Australian captain Ruan Sims and flying fullback Sam Bremner were at Dubbo on Wednesday, running a Jillaroos to juniors clinic with young girls from all over the Western Rams region. 

As well as helping passing on tips and skills to the youngsters, the pair also sat in with a number of NRL Development Officers and Country Rugby League representatives to hear from parents of young girls who are keen on playing rugby league.

With league tag booming around the area, a host of young female players are now keen on playing the contact version of the game.

Sims said it was “amazing” to hear from parents who were passionate about their daughters playing rugby league and was proud to see the game’s development out west.

“It was November of last year I was out here and to see that the focus has gone from participation to pathways, to me, that is incredible and shows the hunger is there, the drive is there from people in the country and they want to play rugby league,” she said.

“Girls want to play rugby league and they want to know how they can get to the Jillaroos and I think it’s fantastic for Sammy and I here to be here and show that top level exists.

“But it would be even better to see a girl from the country from the middle of nowhere make it through the ranks and to the Jillaroos. That would be phenomenal.”

For Sims, that dream is getting closer and closer to a reality.

The Nines format played on Friday nights during summer at Dubbo, played with full contact, was a huge success, while a number of girls’ teams competed at the Peachey Shield and Richardson Cup finals day last week.

“Last year we had a 27% growth in female participation. The last year it was 25 and the year before that was 24 so it’s not decreasing and it’s the fastest growing female sport in Australia and, like I said, there’s an appetite for female rugby league and I think the fact the Jillaroos, New South Wales and Queensland are receiving so much media attention and sponsorship it’s making young girls think this is a potential career pathway.”

Sims added “the last missing piece” for the female game would be a national competition, and she said that was something the NRL is currently working towards.

There was plenty of excitement around the two players and the Jillaroos at Wednesday’s clinic and Bremner said having the women’s World Cup at Australia later this year will only help further boost the game.

“It will be humongous here and it’s awesome to be a part of,” she said.

“But it’s also exciting to think what is going to happen with women’s rugby league after the World Cup. It will be an awesome step forward after getting that exposure.”