Brisbane Tigers: BMD Premiership gains and losses for 2024
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This year is the year in which Shannon Mato wants to become a leader.
The Harvey Norman Queensland Maroons prop will lead the Brisbane Tigers out onto Totally Workwear Stadium today, in her first time as co-captain.
With her fellow skipper Kelsey Parkin sidelined for today’s clash against the Sunshine Coast Falcons, Mato knows it’s her responsibility to guide a young line-up through their first game of the season.
But this is what the 25-year-old wants.
Mato, who is a new signing for the Tigers this year, is the happiest she’s ever been off the field and is ready to take her game to a new level in 2024.
She’s represented her state, her Maori heritage and the Australian Jillaroos. Now she wants to take that experience and prove to herself and others that she can be a leader.
“Over the past years, my goals were to just make the team and be consistent but now that I’ve had a lot of experience and knowledge from the other campaigns I’ve been part of, I really wanted to step up in the leadership,” Mato said.
“I totally respect all those past players that have really paved the way for us so we’re able to do what we do now.
“Now I want to continue on their legacy and know we can do it for the next generation.
“I want to have a voice and drive that and share that with my players now at the Tigers, and give them the understanding of what I’ve been through and experienced.
“I’m at a time and place where I’ve felt most stable. I have a beautiful family, beautiful partner, beautiful mates… now that I have experienced these things I want to give back to the clubs and communities that don’t have everything.
“I’m in a spot where I can give back now. I want to help out the younger girls coming through.
“I know I got help coming through and that made me feel comfortable so if I can do that for one person, that will go a long way.”
The Tigers’ new BMD Premiership co-coaches, Paul Brown and Paul Nieuwenhuyzen, have a major focus this year on developing their young players coming through, making Mato’s job even more crucial.
She headlines the club’s signings for 2024, which also includes young gun Shaylee Joseph and experienced outside back, Courtney Robinson.
Mato herself is coming from the Mackay Cutters due to proximity.
She is living with her family out at Ipswich and needed something closer to her home base.
With so many fresh faces among the squad – including those pushing up from the Harvey Norman Under 19 pathway – Mato said one of the first things they had to do as a squad once she joined was set their standards and values.
And as they kick off their season today, she is full of hope for what they can do as one unit.
“For us, I’ve come in and seen that we’re a pretty new squad,” Mato said.
“We wanted to set our own culture and wanted to make it player-driven, as well as the coaches. We realised it was important to set those standards, redo our values and just make it more relatable to us.
“If we follow something from years ago, it doesn’t really apply. We stepped back and got the cultural side of things right.
“We asked each player what their ‘why’ is and got an understanding of everyone and what we want to build there.
“We move as one. Nobody is bigger than anyone else. You come from all different backgrounds and communities and everyone is welcome – whether you’ve played footy or not, whether you’re playing just for the love of it, if you’ve played experienced footy before – we move as one.
“That was really important. We have new coaches that haven’t been head coaches yet. It was important to get an understanding of everyone’s backgrounds first.”
Brisbane Tigers 2024 gains and losses
Gains
Kaieisha Afoa (Norths Devils), Tyler Baker (Rochedale Tigers), Halle Braybon (Runaway Bay Seagulls), Charlette (Harata) Butler (Cronulla Sharks), Tia Chapman (Ipswich Jets), Codi Dalley (Norths Devils), Jenny David (Norths Devils), Ileini Fakaosilea (Rochedale Tigers), Maria Graf (Noosa Pirates), Keisharn Hala (return from injury), Melita Hicks (return from injury), Shaylee Joseph (North Queensland Cowboys/Central Coast Roosters), Akira Kelly (Super W Brumbies), Dilyza Leugaimafa (Souths Logan Magpies), Lauretta Leao-Seve (Norths Devils), Sierra Maple (Wynnum Manly Seagulls), Tahlia Marshall (return from injury), Hollie Massey (Raiders), Tanika Newton (maternity leave), Courtney Robinson (Central Queensland Capras), Kiana Tihore-TeTaura (Souths Logan Magpies), Luisa Vaa (Souths Logan Magpies), Shania Watson (AFL), Oshanis Whakatau (Souths Logan Magpies), Tiamo Williams (Banyo Devils)
Losses
Portia Bourke (Norths Devils), Holly Class-Auliff (Union), Keisha-Lee Coolwell (Sunshine Coast Falcons), Lucy Cuppari (injured), Tayla Eldridge (retired), Estanoa Faitala (injured), Nicole Gusman (Canberra – work posting), Montaya Hudson (Norths Devils), Hannah Krzanic (released), Jamie-Lee Lewis (Norths Devils), Ellen Nussey (retired), Tara Reinke (Western Clydesdales), Paige Schouw (released), Nikayla Sines (pregnant), Malaela Su’a (Souths Logan Magpies), Emily Veivers (Norths Devils)
