The NRL have told Cronulla they won’t revise their decision not to grant the Sharks a licence in the women’s NRL competition for this season but Cronulla say they will continue to strive for a licence into the women’s premiership regardless.
The Sharks released a statement on Wednesday afternoon saying they had expressed their “extreme disappointment” at a meeting between Cronulla chairman Dino Mezzatesta and football club CEO Barry Russell with NRL chairman Peter Beattie and NRL CEO Todd Greenberg on Tuesday.
Representatives from South Sydney were also at the meeting as the clubs looked for answers as to why their applications had been rejected with Brisbane, St George Illawarra, Sydney Roosters and New Zealand Warriors preferred for the inaugural competition later this year.
It is understood the main reasons were geographical, with the four chosen teams covering a broad catchment area.
The Sharks have been seen as pioneers of women’s rugby league for a number of years and were a surprise omission from the competition.
“We will continue to build our women’s program and strategy. We will work to develop and support women in rugby league, with the view of securing a licence in the future,” Russell said.
“Women’s rugby league remains an essential element of our club and we will continue to provide pathways for women and girls to participate in the game they love.”
The NRL did not provide a guarantee as to the format of the 2019 competition but committed to reviewing the structure upon the completion of this year’s season.
Cronulla’s under-18s Tarsha Gale Cup team have also gone through this year’s competition undefeated and play Newcastle in their grand final at Leichhardt Oval on Saturday.
