Why 80% of Female Rugby League Players FAIL to Reach NRLW Pathway

And what actually separates the 20% who do

Lisa Fiola is an achievement.

Tasha Gale is an achievement.

Making a development squad is an achievement.

But none of those are guarantees.

Over the years, I’ve watched incredibly talented female rugby league players come through the system — especially at Lisa Fiola level — and I can tell you this honestly:

Talent alone is not what gets you to the NRLW.And it definitely isn’t what keeps you there.

In fact, most players — around 80% — will never reach or sustain an NRLW career.

Not because they aren’t good enough.

But because they misunderstand what it actually takes.

Lisa Fiola Is the Starting Line — Not the Finish Line

Every year, we see athletes from NSW, country regions, and New Zealand enter the Lisa Fiola competition.

Many of the NZ girls arrive physically stronger.Some local players dominate early with speed or aggression.Parents post highlights — big tackles, line breaks, tries.

That’s a great start.

But standing out at 16 doesn’t mean you’re built for 26.

Lisa Fiola is a testing ground:

• Physical readiness

• Emotional maturity

• Coachability

• Work ethic

• Resilience under pressure

The NRLW pathway is layered.

There are development squads.

Strength progression phases.

Game IQ growth stages.

Consistency benchmarks.

The players who understand that this is a long-term build — not a moment — are the ones who survive.

The Social Media Trap

Let me be clear.

Parents celebrating their daughters is normal.

Sharing proud moments is healthy.

Support is powerful.

But when social media becomes identity, problems begin.

I’ve seen it too many times.

When:

• Visibility becomes more important than development

• Followers become validation

• Highlights replace hard feedback

• Comparison culture creeps into teams

Pressure shifts from performance to perception.

Teammates feel it.

Coaches see it.

The athlete feels it most.

Instead of focusing on weaknesses — speed, agility, passing accuracy, defensive reads — energy gets spent managing image.

When development becomes secondary to visibility, progression slows down.

And that’s where careers quietly stall.

The 1% Blueprint – What Actually Builds NRLW Pathway Careers

At Excel Sports, we talk about the 1% Blueprint.

It’s not about hype.

It’s not about being known.

It’s about daily discipline.

1️⃣ Family

• Stable, ego-free environment

• Parents as protectors, not promoters

• Emotional safety at home

• Support without pressure

Parents play a huge role — but the role is support, not spotlight.

2️⃣ Faith

• Belief in the long process

• Humility

• Patience

• Character under pressure

• Discipline when nobody is watching

Faith keeps players grounded when success starts coming.

3️⃣ You

This is where careers are built.

• Extra speed sessions

• Agility training

• Explosive starts

• Position-specific body composition

• Defensive fundamentals

• Passing precision

• Game IQ study

• Recovery discipline

• Nutrition and sleep

NRLW careers are built in the unseen sessions.

Making NRLW vs Staying in NRLW

Here’s something many people don’t talk about:

Getting signed is step one.

Staying five to ten years is the real achievement.

I’ve seen players earn contracts and lose them.

I’ve seen athletes who believed they’d “made it” at 17.

I’ve also seen players with less early hype quietly build themselves into long-term professionals.

A contract does not guarantee a career.Professional habits do.

Sometimes, tough decisions have to be made.Not everyone is ready for long-term standards.

Ego can derail progression faster than injury.

Long-term thinking always wins.

Real Examples (Without Names)

I’ve seen:

• A player dominate at Lisa Fiola level but struggle two years later because development stopped once recognition started.

• A talented athlete whose family unintentionally created rivalry within her own squad through constant public comparison.

• A contracted player released not because of talent — but because of mindset and accountability issues.

• A quiet, humble player who wasn’t the most talked about at 16, but who is now in a development system because she never stopped doing the 1% extras.

The difference is rarely ability.

It’s environment.

It’s mindset.

It’s discipline.

A Message to Parents

Be parents first.

Protect your daughter’s mental space.

Remove ego from the equation.

Don’t compare.

Don’t compete with other families.

Don’t turn performance into social media branding.

Let coaches coach.

Let professionals guide development.

Your daughter’s job is to train and play.

Your job is to protect her peace.

The Girls Who Make It

The 20% who reach and stay in NRLW are:

• Coachable

• Consistent

• Humble

• Disciplined

• Mentally strong

• Focused on long-term growth

Lisa Fiola is the beginning.

What happens next determines everything.

NRLW is not built on hype.

It’s built on humility.

Family • Faith • You