Are Parents Getting Ripped Off for Extra Rugby League Training for Girls? Which Programs Are Worth It and What Should You Pay?

Female rugby league is growing rapidly. With competitions like Lisa Fiaola, Tasha Gale and the Harvey Norman Women’s Premiership expanding every year, parents naturally want to give their daughters every possible advantage.

But with that growth has also come something else.

An explosion of extra training programs.

Some of these programs are excellent and deliver genuine development.

Others, unfortunately, are simply businesses taking advantage of families who are desperate to help their children succeed.

Let’s be honest.

Yes, these programs are businesses and coaches deserve to be paid for their knowledge and experience. In fact, good programs should charge properly because real development environments take time, planning and professional coaching.

But there are also programs out there that:

• have very little credibility

• copy drills from other coaches

• talk big but deliver very little development

• rely on hype and social media presentation

I won’t name them.

But parents need to understand how to identify the difference.

Why Parents Feel Pressure to Pay for Extra Rugby League Training

One of the biggest problems in youth sport today is comparison.

Parents see other players doing extra sessions and suddenly feel their child is falling behind.

But what many families don’t realise is that some of those players are not ahead because of training.

They may simply have:

• stronger connections

• parents pushing hype

• social media exposure

• different managers focusing on visibility

If you start chasing what everyone else is doing without understanding why, you can easily waste a lot of money.

Some parents are even working extra shifts just to pay for programs so their daughter doesn’t feel left out.

But here is the truth.

Extra training does not guarantee selection.

It does not guarantee:

• a starting position

• Lisa Fiaola selection

• Tasha Gale selection

• Harvey Norman opportunities

• or eventually an NRLW pathway contract

What matters is not doing more training.

What matters is doing the right training.

What Good Extra Rugby League Training Should Actually Include

If parents are paying for extra rugby league training for girls, the program must deliver real development.

The most important component is not skills.

The number one foundation of elite rugby league athletes is:

Speed and agility.

Speed, explosive starts, agility and conditioning are the physical qualities that separate players.

When those foundations improve, skills become far easier to execute.

Too many programs focus on passing drills or pretty exercises before the body is ready to perform at game speed.

A proper development program should prioritise:

• speed development

• agility and footwork

• explosive acceleration

• conditioning and endurance

Once those physical qualities improve, skills naturally follow.

Speed and Agility Training for Female Rugby League Players

Speed and agility training for female rugby league players should mimic the demands of the game.

Players need to work on:

• explosive starts

• short sprint acceleration

• quick direction changes

• defensive line speed

• attacking running angles

One interesting point many people overlook is that some of the best agility drills actually come from soccer training.

Soccer is built around constant footwork, movement and directional change.

Many of the drills I personally use come directly from soccer environments because they translate extremely well into rugby league.

The Physical Areas That Must Be Developed

A proper training program should assess the athlete as a whole.

Every player is different.

Some need strength.

Some need conditioning.

Some need better body composition.

Programs should be looking at:

• body shape and physique

• upper body strength

• hamstring development

• leg power

• core stability

• overall conditioning

Core strength in particular is critical.

Without strong core stability, speed and agility improvements will not transfer effectively into game performance.

Development is not just running drills.

It is understanding the athlete.

When Should Players Start Extra Rugby League Training?

Timing matters.

For players competing in Lisa Fiaola or Tasha Gale competitions, seasons usually finish around April.

The body needs recovery.

Take two weeks off after the season.

Recovery is essential.

After that, players can begin preparing for the next phase of their development.

If they return to club football, they should maintain the same professional standards they had during pathway competitions.

Never drop your standards.

If anything, you should stand out even more.

Pre-Season Preparation for Lisa Fiaola and Tasha Gale

For players serious about progressing into the pathway system, preparation should start months before camps begin.

A typical progression could look like this:

November

Building routine and fitness foundations

January

Strong training habits established

February

Three sessions per week

March

Four sessions per week focusing on conditioning and preparation

This is not overload training.

