Whitfeld loving her footy

Many people wrote the Wests Tigers off leading into this year’s NRLW season.

They were ‘easy’ write-offs. A new team that would take a little while to come together.

Plenty of new players coming into the NRLW for the first time and a lot of untried local juniors.

But what some people didn’t take into consideration is the Tigers exceptional commitment to women’s rugby league, which has included developing a full pathway.

Now, when young women join the Wests Tigers, they can visualise their journey right through to the NRLW.

When you consider how many of the women in this NRLW team have been part of the Wests Tigers pathways like Botille Vette-Welsh, Sophie and Emily Curtain, Christian Pio and Losana Latu, the team's blistering start to the season may not be as much of a surprise.

New recruit Jakiya Whitfeld thinks that people underestimated the team.

“On paper when people looked at our team, they had a lot to say,” said Whitfeld.

“We have so many rookies and lots of people wrote us off because of that, but in the end it's our rookies, like Ebony Prior, who are playing so well.

People underestimated what we are capable of but we still have so much to give.

Jakiya Whitfeld

But it’s not just the rookies who impressed. The experience of some of the veterans has also been crucial.

In her first game in over a year, due to an ACL injury, Vette-Welsh scored the Tigers first try against the Eels in Round 1 and also set up another two.

New recruits Sarah Togatuki and Kezie Apps have also been highly impressive over the opening two rounds.

Whilst Whitfeld acknowledges that there has been a lot of player movement leading into this season, she sees this as a positive with talent spread relatively evenly across the teams.

“The player movement evens the playing field,” said Whitfeld.

“It means that you don’t just have four new teams without experienced players.

“It’s also positive because now women can enter into multi-year deals and we will see more consistency.

“Before this season there were players that moved clubs every season, it was the nature of the competition.

"Now with the increased security, clubs can have consistency and the fans can develop a connection with their players.”

Based on the scenes at CommBank Stadium in Round 1 and Belmore in Round 2, fans have already started developing a connection with this team.

“I was amazed at the amount of young Tigers supporters that showed up and I was surprised to see so many kids following it,” said Whitfeld.

It’s great that they are supporting us and that these kids can look at these players and watch them play through a full pathway.

Jakiya Whitfeld

Whitfeld has been one of the team’s best performers over the first two rounds, scoring three tries and chalking up 474 run metres, not to mention an epic try-saving tackle against the Sharks at Belmore.

This is Whitfeld’s first season at the Wests Tigers after many years of playing a variety of sports.

She grew up in the country and was a competitive horse rider until 16. She then shifted to rugby 7s, playing in a local Dubbo competition, then the AON 7s competition. During this period, her mum was driving her to Sydney twice a week and she would study in between games.

Then Whitfeld decided to try rugby league and was given an opportunity at the Newcastle Knights in 2022. It did not go to plan.

“I tested positive for COVID in the first week of pre-season, so I had to basically learn a whole new game in three weeks,” said Whitfeld.

Last season I felt like I was running around like a headless chook because I didn’t know the rules.

Jakiya Whitfeld

“The hardest part was learning the ruck; in 7s you are taught to get up off the ground as fast as you can whereas in rugby league it’s important to slow the ruck down, so I had to relearn that pretty quickly.”

Whitfeld then had the chance to play for the North Sydney Bears in the 2023 Harvey Norman Women’s Premiership and was signed to the Tigers.

“I have learnt so much this season and the longer season means that we can get the running metres into us early and get the conditioning we need,” said Whitfeld.

“I also love getting to play consistent rugby league, week in week out.

“It’s different to 7s where we trained every week and played every few months.

“I’m loving my rugby league journey and can’t wait to see what comes next.”