This Saturday will see the kick off to the Lisa Fiaola (Under 17s) Cup and Tarsha Gale Cup (Under 19s) junior representative competitions.
Both teams will play eight regular season matches over nine weeks against 8 of the 14 clubs. Both Roosters teams were beaten grand finalists in 2025 and will hope to go one better in 2026. They each play Panthers (h), Steelers (a), Dragons (h), Knights (h), Raiders (h), Bears (a), Eels (a) and Tigers (a) and both will have a bye in Round 5. Each play 5 of the other 7 teams from last year’s semi-finals.
Tarsha Gale Cup (Women’s Under 19s)
The Sydney Roosters Indigenous Academy Tarsha Gale Cup team have been grand finalists in four of the past five seasons, winning back-to-back titles in 2022 and 2023.
However, this season’s squad contains just five players (full back Logan Fletcher, winger Jayda Durham, prop Te Rakura Leafe, hooker Mahlie Cashin and lock Luca-Bella Ngature-Ongley) from last year’s Roosters grand final side, as well as 18th player Tyra Dymock. Other 2025 Tarsha Gale Cup players joining the Roosters from rival clubs are NSW Under 19s winger Liesl Hopoate (Illawarra), hooker Olivia Staley (Wests Tigers) and prop Felila Fakaelu (Cronulla), but a large number of squad members will be eligible for the team again in 2027, making the 2026 squad a younger one than previous years.
Graduating from last season’s Roosters Lisa Fiaola Cup team (beaten grand finalists) are star halves Talea Tonga and Mia Vaotu’ua, as well as hooker Meg McPhall, lock Anastasia Leatupue, prop Makenna Hammond and second rower Jemma Wooden. Vaotu’ua, Leatupue and Logan Fletcher were all in the 2025 Australian Schoolgirls team.
The Roosters have also recruited a number of 2025 Lisa Fiaola Cup players from other clubs (fullback Billy Duggan (Souths), prop Laylah Tafili (Parramatta), hooker Scarlet Hagan (Newcastle) and five eighth Lahni Moore). Rounding out the squad are new recruits Chava Hanna (a second rower from Camden), five eighth Tahnee Potter (Wyong), centre Jada Waerea (Souths Logan), winger Natalia Ned (Liverpool Catholic Club and touch football convert Nadelle Harrison.
The team will again be coached by Australian test hooker Kelley Davis, assisted by her fellow Roosters NRLW team mate, Corban Baxter.
The full 2026 squad is:
Mahlie Cashin, Billy Duggan, Jayda Durham, Tyra Dymock, Felila Fakatelu, Logan Fletcher, Scarlet Hagan, Makenna Hammond, Chava Hanna, Nadelle Harrison, Liesl Hopoate, Te Raukura Leafe, Anastasia Letupue, Meg McPhall, Lahni Moore, Natalia Ned, Luca-Bella Ngature-Ongley, Tahnee Potter, Olivia Saley, Laylah Tafili, Talea Tonga, Mia Voatu’ua (c), Jada Waerea and Jemma Wooden.
Saturday’s round one clash against Penrith (part of a six-match mega day of Roosters rugby league) will kick off at 4.15 pm at Woy Woy Oval (match five of six). The full team lists are shown here:
https://www.roosters.com.au/draw/westpac-tarsha-gale-cup/2026/round-1-indigenous-academy-v-panthers/
Lisa Fiaola Cup (Women’s Under 17s)
Only eight of the 2025 Central Coast Roosters Lisa Fialoa Cup team will back up again for season 2026. Prop Kew Kahuroa, who made such a big impression in 2025, fullback Stella Hall, centre Talia Berryman, lock Isabella Newton, second rowers Aallyah Te Mete and Morgan Kernick, winger Sienna Kennedy-Wilkie and prop Chloe Oliver are those eight and their experience will be vital in this year’s campaign.
NSW CIS Under 16s five eighth Layla Tonga, a recent League convert, may have the big responsibility of replacing last year’s outstanding five eight Mia Voatu’ua, whilst Keebra Park Girls Sport Academy second rower Ivy O’Brien should be a new recruit to watch in 2026.
NSW Origin winger Jayme Fressard backs up again as coach and is sure to have a highly motivated squad to work with.
The full 2026 squad is:
Aallyah Te Mete, Abbie Eagleton, Alissa McNair, Bonnie Hardman, Chloe Oliver, Ellshah Paki, Isabella Newton, Ivy Hagan, Ivy O’Brien, Jaggar Curnow, Jessica Boreham-Cole, Kew Kahuroa, Lara Murray, Layla Tonga, Leilani Mareko, Levayah Bower, London Nowers, Malia Moses-Kincaid, Mia-Cheri Lokeni, Mogan Kernick, Ngaire Jarmain, Shania Aiolupotea, Sharleze Bartlett, Sienna Kennedy-Wilkie, Silia Tuitufa, Stella Hall and Talia Berryman.v
Saturday’s round one clash against Penrith (part of a six-match mega day of Roosters rugby league) will kick off at 5.45 pm at Woy Woy Oval (match six of six). The full team lists are shown here:
https://www.roosters.com.au/draw/lisa-fiaola-cup/2026/round-1-cc-roosters-v-panthers/
