Western Rams Lisa Fiaola Cup coach Kaitlyn Mason believes the female pathways are getting stronger

Mason has been one of many influential figures in the Western Women's Rugby League over the last several seasons, especially alongside the likes of Jess Skinner and believes the new pathway for female players is only going to get bigger and better.

Across the last few years, Dubbo-based players have made the move or travelled to Sydney to compete in the Tarsha Gale Cup, the state's premier female under 19 competition.

But now, this year's cohort has grown from just a few to almost a player on each side and Mason believes there is now a clear path on what female footballers can do once they finish school.

"We've had a few go down that way," she said.

"We had Taneka Todhunter who came through here go down to play Tarsha Gale Cup.

"Now she is in the Harvey Norman Women's Premiership, it's really exciting to see where it is all going.

"It's great that girls now have the opportunity to get noticed out this way and clubs are now noticing that there is a lot of talent past the (Blue) Mountains."

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Todhunter linked up with the Indigenous Academy Sydney Roosters when first moving to Sydney before going on to represent NSW Country and now shows her talents playing for the North Sydney Bears in the NSW Women's Premiership, just a step under the NRLW.

With the NRLW set to grow to 10 teams for 2023, it seems to be only a matter of time before someone from Dubbo makes their debut.

Bathurst's Jakiya Whitfeld played a handful of matches for the Newcastle Knights during the 2022 NRLW season, a team that went onto win the title with Skinner on the coaching staff.

Just a year earlier, Tilly Power from Bathurst was part of the St George Dragons squad during the 2021 season and is the starting halfback for Mounties in the NSW Women's Premiership.

Now, the likes of Jorja Simpson, Georgie Coote and Makaah Darcy have all linked up with Tarsha Gale Cup sides, a competition which will resume on the weekend when round three gets underway.

The ever-growing Western Women's Rugby League system seems to be working, with Mason's Lisa Fiaola Cup side having nearly 50 players turn up just to trial, a massive increase on the numbers from last season and now some players in the squad have even spent time with clubs in Sydney.

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