Hailing from Wairoa in the Hawke’s Bay Region of New Zealand, 19-year-old forward Amelia Pasikala is striving to make her hometown proud, both on and off the field.
It wasn’t until last year that she decided to “have a taste” at playing rugby league after growing up on the rugby union scene, but the rising star is grateful she gave the game a chance.
“The first training session I went to back in New Zealand, I stayed in my car and watched, then drove away,” she laughed.
“Then the coach private messaged me and said, ‘I think you should give it a go’ and I tried it out.
“I didn’t do too well, all I knew was how to catch a ball, run and tackle.”
Pasikala was quickly scouted by the Ngāti Kahungunu rugby league team to represent the New Zealand Māori Rugby League at the Pasifika Youth Cup, an opportunity for her to build on her knowledge of the game and practice her skills.
“I think I did okay in that tournament, I still wasn’t very good, I only knew the basics,” she reflected.
But her ball-handling and fending ability - characteristics she continues to develop each week - caught the eyes of a player management company, who knew she had serious talent.
“I got picked up by Excel [Management] after that tournament and they got me a spot to come over and play for the Bulldogs in Tarsha Gale,” she said.
“To be honest, I was still a bit unsure about everything, I didn’t want to be away from my family because family is so important to me.
“It’s so hard because I didn’t really have anyone here and it’s such a big move and I was such a homebody. I was just used to my own backyard.”
Riding the rugby league wave, Pasikala made a monumental impact for Canterbury-Bankstown off the bench, helping them progress to the Grand Final where they fell short to the Sydney Roosters Indigenous Academy.
“After the game someone said John Strange was interested in having me at the Roosters,” she said.
I just remember thinking ‘there’s no way’, I never thought I’d be playing rugby league let alone catch the eyes of an NRLW Coach.
- Amelia Pasikala On being scouted by John Strange
“To think it all started because I just wanted to dip my foot in it and not put all my eggs in the one basket with playing union, because before this I invested my whole life in playing union.”
Following the Tarsha Gale Grand Final, Strange scouted Pasikala to join the Roosters for the 2023 NRLW season, believing the teenager’s game would benefit from exposure to the Club’s female pathway.
The Premiership winning coach recalls thinking, “This girl could be anything.”
“Let’s get her into our system … she’s played about five rugby league games she will only get better,” he said following the Roosters Round 3 victory.
Pasikala's Debut to Remember
Strange didn’t expect the young enforcer to make her NRLW debut so soon, but recognises that she was definitely ready to take the next step in her career.
“I had total confidence in her,” he reflected.
“Obviously we see her at training and see what she’s been doing … she’s never played back row, she’s played in the middle when she’s played rugby league, so we just had to get her used to our flow and the shapes that we run on the move.
She was our surprise package that we were going to unleash later in the season, but with our injuries we had to bring her in a little bit earlier. She’s very special.
- John Strange On Pasikala's talent
Even receiving the opportunity to debut came as a surprise to Pasikala, who admits she was not expecting to be offered a starting opportunity when Strange pulled her aside after training.
“He was like, ‘Ama are you ready? Are you ready for the big time? I want to start you,’” she said.
“I remember looking at him and thinking is this guy serious?
“I was so used to getting played off the interchange bench, I have played off the bench all year.
“Debuting is one thing, but starting is a whole other thing. I was nervous but so keen, it was an unreal feeling.
“I felt like asking if he was talking to the right person.”
Retained in the second row for the Roosters upcoming clash with the Sharks, Pasikala is quickly finding a home at the Club with senior players taking her under their wing.
“Having a union background, I didn’t know too much about the NRLW before I started playing league,” she said.
“Meeting all the girls, I was starstruck, I kept thinking what the heck I get to train with these girls every day and they’re teaching me what they know so that I can get better.
“I get to say they’re my friends. They’re amazing on and off the field, it took me a little bit of time to realise that and make that bond with them, but I appreciate that they’ve got my back and I’ve got theirs.”
Pasikala’s sense of belonging is amplified through her Māori connection with Strange, who was an Assistant Coach for the All Stars earlier this year.
“Knowing that he is Māori, gave us that instant respect towards one another because it’s just a given," she added.
“We’re not related but we are you know.
“It’s awesome to have him coming from a Māori perspective, he’s one of us, and he’s leading one of the best teams in the Women’s game, I just think that’s so cool.”
