The Illawarra Steelers are calling for expressions of interest from players wishing to trial for the 2024 Harvey Norman NSW Women’s Premiership squad.
To register >> HNWP Trials EOI
Trials will be held at the Illawarra Steelers Training Academy on Wednesday, 7 February, at 7:30pm.
HNWP Head Coach Appointed
The Steelers have appointed Jamie ‘Scissors’ Szczerbanik as Head Coach of the Harvey Norman Women’s Premiership (HNWP) team for the 2024 season.
Szczerbanik has been involved in rugby league for over 30 years, including stints as a player in the Wests Tigers Pathway and coaching roles with the Penrith Panthers and Western Rams (NSW Country). The 40-year-old is also the Head Coach of his native Poland.
Szczerbanik will coach the Steelers Harold Matthews (Under 17 Boys) before commencing his role with the HNWP side, which fell one game short of the Grand Final in their inaugural season after finishing second on the ladder heading into the Finals.
The NSW Women’s Premiership will kick off mid-season, allowing the competition to act as a direct pathway into the NRLW, which commences on 25 July.
This follows the NSWRL’s announcement that the 2024 Harvey Norman NSW Women’s Premiership will start later in the season to align with the NRLW and increase the opportunities for female players to pursue professional Rugby League careers.
The July start date for the competition also provides players from the Steelers Harvey Norman Tarsha Gale Cup (Under 19s) and Lisa Fiaola Cup (Under 17s) the chance to continue their NSWRL pathway once their respective competitions are completed in May.
The Lisa Fiaola Cup, which was previously run as a gala day, has been promoted to competition status in 2024, while the Harvey Norman Tarsha Gale Cup for Under 19s will enter its eighth competition season.
In 2023, the Steelers finished second after the regular season, but their hopes of a grand final appearance in their inaugural season were dashed when they were beaten 16-8 by the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs in their semi-final clash.
All but one of 27 squad members either played locally or for the Illawarra Steelers Tarsha Gale Cup sides in previous years. Six players went on to represent the Blues in the Women’s State of Origin while 13 players obtained NRLW contracts.