Seagulls women take place in QRL history

Eight emerging and senior stars of the women’s game have come together to launch the inaugural statewide women’s competition, which from today will be known as the BHP Premiership.

The women’s players joined all 14 Intrust Super Cup coaches as well as representatives from the Hastings Deering Colts and Auswide Bank Mal Meninga Cup competitions to officially welcome in the start of the new season.

All four statewide leagues start this weekend with a total of 25 games to be played throughout the state and northern New South Wales.

The Gold Coast Airport Seagulls women’s team will proudly take their place in the inaugural BHP Premiership after last season entering the sport for the first time in the south-east Queensland competition. The progress of the women’s team, which beat reigning premiers Burleigh Bears and had a State of Origin representative in Jessika Elliston and an Australian player in the Nines competition in Taryn Aiken was exceptional.

QRL managing director Robert Moore said excitement was building ahead of the new season.

“The 2020 season is shaping up to be ground-breaking year for rugby league in Queensland with the start of the highly-anticipated BHP Premiership,” Moore said.

“We congratulate all eight clubs for the work they have put in to get to this point, as well as our passionate and dedicated team here at the QRL.

“Like so many other people, I’m looking forward to the opening round and watching the progress of our state’s leading female athletes as many of them press their claims for Queensland representative jerseys.”

Moore thanked BHP for its support of the inaugural premiership.

“Like us, BHP is passionate about all things Queensland, so to have such a community-minded company extend its partnership with us to incorporate the naming rights of the women’s premiership over the next two years is a huge boost for the game,” Moore said.

Dominic Nolan, Head of Corporate Affairs at BHP, said, “BHP is excited to play a central role in elevating women’s rugby league to new heights in Queensland in 2020″.

“We are committed to achieving a more diverse workforce, and increasing the number of women working at BHP is a critical part of that,” Nolan said.

“It made sense for us to work with the QRL to explore how we could help it to take the women’s game further.”

An extraordinary amount of hard work and sacrifice goes into preparing teams, and if pre-season standards are anything to go by, we’re in for an outstanding year across all competitions,” Moore said.

The Gold Coast Airport Seagulls women’s team will begin their 2020 BHP Premiership campaign against Souths Logan Magpies at Piggabeen on Sunday in a 1.20pm clash which will precede the Intrust Super Cup match between the Seagulls and Northern Pride at 3pm.

PHOTO: Seagulls skipper Brittany Faulkner at the BHP Premiership launch in Brisbane.