Western Rams to play at Lisa Fiaola Cup carnival at Tuggerah

Dubbo's Kaitlyn Mason described being named coach of the first Rams side for the carnival as an honour and is adamant Western can make its presence felt in the statewide carnival.

The Lisa Fiaola Cup is a junior competition for female players turning 16 or 17 and it is part of the pathway towards the Tarsha Gale Cup under 18s competition and ultimately NRLW.

Western will field a side for the first time and after well-attended trials and promising training sessions, Mason is heading to Tuggerah with quiet confidence.

"It's very exciting to finally get the opportunity to go to that next level," Mason said.

"The western (Western Women's Rugby League) competition has been around for a few years and it's been strong around the 16s and 17s.

"It's really exciting to have the opportunity showcase the talent at the next level. The opportunities which could come after this are pretty amazing."

Fifteen teams from around the state will contest the statewide competition at Tuggerah next Tuesday and a number of selectors are expected to be in attendance.

The Rams squad has attracted players from around the region and there are a number who have caught the eye of their coach in training.

"We've had training and I'm really excited about how training went," Mason said.

"They're all keen to rip in and we're very solid in the forwards and the backs."

Woodbridge's Charlotte Gray was one of the forwards singled out and described as "a quiet type but get her out on the field and she's on to watch".

Taylor Keppie and Dubbo's Makaah Darcy will also be key for the Rams while Macquarie duo Breighel Thuell and Saxbii Shaw as well as Georgie Coote, Georgie Barrett and Jorja Simpson will all add plenty of spark in the backline.

Thuell is one of the Rams who will be in action at Tuggerah next week after playing in the Group 11-Group 10 senior league tag representative clash at Parkes last weekend.

"Defensively, she's a young girl and she's not scared to but her body in front of it in tag or tackle," Mason said of Thuell.

"No matter how hard you hit she'll bounce up and play the ball so it's good to see exciting talent like that coming through."

As exciting as next Tuesday will be for the Rams players as they chase their NRLW dreams alongside the other stars of tomorrow, it's all a major opportunity for Mason.

Having coached league tag at both CYMS and more recently Macquarie, as well as leading a number of Goannas teams in the Western Women's Rugby League, this appointment marks a step up for Mason.

"I've been around coaching for seven or eight years now so I thought it was right time to try my hand at the next level," she said.

"It's a good learning experience for me as well as the girls and it will be good to coach outside my comfort zone.

"The girls will learn from me and I'll learn from them about where I need to improve.

"I'm honoured I got the chance top do this and I'm excited to see my development as well as their growth as players. That's what it's all about, giving them the experience and opportunity to grow."

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