TARSHA GALE
Former Australia and New South Wales Women’s rugby league captain
/tarshagale | 924 Followers
TARSHA GALE IS A TRUE TRAILBLAZER AND THE BIGGEST ICON IN THE HISTORY OF WOMEN’S RUGBY LEAGUE.
From selling raffle tickets in pubs to raise enough funds for an Australian kit to represent her country in, to playing on grounds with cricket pitches and broken goalposts to being dared to tackle patrons in bars for support payments all while hiding that she was playing contact footy from her parents, Gale has seen and endured it all while laying the major foundation for today’s professional NRLW competition.
The sister of former first grade players Scott and Brett, Gale grew up in a rugby league mad household in Sydney’s inner west. However, her dream to play at the highest level like her siblings always lacked a pathway.
Undeterred, she turned her hand to tennis, netball and touch football where she kept her competitive desire burning while her parents, both former athletics representatives at an international level, watching over while they juggled their own coaching roles within rugby league.
It wasn’t until a Daily Telegraph journalist turned up to one of Gale’s games for the Bulli Eagles outside Wollongong, and later made the decision to run his story and photos as a feature in Sunday papers, that her parents found out and threw their support behind her.
A halfback, Gale began playing in 1995 and captained her state and country before retiring in 2000 to continue her career as a teacher at Oakhill College while continuing to support the women’s game.
Her toil was recognised in 2017 by the New South Wales Rugby League with the formation of an under 18’s women’s competition, the Tarsha Gale Cup.
The competition represents the games commitment to female participation and was fittingly named by the person who embodies that commitment.
When asked what it means to her, Gale’s response was humble as always. “It brings a huge smile to my face that what I’ve always considered the greatest game of all now can be played by all.”
Gale remains involved in the game as a commentator and remains passionate about sharing her knowledge of the women’s game with the widest audiences possible.
