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THE NRLW 1 Percenters BLUEPRINT: WHAT EVERY NRLW PLAYER GETS WRONG

  • Writer: EXCEL Sports Management
    EXCEL Sports Management
  • Feb 8
  • 5 min read

Updated: Feb 11

Emily Bass and Jordyn Preston — The Truth About the 1%ers Blog Cover Image by Excel Sports

The Truth About the NRLW 1 Percenters — Straight From the Founder of Excel Sports

By John Fadel


THE NRLW 1 Percenters BLUEPRINT — THE TRUTH NOBODY TEACHES


Everyone talks about the “1%ers.”

Every parent repeats it.

Every club preaches it.

Every player uploads a gym selfie calling it “extras.”


But here’s the truth:


👉 Very few actually know what the 1 Percenters REALLY are.

👉 Even fewer do them properly.

👉 Almost no one can list 5 genuine 1%ers — not even clubs.


For 10 years, I’ve watched talented players fade out of NRLW…

And I’ve watched lesser-talented players rise to become elite representatives.


Why?

Because the 1%ers aren’t motivation. They’re systems. They’re habits. They’re a blueprint.


This is the full breakdown.


PART 1: THE REALITY ABOUT THE NRLW 1 PERCENTERS BLUEPRINT


Parents talk about them.

Players pretend they’re doing them.

Clubs say the word but can’t teach it.


The truth? The whole system is guessing.


The NRLW 1 percenters should be:


  • measurable

  • structured

  • daily

  • technical

  • non-negotiable


But most players are:


❌ Doing the wrong extras

❌ At the wrong times

❌ At the wrong intensity

❌ With no weekly structure

❌ With zero progression


That’s not NRLW 1 Percenters Blueprint.

That’s guesswork — and guesswork kills development.


PART 2: WHY MOST PLAYERS FAIL


Most players don’t fail because they aren’t talented.


They fail because:


  • inconsistency

  • lack of structure

  • poor habits

  • emotional fragility

  • comfort zones

  • zero accountability

  • fake discipline

  • toxic influences

  • no game IQ

  • no craft work


Everyone sounds elite.

Very few live elite.


And your teammates?

They won’t tell you when you’re slacking —

👉 because they want the edge over you.


PART 3: NUTRITION, RECOVERY & BODY MANAGEMENT


The most misunderstood NRLW 1%ers in the entire system.


You cannot out-train a bad diet.

You cannot outrun poor recovery.

You cannot build an NRLW body on guesswork.


Most girls sabotage themselves daily without knowing.


REAL Nutrition 1%ers

  • Eat for performance, not pleasure

  • Lean protein every meal

  • Complex carbs (timed properly)

  • Greens with every plate

  • Hydration targets: 2.5–4L daily

  • Electrolytes pre & post training

  • No soft drinks

  • Limited caffeine

  • NO energy drinks (ever)


Nutrition is the silent separator between talkers and serious players.


REAL Recovery 1%ers


Recovery is not “lying on the couch.”


It includes:

  • Ice bath / cold showers

  • Daily stretching

  • Mobility

  • Hydration

  • Sleep routine

  • Reducing screen time


If you skip recovery, you waste the training session.


REAL Body Management 1%ers


NRLW bodies take 12–36 months to build.


You need:

  • Proper lifting cycles

  • Strength → speed → power progression

  • Female-specific programming

  • Load management

  • Footy-specific movement patterns


You cannot be explosive without a strength base.

You cannot be durable without proper mechanics.


PART 4: STRENGTH, SPEED & WEEKLY STRUCTURE


This is where 95% of players get exposed.


Strength Training (REAL)


Not:

❌ Selfies

❌ Maxing out for TikTok

❌ Ego lifting

❌ Random F45 circuits


REAL NRLW Strength includes:

  • Deadlift variations

  • Squat cycles

  • Push / pull structures

  • Explosive movements

  • Medicine ball work

  • Load progression

  • Deload weeks

  • Technique-first development


Repetition > weight.Technique > ego.


Speed Training (REAL)


Running laps is NOT speed.


Speed requires:

  • Acceleration mechanics

  • Max velocity drills

  • Rest periods

  • Timing

  • COD under fatigue

  • Breathing mechanics


NRLW is a speed game.If you’re not doing 3 dedicated speed sessions a week, you’re falling behind.