It is progressive development.

By the time official camps begin, the athlete is already in elite physical condition.

That alone can separate players from the rest of the group.

Elite Coaches Deliver Elite Results

When parents do decide to invest in professional programs, the quality of coaching matters enormously.

For example, Justin Makhlouf is one of the most detailed strength and conditioning coaches I’ve seen.

If you want a comparison, he is the Porsche or Mercedes of strength and conditioning programs.

His work focuses on:

• body mechanics

• muscle balance

• injury prevention

• strength development

• nutrition planning

The detail is extraordinary.

From exact meal preparation instructions to conditioning programs that rebuild the body from the ground up.

I’ve seen the results personally.

My own son Jayden, a professional boxer, used to cut weight before fights and lose power.

After working through Justin’s system he was able to make weight comfortably while actually gaining power.

The difference was remarkable.

Speed Specialists and Development Coaches

Speed development is another area where specialist coaching can make a huge difference.

Coaches like Roger Fabri have built strong reputations over many years working with elite athletes.

He focuses heavily on:

• sprint mechanics

• acceleration

• explosive movement

Players I’ve sent to his programs have improved their running efficiency significantly.

Even athletes who are already fast can improve dramatically once their mechanics are corrected.

But environments like these require commitment.

And they do come at a cost.

It’s Not About Price — It’s About Value

Parents often focus on price.

But the real question should be:

What is the athlete actually learning?

Group sessions may cost less.

Elite specialised coaching may cost more.

But if the athlete is genuinely improving, the investment can be worthwhile.

The key is understanding exactly what the program is designed to improve.

Warning Signs of Poor Training Programs

Unfortunately, some programs simply collect money.

Parents should be cautious if they notice:

• coaches focused heavily on payments

• pressure to pay large upfront fees

• excessive talking with little training

• no measurable improvement in athletes

• generic drills repeated every week

If your child attends a program for several weeks and there is no improvement, walk away.

Sometimes the best decision is to stop immediately and save your money.

What Smart Parents Should Look For Instead

The first step is simple.

Do your homework.

Research properly.

Use Instagram, Google and social media.

Look at genuine content from coaches and programs.

Look at the drills.

Look at the athletes.

Compare what you see with real rugby league.

Watch an NRL or NRLW game and observe the speed and intensity of the sport.

Then ask yourself:

Does the training resemble the demands of the game?

Or does it simply look good on camera?

Pretty content does not build rugby league players.

Effort does.

Intensity does.

Purpose does.

Also look at the history of the program.

Don’t just look at accounts that started two months ago.

Go back through their content.

Look at athletes they’ve trained over time.

Speak to people who have actually trained there.

And most importantly, watch the athletes.

Have they improved?

The Excel Sports Philosophy

At Excel Sports we believe the most valuable asset an athlete has is not speed or skill.

It is attitude and mindset.

Our core values are simple:

Family. Faith. You.

When athletes understand these principles, everything changes.

They develop the courage to push through challenges.

They gain the discipline to train harder.

And most importantly, they learn to embrace the difficult parts of development — the fitness, the pain, the extra effort that produces real results.

Because nothing in rugby league pathways should be given.

Everything must be earned.

Managers cannot train for players.

Coaches cannot play for players.

Success always comes back to the athlete.

And our message remains simple:

Excel with us and watch us win.

Sam Sa coaching female rugby league player development training session

Coaches & Development Programs Worth Looking At

While there are many extra training programs appearing in rugby league today, there are also coaches and development environments that are producing genuine results.

Over the years we’ve watched a number of these programs closely, spoken with athletes training there, and seen the physical improvements ourselves.

The following are programs we are aware of and are comfortable mentioning.

This list is not about ranking coaches or declaring one better than another. Each environment offers something different depending on the athlete's needs.

We will also continue to add to this list over time as we test and observe more programs.

