By Tallon Smith

In a season where Group 9 has seen the successful return of the Wagga Brothers to the First Grade competition, one other major addition to the competition’s stocks has gone largely unnoticed by many.

Originally created as a junior club for Wagga’s booming northern corridor, the Estella Storm emerged on the eve of the 2024 campaign to enter a team in the new Group 9 Women’s Tackle competition, with both the club and competition exceeding expectations after the initial half-year trial was extended to a full season of football.

Estella Storm Leadership Group Member Kate Pevere said that the region’s first dedicated female club only came after a series of events following the announcement by the Wagga Kangaroos that they would be unable to field a women’s tackle side.

“Estella Storm came about because Group Nine have actually put forward a Nines Women’s Tackle Competition this year, which has been absolutely incredible,” she said.

“It’s developed essentially as a group of us women, [who] have played a bit of footy before together and play currently in the League Tag for Kangaroos. 

“Unfortunately Kangaroos weren’t able to, because of business reasons, support having a women’s tackle team as part of the club just this year, so we still reached out to Group 9, and they were able to support us [in] still having a team without having to follow a different club.

“So that’s where this whole concept came about, but I do believe there is actually a bit more of a background to Estella Storm.”

When asked about the women’s tackle concept, Pevere said it has been a great success so far, and hopefully will continue to grow over the next couple of years to full 13-a-side football.

‘The numbers that the teams have had [have been amazing],” she said.

“I know South City Bulls have 21 on their team sheet for this weekend running out, so I think it’s only going to grow from here.

“I think it is really important though that we still [stick with nines], I think 9s is a really important starting point just while everyone’s learning the game. 

“I know there was talk about changing depending on how many players turned up on the day, changing it from 9s, to 11s, to 13s, but there’s not many of us in the region that have had the chance to play League before. 

“There is a strong union culture here in Wagga especially, and in kind of the similar Group 9 region, but while everyone’s still learning the skills and the difference between league and union in particular, I think it’s important to hold on to the nines, even just for this year.

“Hopefully it won’t be too long and we’ll be up to full [13-a]-side.”

One ongoing debate in the game as women’s tackle takes off in popularity across the state is what to do with league tag competitions, with Pevere firmly on the side of keeping the semi-contact form of the game, much like how men’s football has two grades.

“I think it’s really important to still have league tag as an option,” she said.

“I don’t think getting rid of a sport’s ever really benefiting a community, [and] I think it’s important because League Tag still builds all skills and teamwork and a lot of the underlying skills that you then take to tackle before you add in that extra step of contact.”

“It definitely can’t hurt to keep it.”

As for the future of the club and the growth of the game in Wagga’s northern corridor, Pevere said that all options, including junior teams and a Men’s side are on the table.

“To be honest where we’re a team of women who finally had this opportunity to actually play a sport that until now we’ve taken every chance we have to play it but there hasn’t been many chances, so we’re just excited to be able to actually run out as part of [Group 9],” she said. 

“I know we’ve definitely discussed playing in other [competitions], I know Albury Nines, their competition, that’s something we have thrown around as well. 

“I don’t actually know what next year will look like yet and I don’t believe it’s been discussed with Kangaroos at this point or even Group 9.

“There’s still a lot of questions obviously, It’s not a situation that I think has probably happened before or very often, so I dare say each time this happens it is a unique set of circumstances, but I don’t know what next year looks like for us just yet.”

If you would like to see the team in action, the next game for the Storm is a clash with Albury at Parramore Park in Wagga from 4pm this Saturday.