itself,” said Lina Caccamo, General Manager of Strategy and Innovation.
“Throughout the day, the player leaders engaged in a range of workshops that focussed on critical topics in the women’s game. The structure of these workshops allowed the player leaders to be as open and honest as possible which will help create a strategy that works for players while also growing and improving the women’s game.
“Importantly, the session emphasised both aspiration and practicality. Player leaders considered what progress is possible now, within current system constraints, as well as what should be aimed for in the longer term.”
The workshops for the Women’s Vision and Strategy Day included:
- crafting a new Women’s Vision statement
- discussing player preferences for season structures and draws
- establishing guiding principles and preferences for expansion
- developing minimum standards, especially around health and safety
- boosting commercial promotion and media engagement for the women’s competition
- and creating the building blocks to support the pathway to full-time professionalism.
The RLPA will now translate this session into a detailed strategy for review by player leaders and the RLPA Board of Directors. This will form the basis for broader engagement—with the NRL and other key stakeholders—ensuring player voices remain central to decision-making as the game continues to grow and evolve.
This player-led strategy will guide the RLPA’s next phase of advocacy and collaboration—shaping growth, fairness, and long-term opportunity for women’s rugby league.
