THE TRUTH ABOUT NRLW COACHING PATHWAYS: FROM GRASSROOTS TO ELITE PATHWAYS
- EXCEL Sports Management
- Feb 10
- 5 min read
By John Fadel – Excel Sports Management
Why This Matter
NRLW is evolving faster than most people realise. The future of the women’s game will be decided long before players reach the elite level — it starts in grassroots, flows through Lisa Fiaola, Tasha Gale and Harvey Norman, and ultimately lands in NRLW.
For too long, the pathways have relied on guesswork, volunteers, inconsistent coaching standards and personal biases. The new era demands professionalism, structure, athlete wellbeing and development-first coaching.
This blog breaks down the real differences between grassroots coaching, development coaching, and NRLW coaching — and why the entire system must evolve before 2027–2028.
PART 1 – GRASSROOTS COACHING: WHERE MOST PROBLEMS BEGIN
Grassroots Is Volunteer-Driven – And That’s the First Risk
Most grassroots clubs struggle to find coaches. Some appoint whoever is available. Some have multiple options. But almost none provide coaches with:
A clear development model
Structured pre-season plans
Age-appropriate fitness progression
Wellbeing and communication guidelines
Technical frameworks
Long-term athlete development principles
Because of this, many grassroots coaches fall into the trap of coaching how they think NRL is played, not how children should be developed.
COACHING & ACCREDITATION (OFFICIAL)
1. NRL Coaching Accreditation (Official Pathway)
2. NRL Coaching Courses – Register Here
3. NSWRL Coaching Courses
4. QRL Coaching & Education Hub
5. QRL Community Coaching Courses
The Biggest Misconception – Coaching Kids Isn’t Coaching First Grade
Parents on the sideline scream:
“Why didn’t she pass?”
“Why did she kick that?”
“Why didn’t she run straight?”
But ask those same parents to stand in the middle of the field — they freeze.
This disconnect becomes the foundation for toxic club culture.
Grassroots coaches need:
The Right First Steps: Structure, Engagement, Routine
Coaches should focus on:
Warm-up and warm-down habits
Basic sprint fitness: 30m/20m/10m speed cycles
Simple agility and cone footwork
Passing basics: timing, accuracy, foot placement
Safe and correct tackle technique
Short, sharp reps — not punishment fitness
Building confidence, not fear
Winning is not the goal at grassroots.
Development is the goal.
Focus on development → you retain players.
Focus on winning → you burn them out.
PART 2 – CLUB COACHING: WHERE CULTURE IS WON OR LOST
H3: Build a Coaching Team, Not a Dictatorship
A club coach must select:
A manager
An assistant coach
A trainer (blue shirt)
And give every person a defined role.
No stepping on toes.
No public disagreements.
No ego contests.
Because players only respect the staff if the staff respect each other first.
The Harsh Reality – Politics Ruins More Careers Than Talent
Some clubs still operate like this:
“Who knows who” selections
Parents influencing coaches
School connections deciding squads
Coaches protecting their favourites
Wellbeing officers who should never be in wellbeing
Cliques inside teams
Bullying that gets covered up
Winning > development
This destroys retention, confidence and long-term success.
A strong club has:
A real wellbeing program
Cultural guidelines
Respect flows downward and upward
Development-first coaching
Zero tolerance for internal politics
What Lisa Fiaola, Tasha Gale & Harvey Norman SHOULD Look Like
Lisa Fiaola:
Passing/tackling fundamentals
Footwork basics
Positional understanding
Body height and control
Game awareness
Tasha Gale:
1%ers
Discipline
Game management
Under-pressure decision-making
Stronger technique, stronger contact
Harvey Norman:
Fully complete players
Professional-ready habits
Fitness at NRLW baseline
No deficiencies in passing/tackling
Understanding attacking shapes & defensive systems
If you get to Harvey Norman and still can’t pass, tackle, or understand systems — your club failed you.
PLAYER DEVELOPMENT / PATHWAYS (OFFICIAL)
6. NRL Female Pathways Overview
7. NSWRL Girls & Women’s Pathways
8. QRL Female Player Pathways
PART 3 – NRLW COACHING: BUSINESS, NOT POLITICS
Elite Coaches Want Players, Not Names
Today, NRLW coaches contact Excel Sports directly:
“John, we need a centre.”“John, find us a prop forward.”“John, we need back-row depth.”
No more chasing “big names.”Now it’s:
Positional need
Athletic profile
Work ethic
1%er mindset
Coachability
Character
Why Excel Sports Has a 100% Success Rate
Because we don’t just send names. We send options. Players who actually fit:
The systems
The style
The coach’s philosophy
The club’s culture
Where Development Coaches Go Wrong
NRLW is a business.Harvey Norman and Tasha Gale are development.
Many development coaches:
Coach to win instead of develop
Destroy culture through ego
Split teams into groups
Ignore bullying
Avoid difficult conversations
Hide wellbeing red flags
Reward favourites
Push politics
NRLW coaches:
Direct
Transparent
Clear
Honest
Demand standards
Reward effort
Operate professionally
We need pathways coaches to reflect that, not the opposite.
PART 4 – THE FUTURE: WHY NRLW MUST GO FULL-TIME
The CBA, Media Deal & Expansion Reality
The CBA expires in 2028
Final negotiations begin 2027
The new media deal in 2027 may be completed in 2026
The media deal drives the CBA
The CBA will dictate the shift from semi-pro → full-time
If the game goes full-time:
More games
More broadcast content
More visibility
More sponsorships
More commercial partners
Which means expansion is unavoidable.
Senior players who oppose expansion are forgetting:
They once needed opportunity too
The game grows through youth, not through protectionism
Younger athletes today are faster, fitter, stronger and smarter
The NRL owns the competition — not the senior group
If you want full-time wages, you must support a full-time competition.
PART 5 – THE VOICES THAT MATTER: FUTURE LEADERS, NOT RETIRING PLAYERS
The RLPA must shift focus.Experience is valuable — but only when it protects the future. It starts with NRLW Coaching Pathways
The ambassadors who should be speaking are the ones:
Driving standards
Committed to development
Hungry
Young
Professional
Future leaders of the game
Players like:
Alexis Taouaneai
Angelina Teakaraanga-Katoa
Trinity Tauaneai
Paige Tauaneai
Asha Taumoepeau-Williams
Mary-Jane Taito
Ebony Prior
Emily Bass
Jordyn Preston
Tayla Preston
Keele Browne
Sara Sautia
Kasey Rae
Just to name a few
These athletes are the blueprint for the next era.
FINAL STATEMENT – WHAT THE GAME NEEDS NOW in NRLW Coaching Pathways
NRLW will only reach its full potential when:
Clubs invest in female pathways
Politics is removed
Egos are removed
Wellbeing is prioritised
Real coaching teams are selected
Staff work as one
Development comes before winning
Insurances exist for LF/TG athletes
Recruitment becomes professional
Young players are nurtured, not damaged
Excel Sports isn’t here to please clubs.
We’re here to protect our players, prepare them for professionalism, and find the next generation of NRLW athletes before anyone else.
The sooner NRLW coaching pathways becomes full-time, the sooner we see:
Proper staff
Proper wellbeing
Professional standards
Quality coaches
Better recruiters
Stronger pathways
A safer, healthier, more competitive system
Development creates winning.
Winning doesn’t create development.
Here are some links that may help you -
AIS – Long-Term Athlete Development Framework
Sport Australia – Coaching Resources
NRLW Competition Hub
Contact us at EXCEL Sports
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