Starting from scratch: Kawana's bid to put women's footy on the map

Former All Stars mentor Rob Brough is fighting for the future of female rugby league on the Sunshine Coast, with the experienced coach taking charge of the Kawana Dolphins’ women’s team this season.

Brough – who has led successful women’s teams at both Souths Logan and in the All Stars representative clash - was without a coaching job last year after the Magpies withdrew from the 2021 QRLW season.

It was the first time in his 25-year career without a coaching role and he was enjoying the opportunity to focus on other projects – including a documentary for the Sunshine Coast’s annual Island Charity Swim – when he found his next challenge.

A former coach of the Kawana Dolphins’ men’s team, Brough was at a game for the club’s women’s team last year and saw an opportunity he couldn’t pass up.

“I wasn’t pining to go back to coaching,” Brough said.

“I figured that urge would be there or it wouldn’t. But the more I looked at that team, the more I thought there was an opportunity to make a difference with the women’s game.

“I just watched them play and I could tell the game was in its infancy here. They were learning to play and struggling a little bit given they were just starting.

“I thought it would be nice to be involved and hopefully help them to improve their game and help the club develop a stronger women’s profile.”

Brough took over the reins in November and immediately took the women back to basics.

He said due to the limited pathways of the past, many of the players needed to “start from scratch” to understand the game and the terminology, but also to understand the impact of what they were doing.

While Brough is not expecting any miracles in his first season at the helm, he has been thoroughly impressed with the attitude of his team and knows how important it will be for the entire region if the Kawana women’s team are strong competitors.

The QRL has outlined a strategy to eventually align the QRLW clubs with statewide teams and Brough said this meant the Kawana could soon see the Sunshine Coast Falcons on the hunt for talent.

“I love their attitude… I’ve enjoyed their enthusiasm and their desire to want to learn,” Brough said of Kawana.

“For me, it’s not about whether things change on the scoreboard but it’s whether it makes a difference to them.

“The Falcons, their idea is to eventually have a team in the QRLW.

“To sustain that in time and develop your own players out of your own area, you need to have a fairly strong women’s program for people to be playing in and coming out of.

“A lot of good young players (on the Sunshine Coast) are thinking the only way to improve their game is to go to Brisbane.

“The game is in a flux where if you get those players to stay and invest in the game here, you’ll see some changes.

“The stronger we can make our local comp, the better.”

Lauren Sims is one who has already noticed the impact Brough has had on the club.

The young five-eighth only took up the game last year after playing a single season of rugby union in 2020.

Hailing from Kingaroy, Sims came to the Sunshine Coast to study, but also took the opportunity to play the sports she wasn’t allowed to play while living at home with her parents.

With her family fully on board now, she said she initially started the game for fun but the 21-year-old is ready to see how far she can push herself in rugby league.

“Rob’s brought the intensity this year,” Sims said.

“Everyone’s focused and motivated to do better… to get in and get it right.

“Everyone wants to improve as a team and have that cohesion. Everyone is working for each other.

“The scoreboard doesn’t matter so much. It’s about being proud. Rob just wants us to play good footy and have fun.

“I personally want to see how I can develop my own skills. It’s fun to see how much I’ve progressed and changed and how my body has changed too. It’s a massive difference.

“It did start out for fun but I’m too competitive with myself. I want to see how far I can go.”

Kawana will kick off their season in April and are currently on the look out for a few more players to fill out their squad.

Brough said they had 19 but needed more troops to cover for injuries and personal responsibilities.

“All you want is someone to walk in the door who is going to want to learn, who has an attitude to stick with it and who has a bit of athletic ability,” Brough said.

“You can always help them evolve, that’s never a problem. As long as you have the desire, attitude and effort, you’ll always go forward.”

For Sims, she knows it can be daunting to sign up to a new sport, but she also believes whoever jumps on board won’t regret it.

“If you’ve always been interested, you may as well have a go,” Sims said.

“We all have to start somewhere. Nobody’s going to judge you. We’ve all been there. It can be a scary sport but once you’re in, you feel like nothing can stop you.”