The Rugby League Players’ Association is pleased to welcome Sia Soliola as he joins the team as Player Operations Manager.
Sia becomes the first player to experience the RLPA’s leadership pathway structure at every level. From club Delegate and Player Advisory Group member to Director on the RLPA Board and now employed by the Association, it shows Sia’s genuine commitment to advocating for and representing the collective.
He joins the Player Operations team that services NRL players alongside fellow former player Tinirau Arona.
Jamie Buhrer, General Manager of Player and Football Operations, spoke highly of Sia’s previous experience at the RLPA.
“Sia was an incredible leader for the Association as a player and we are proud to have him join the team as a Player Operations Manager in his post-career. His experience in representing and advocating for players during his playing days will make it a smooth transition into his employment at the RLPA.
“Sia has a huge amount of respect in the rugby league community. I could not think of many better people to help build trust, confidence and strong relationships with the current playing group. Sia will be crucial in helping the RLPA work effectively and collaboratively with stakeholders to identify and resolve issues affecting a player or members collectively.”
Sia Soliola spoke about his desire to work at the RLPA following his time at the Canberra Raiders as their Wellbeing & Education Manager.
“Like working at the Raiders, it’s the people who drew me to wanting to work at the RLPA. I have so much respect for the staff here at the RLPA, which is a big reason why I wanted to join. I feel connected and aligned with their values, plus I believe this role and workplace will allow me to grow and develop different skills in areas I want to improve.”
“I’m looking forward to getting a clearer understanding of how the game works and operates, so I can equip myself with the right tools to able to assist the players with the level of care that they are entitled to.”
“As I got a bit older and more established as a player, I started to understand how important it was for players to have a voice and proper representation that can articulate that in a respectful way within our game. The RLPA has done that for many years now.”
Sia, who retired in 2021, played 229 NRL games for the Sydney Roosters and Canberra Raiders. He was also awarded the Ken Stephen Medal in 2019 for his achievements on the field alongside his committed time off the field to community projects.
He also made 117 appearances for St Helens in the UK Super League.
About Player Operations Managers
The Player Operations Manager role is primarily focused on successfully communicating, developing, organising and empowering RLPA Player Delegates and representatives.
The role is responsible for engaging and working collaboratively with other RLPA members and key industry stakeholders to drive a high level of trust and engagement with the RLPA.
About the RLPA
The Rugby League Players’ Association (RLPA) is the representative body of elite rugby league players contracted to play in the National Rugby League competitions, NSW Cup, Queensland Cup and elite women’s competitions.
Players agree on how their negotiated share of NRL revenue is divided up and distributed across the Total Player Payments. Within the Total Player Payments, there is also a portion which the players have agreed will be directed towards funding their association. This represents the members’ fees and the revenue received is what the association operates off.
