Manly Warringah Sea Eagles are proud to celebrate the 20th year of the NRL's Women in League Round, recognising the invaluable contribution women make to our Club and the game of rugby league.
Manly have a strong connection to Women in League Round, having played a role in the emergence of the initiative more than two decades ago.
Women continue to play a vital role across every level of the Sea Eagles family, extending well beyond the confines of 4 Pines Park and the Penn Centre of Excellence.
From the dedicated staff who help drive the Club every day, to the talented players representing our pathways teams, and the thousands of girls playing in our junior league, women continue to shape the future of rugby league on and off the field.
Kellie Pethybridge, who is General Manager, People & Culture, Community and Special Projects at the Sea Eagles, has been around the game pretty much all her life.
Her father Gary played about 100 first grade games in the 70’s, as did her brother Scott, in the 90’s.
Now in her 18th season working in rugby league, Kellie has seen the contribution of women grow exponentially over the years,
We are lucky here at Manly to have so many passionate and dedicated women working for us.
Kellie Pethybridge
“Right across the game we have seen enormous growth for women, be it in participation, or employment withing the game.
“You look around the office here at Manly and it’s an even split between women and men.”
One of those passionate employees is Finance Manager, Brooke Parker. Mother of two, Brooke says working in sport, as part of a strong team, is extremely rewarding.
“What I love most about working at Manly is being part of a team that's bigger than just finance,” Parker said.
“You get to see firsthand how much work goes into running a professional sporting organisation. I’ve always loved sport and the energy that comes with it.”
Angela James is another who loves what she does at the Sea Eagles. As the club’s Head Soft Tissue Therapist, Angela plays an important role in minimising injury and maximising player performance.
She has her hands full, quite literally, during the week and on game day. Her responsibilities include pre and post training massages, booking other therapists for group sessions, as well as pregame massages and injury treatments.
Angela joined the club in 2019 after spending more than a decade with Welsh Rugby. She says she loves being able to make a difference.
Being able to help the players on a daily basis and getting them on the field is what I like most about the job.
Angela James
“It’s always rewarding when you know you've helped someone come back from an injury and they're out there playing to the best of their ability, and you’ve played a part in that.”
While the Sea Eagles are yet to field a team in the burgeoning NRLW, the pool of local female talent is getting deeper, evidenced by a boom in player numbers on the Northern Beaches in recent years.
There are currently 992 registered female players in the Manly district up from 361 in 2022. That’s an increase of 174.8 % over five seasons.
Women in League Round is an opportunity for the Sea Eagles to say thank you to every woman who contributes to the Club and our wider rugby league community.
Go Manly!
