Hills Hornets Touch Association’s very own Zali Mitchell featured last week alongside a number of the game’s most high profile women in The Sunday Telegraph, to celebrate 10 Years of Women in League. The 10year-old junior Touch player, spoke of her relatively short time in the sport and what the partnership between the NRL and Touch Football means to her and fellow girls’ players.

“I have only been playing Touch Football for three years and the biggest change has been that more of my friends are now playing Touch and following Rugby League teams. Being in the NRL-Touch Football television advertisement last year was exciting and showed that girls can play too.”

Among the group was CEO of Touch Football’s whole-of-game partner, Harvey Norman, Katie Page, the driving force of the Women in League initiative since its inception in 2007.

“Each of these groups of women (at all levels) must remain the foundation of why Women in League exists and who it seeks to support. Female influence, participation and perspective is required across the code if it is to expand and thrive.

“The Australian sporting landscape is highly competitive – no sport or code can afford to neglect the role women can and do play. This is a vital consideration that must remain a constant, consistent priority.”

Page and Mitchell were joined by a number of NRL club and player and media representatives, including Channel Nine’s, Yvonne Sampson who Zali was lucky enough to spend some time with.

Sampson spoke on her own position anchoring the State of Origin and Sunday Footy Show and just how far women have progressed through the game in the last decade: “There is such a strong contingent of women thatnow make key decisions in the game; women such as Rebecca Frizelle who sits on the board of the Titans and Raelene Castle, the CEO of the Bulldogs, are examples of highly influential in the game, which is great.”

Sampson also spoke on the importance of younger female participants, including those from Touch Football: “Having Zali along was also great as so many young girls just like her hold the keys to the future.”