Conditioning (REAL)


Not 3km jogs.

Not punishment laps.


Real conditioning is:

  • 40/20s

  • 60/30s

  • Shuttle repeats

  • Footy-based conditioning

  • Contact conditioning


Weekly Structure (Mandatory)


A real NRLW week looks like:

  • 2 Strength sessions

  • 2 Speed sessions

  • 1 Conditioning session

  • 1 Skills/Craft session

  • Daily mobility

  • Daily recovery

  • Nutrition plan

  • Sleep plan


Random training = random results.


PART 5: SKILL, IQ & GAME AWARENESS


This is where NRLW careers are made ― or lost.


Most players only train their body.

Very few train their football brain.


Real Skill Extras

  • Game-speed decision making

  • Repetition at tempo

  • Footwork under fatigue

  • Contact entry technique

  • Defensive reads

  • Carry shapes

  • Tackle shapes

  • Ball carry variations


Game IQ


IQ beats talent.

IQ beats speed.

IQ beats hype.


Real IQ includes:

  • Reading defensive numbers

  • Understanding momentum

  • Anticipating 2 tackles in advance

  • Identifying weak defenders

  • Managing tempo

  • Line speed in attack & defence


Craft Work (The Most Ignored 1%er)


Every position has a craft:

  • Props → post contact meters, height, carry shapes

  • Edges → line running, angle changes, defence

  • Halves → tempo, control, kicking, deception

  • Hookers → service speed, decision speed

  • Backs → yardage, acceleration, aerial skills


Clubs recruit craft, not hype.


Film Study (Your Hidden Superpower)


Watching your own games:

  • Fixes bad habits

  • Exposes lazy moments

  • Reveals poor spacing

  • Shows repeat errors

  • Highlights strengths


Girls who study film jump YEARS ahead.


PART 6: WHY TALENT ALONE DOESN’T GET YOU THERE


Girls don’t fail because of talent.They fail because they don’t work on:

  • mindset

  • craft

  • body management

  • nutrition

  • recovery

  • speed mechanics

  • emotional control

  • consistency


Selections are NOT based on talent.

Selections are based on trust.


Coaches pick the girl they can trust

👉 to execute,

👉 to stay tough,

👉 to stay consistent,

👉 to stay emotionally stable.


PART 7: THE HARSH REALITY


Some girls never make it because:

  • Fake extras

  • Fake discipline

  • Emotionally fragile

  • Parent interference

  • Toxic friendships

  • Comfort zones

  • Excuses

  • Zero accountability

  • Sucking up to clubs or coaches


Clubs are NOT your team.Your real team is:

👉 You

👉 Your parents

👉 Your manager


When you get cut, the club won’t call you.

Your manager will.

The 1%ers are what stop those conversations from happening in the first place.


PART 8: THE FINAL BLUEPRINT


Straight from the Founder of Excel Sports


Becoming an NRLW athlete isn’t luck.

It’s not politics.

It’s not hype.

It’s not connections.

It’s not who you know.


It’s the daily work nobody sees.


To succeed, you MUST nail these 4 pillars:


1. Mindset

Consistency over motivation.


2. Nutrition

Fuel creates performance.


3. Recovery

Body grows outside training.


4. Body Development

Your body must match your ambition.


Non-Negotiables

  • Consistency

  • Coachability

  • IQ

  • Body readiness

  • Emotional control

  • Habits

  • Craft

  • Speed

  • Effort areas


Weekly Blueprint

  • 2× Strength

  • 2× Speed

  • 1× Conditioning

  • 1× Craft

  • Daily Recovery

  • Daily Mobility

  • 8–9 hours sleep

  • Hydration

  • Nutrition plan

  • Weekly film review


This isn’t for motivated players.

This is for girls who want NRLW longevity and representative honours.




Final Message


Print this.

Live it.

Apply it.

Stick it on your wall.


If you follow this blueprint,

You will separate yourself from the rest,A

nd opportunities will chase you.


I’ve seen it for 10 years.


And I’ll see it again with the next generation.

This is the 1% Blueprint.





Contact Us at EXCEL Sports


 
 
 

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