SIXTEEN-year-old Taela Cummins started playing rugby league for Camden Haven High School after her deputy principal Shayne Vonbun encouraged her to give it a go.
Four years later she is proud to have been accepted to Pathways: Elite Rugby League Academy (PERLA), an innovative partnership between the school and the Newcastle Knights.
The partnership aims to foster the upcoming generation of talent alongside supporting academic excellence.
Taela told News Of The Area, “I also play Oztag, League Tag, and Touch, but Rugby League is my favourite.”
“It’s an exciting game to play and I have made so many amazing friends.
“The Bulldogs won the Cup in 2024, so we have a lot to live up to.”
This summer Taela is playing in a representative team for the North Coast Bulldogs, comprising 25 girls aged 16 and 17 hailing from Taree to Coffs Harbour.
The team is competing in the prestigious Lisa Fiaola Cup, named after the former dual international who represented Australia in rugby union and rugby league.
Their recent trial game against the Northern Rivers Titans ended in a 12-all draw, with the first of eight games of the competition being held in Canberra on 31 January, where they will come up against Queanbeyan.
The finals will be held in Port Macquarie in March.
In September Taela heads to the UK and France for a rugby league tour with The Wanderers and having just signed with the Platinum Sports Management Agency her future in the sport she loves is looking very bright.
By Rachael THORPE
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