Justin Makhlouf – Body Conditioning & Performance Development

Justin Makhlouf is one of the most detailed strength and conditioning coaches we have seen.

He is not cheap.

But he is the real deal.

His programs go far beyond basic fitness training. Justin focuses heavily on rebuilding the body properly through:

• body mechanics

• muscle balance

• injury prevention

• strength development

• detailed nutrition planning

Athletes in his system receive structured dietary plans, conditioning programs and performance monitoring that are extremely thorough.

If you're serious about rebuilding your body properly, this environment delivers real results.

Roger Fabri – Speed & Sprint Mechanics

Roger Fabri has built a strong reputation over many years specialising in sprint mechanics and speed development.

Speed is one of the most important attributes in modern rugby league and Roger’s programs focus on:

• acceleration

• running mechanics

• explosive movement

• sprint efficiency

He has worked with elite athletes but also continues to help developing players improve their speed foundations.

Several athletes we’ve referred into his environment have seen noticeable improvements in their sprint performance.

Michael Fualalo – SPEED COACH SYDNEY | ATHLETE MENTOR

Speed & Athlete Development

Michael Fualalo has also been producing some excellent results with developing athletes.

One of our key head coaches, Sam Sa, has mentioned several times how impressed he is with the players coming through Michael’s training environments.

From what we’ve seen, athletes leaving his programs look:

• faster

• stronger

• more physically prepared

Programs like this show the difference when coaching focuses on real athletic development rather than just running drills.

IronUp – Junior Development Programs

IronUp has done excellent work developing younger rugby league athletes.

The environment created by Henry and Pauline focuses heavily on:

• patience with young players

• teaching basic movement patterns

• speed and agility foundations

• building confidence in younger athletes

For players roughly between 8 and 14 years old, programs like this can be extremely valuable for early development.

In New Zealand, Valentino and the wider team have also been doing great work developing young players through the same philosophy.

Other Programs Worth Watching

There are also several other environments that parents may want to research further depending on location and the type of training their child needs.

These include:

• Southpac Strength

• JFree Performance

• Speed City Athletics

• 3P Performance

• Jake Street Performance Training

Each of these environments focuses on different aspects of athletic development such as strength, conditioning, speed, or rugby league specific training.

As we continue to observe and test programs ourselves, we will continue adding to this list so parents have a clearer understanding of which environments are producing genuine results.

Final Reminder to Parents

At the end of the day, the most important factor is not the price of the program.

It is the value of the development your child receives.

The right coach will help an athlete:

• improve physically

• understand the game

• develop discipline

• and build long-term confidence.

The wrong program simply takes money and gives very little in return.

Do your homework.

Research properly.

Watch the athletes.

And always remember — real development speaks for itself.

Swan Fitness Rugby – Rugby Performance Development

Another program worth mentioning is Swan Fitness Rugby, run by Cole Swannack.

Cole focuses on developing young rugby players through a combination of:

• rugby league skills

• performance development

• conditioning and fitness

• positional drills and fundamentals

His content shows athletes working through practical rugby-specific training environments rather than just generic fitness drills.

Programs like this can be valuable for players who want to work on:

• game awareness

• positional skills

• passing and decision-making

• rugby-specific conditioning

Like any program, parents should always monitor the athlete’s development and make sure the training environment aligns with their child's stage of development.

But from what we’ve seen so far, Swan Fitness Rugby is another environment worth keeping an eye on.

Updated List Section (Order)

The following coaches and development programs are examples of environments we are aware of and comfortable recommending based on results we have seen. We will continue adding to this list as we observe and test more programs over time.

Your list now reads cleanly as:

• Justin Makhlouf – body conditioning & mechanics

• Roger Fabri – sprint mechanics

• Michael Fualalo – speed & athlete development

• IronUp – junior development

• Southpac Strength – strength & conditioning

• JFree Performance – rugby league S&C

• Speed City Athletics – speed training

• 3P Performance – rugby league development

• Swan Fitness Rugby – rugby performance development