The rise of the NRL Telstra Women’s Premiership runs parallel to the Minerva Network, with both the NRLW and our network kicking off with bold ambitions in 2018.
The NRLW featured as the first game on Grand Final Day at Sydney’s Accor Stadium in 2018, with Brisbane beating the Sydney Roosters in front of a modest 16,214 fans.
Earlier that year, the Minerva Network had officially been launched at Accor Stadium with a function that coincided with a sold-out Ed Sheeran concert later in the evening.
Fast track to 2022 and Accor Stadium was heaving on a cool spring evening with 42,921 in the venue as the nib Newcastle Knights triumphed 32-12 over Parramatta Eels.
Dally M Rookie-of-the-Year Jesse Southwell led Newcastle's slick attack, barnstorming prop Millie Boyle ran 271 metres, and star fullback Tamika Upton scored a try and ran for 181 metres on her way to collecting the Karyn Murphy Medal as Player-of-the-match.
Sharing the moment pitchside with the players and NRL executives post-game were Federal Minister for Sport Anika Wells, NRL Commissioner Kate Jones and Minerva Network Chairman and Co-Founder Christine McLoughlin.
“Everyone was surely impressed by the level of skill on display in the NRLW Grand Final and it was amazing to see such a high-quality game played in front of so many people at Sydney’s Accor Stadium on the biggest day of the year in rugby league,” said Christine.
Newcastle Knights CEO Phil Gardner was thrilled with the club’s NRLW Premiership success. Phil has strong links to the Minerva Network, having been one of the first sporting clubs to offer a Minerva Scholarship.
As the NRLW goes from strength to strength, so too does the Minerva Network.
The network has recently announced the appointment of business leader Lesley Grant to the new position of Executive Director and as a member of the Minerva Network Council.
The Minerva Network has set an ambitious target to mentor and support 1,000 Australian athletes by 2025 and has commenced a program to identify a pipeline of well-qualified businesswomen to serve as Directors on significant sporting organisations.
“Lesley is highly-regarded by the Australian business world and her extensive commercial experience, business connections and leadership of the Minerva Network team will bring impetus around this work at a time when it is imperative to have higher representation of women in sport governance,” said Ms McLoughlin.
Photos: Mark Evans
Story: Arthur Stanley | VenuesLive
