Statewide score wrap: Snakes pair's 'wow moment' imparting footy wisdom

Author: Jacob Grams QRL community content producer
Timestamp: Mon 25 Mar 2024, 05:26 PM

The results are putting big smiles on faces for Caboolture Snakes' senior women to start 2024, but two players are discovering the joy of the difference they can make to young players.

Matyniah Fullagar was part of a huge 84-6 Snakes win over Beerwah on Saturday - with Jazmin Migala supporting as League Safe on her road back from injury - but the pair are having arguably more fun coaching the under 13 girls so they can aspire to being part of rugby league for a long time to come.

The backrower said despite being at times challenging and eye-opening, coaching was "where my mind is a lot of the time".

"I'm struggling to figure out which I like better. Honestly, I think I'm liking coaching better at the moment.

"They're a really great bunch of girls. They're so great, I love them.

"It's been a bit of a rough start but we're back to the drawing board at the moment, just kind of getting a structure set up so we can see what works best for us."

Caboolture Snakes' open women after receiving their runners-up medals last year.

Fullagar, 20, said her studies in leadership and management, with a focus on sport, helped encourage her to take up coaching and apply her skills - the most valuable learning to talk less and straight into training.

"I guess for me it's very different because I've never had a female coach and I think being able to coach these girls, I don't know how to explain it, it's a very 'wow moment' building those connections with those girls," she said.

Migala said coaching with Fullagar was an ideal way for her to stay in the game after suffering an ACL injury on her left knee last year, and it has already got her considering the coaching pathway.

"It's honestly been really good being able to put my passion for the sport into something else... mentally as well giving back to the girls and giving back to the club while I can while I'm out," she said.

"We kind of have the same mindset on footy and what we want to achieve with this team. Bringing culture in is pretty much our main focus, to show them if they stick around they can make something out of this, and retention for the club as well.

"Having these girls knowing that we play for the open women hopefully will motivate them to keep on going and one day they will make it there, and who knows, one day they could be playing NRLW."

And they're being kept to account, despite the coaches' aims to keep every activity fun.

"They definitely get their penalties doing 50 metre sprints or Malcolms or jog around the field if they're up to no good," Migala said.

"All I say to them every time we have games and train is we want to make sure they're having fun, we introduce some games into training sessions and try to keep it engaging at the same time."

The pair are keen to be a part of the open women going one better in 2024 under new coach Shane Powell - the team making the grand final in 2023 but neither Fullagar or Migala participating through injury.

Migala, a halfback, is itching to return to action and expect to be running around again with ball in hand next month.

"My feet are itching so bad. Every time I go out there (as League Safe) I'm just like 'put me on coach, surely I'm ready', but I'm still waiting for my clearance," the 22-year-old said.

"It's such a good time being out on the field, it's my love and passion and something I don't want to give up anytime soon."

The team also has twins Tamzin and Emmogen Taumafai putting their hand to coaching juniors.

Caboolture will return to action on April 7 against Kawana, joined by the A grade men in what will be the opening to their season.

Other A grade competitions kicking off the weekend after Easter include the Brisbane Rugby League men's competition, Townsville men and women, Central West men, Central Highlands men and women, Rockhampton men and women, Ipswich and Toowoomba men and women.