By David Nagel
Over the Christmas period, the Star News’ sports team will be re-sharing some of the most popular stories from over the course of 2023.
Thank you for supporting our newspapers over the course of the year. We hope you enjoy the selection and have a wonderful holiday period, however you choose to celebrate.
They may be small in stature but there’s nothing that can stop the Pakenham Eels Under-7 All-Girls team when they run out to play rugby league on Saturdays.
These girls are fearless, being the only all-girls team in their grade as they take on mixed and all-boys teams on a weekly basis.
Not even a mid-season change of rules, from tag to full-tackle rugby league, has stopped the girls from tucking the ball under their arms and having fun.
Co-coach of the Eels, Grace Aratangi, spotted the potential and talent of the girls as early as their under-6 season last year.
“We noticed that the girls were going really well, and this year we brought them up to under-7s and another mum and I decided to coach them together,” Grace said.
“We eventually got a group of nine girls, which started off as a tag team, but during the middle of the season the VRL (Victorian Rugby League) decided they wanted to change it to tackle.
“We were nervous at first as parents, but the girls were fine, they were keen, and we started tackle and they’re doing really well.
“Most of the parents are Islanders, so they’re all rugby orientated, so they wanted the girls to get out there and have a go.
“We were all a little bit cautious before the first game of tackle, but now the girls love it and enjoy the tackling side of things.”
Grace said coaching the girls was a real thrill.
“I feel like I’m coaching superstars,” she said laughing.
“Teaching them right now, I know if they stay together and keep going up through the age groups, they’re going to be stars.
“They’re so switched on, they listen and take on board what you tell them, so it’s so easy, I just tell them what to do and they’re up for it.
“We mainly teach them how to have fun, we love them having their sisters around them, but we do want to grow their skill level as well.
“Especially now that we have the NRLW…it would be good to teach them the skills to hopefully get to that level…that’s if they want to.
“We practice our passing and we’ve been working on our defensive line, staying together, because some girls rush out by themselves and try to tackle.
“And tackling technique is very important, especially when we have young girls tackling the boys.”
Grace said she can’t put into words how proud she is of her team.
“I feel like crying after every game, because they do so well,” Grace said.
“We had a team a couple of weeks ago that actually hit our girls with some really strong tackles, but they just got back to the line and waited to be tackled again.
“I’m proud, very proud of every single one of them, these girls are just amazing.
“We have half a team of tacklers, and half runners, and when you put them all together, they’re unbeatable, nothing can get through them because they feed off each other and stick together.”
Grace said new players are most welcome to join the team next year, in under 8s, and become part of the Eels family.
“We’re pretty much a family, just friends and the sisterhood having fun…there’s nothing that can beat it,” she said.
“We’re already recruiting girls for next year, bringing more players into the team because we think they can go far.
“They’re a team of superstars and we can’t wait to see where it takes them.”
