South East Queensland Premier Women club-by-club preview

The South East Queensland Premier Women's competition kicks off this weekend, with a number of teams joining the top grade for the first time.

In what will be a nine-team competition, 2023 South East Women's Reserve Grade grand final winners Mustangs Brothers RLFC have elected to make the jump up, alongside Aspley.

Waterford has entered a team for the first time, while Burleigh also joins the competition for 2024.

Here's how they will be lining up.

Mustangs Brothers

Coach: Johnny Peseta & Rima Kamoe

Captain: Elaina Saluni

Signings/retains: Maletina Brown, Elaina Saluni, Dilyza Leagaimafa, Marina Leali'ifano, Gemma Walker

What are you most looking forward to in season 2024?

Playing in Prem grade. We are so excited to be in this space and amongst so much talent, to be in a space where we can promote and showcase our women in the hopes to attract more girls is so exciting for our women’s and girls.

What can fans expect from your game style?

A lot of heavy breathing and loud laughs. Our girls this season have a good vibe and are both excited and nervous for what our season holds.

Who is the team to beat and why?

All of them, because we want to win.

Waterford Demons

Coach: Joel Seeto

Captain: India Seeto & Kayleen Takai

Players to watch: India Seeto, Kayleen Takai, Alice Shannon, Lesa Siauane Tailai, Sarain Masaga

What are you most looking forward to about the season?

I’m looking forward to see how this young team will go up against other well-established sides and also growing and developing as a team and player.

What can fans expect from your game style?

They can expect a fast-flowing style of football and exciting at the same time.

Who is the team to beat and why?

You would have to say the back-to-back premier Goodna is the team to beat.

Currumbin Eagles

Coach: Jordy Dwyer

Captain: Teaghan Hartigan

Signings/retains: Teaghan Hartigan, Montana Clifford, Sienna Laing, Shai McGlone, Jasmin Morrissey 

What are you most looking forward to in season 2024?

The continued development of our players and the improvement of our girls who have had successful Harvey Norman Under 19s and BMD Premiership seasons for Tweed and Burleigh. Witnessing first-hand the exceptional way these women lead are role models for our juniors.

What can fans expect from your game style?

Fast, tough, skilful.

Who is the team to beat and why?

Goodna, back-to-back champions for a reason. They are powerful, well coached and have great connection that only comes with time spent together, which helps in the business end of the year. 

Burleigh Bears

Coach: Kenny Hargreaves 

Captain: Kaliyah Browning

Signings/retains: Kaliyah Browning, Nadia Windleborn, Mhia Mackey-Taylor, Grace King, Bella Thompson, Sian McNeil-Ehrlich

What are you most looking forward to in season 2024?

Watching these ladies develop as players and as a team. Creating a positive pathway for our juniors to aspire to be part of.

What can fans expect from your game style?

Effort and energy. Play for each with pride in the jersey.

Who is the team to beat and why?

Goodna obviously won the last two years and will be up there again this year undoubtedly, but also Currumbin made semis in their first year and have picked up some more talented players in the off-season.

Goodna Eagles

Captain: TBC

Signings/retains: Alayna Poasa, Bella Pita, Aliya Hura 

What are you most looking forward to in season 2024?

Looking forward to build from last season's campaign and making sure the ladies have fun in the process of it all.

What can fans expect from your game style?

Looking to play a more freestyle game plan this year.

Who is the team to beat and why?

Currumbin Eagles. They had a great season last year and will look to build on that and look to dominate this competition.

Aspley Devils

Coach: Deon Bird

Captains: Nga Blair & Jiniah Faumui

Signings/retains: Whilst we are excited to see our Norths BMD women join us a few weeks into the season, we're excited about the mixture of youth and experience we have for the 2024 season. 

What are you most looking forward to in season 2024?

Looking forward to the challenge of coaching this great group of athletes and seeing the growth and development of the squad as individuals and most importantly as a team. We're also keen to see how the girls coming out of the Harvey Norman Under 19s step up to the women’s game. We will be looking to our experienced players to lead the way for us on and off the field, with many long serving players with Aspley and other clubs amongst our ranks, some with 10-15 years’ experience and loyalty to the game and our club.

What can fans expect from your game style?

A skilful team that will play with plenty of effort and a great attitude.

Who is the team to beat and why?

We're not going worry too much about other teams. We'll be more focused on ourselves, making sure we improve every week.

Valleys Diehards

Coach: Stu Esera

Captain: TBC

Signings/retains:  Keisharn Hala (Brisbane Tigers), Ava Walters, Renee Cowan, Brittany Douglas (Canada dual international)

How will your side go about improving in 2024?

We've got a new group of girls, a lot of new faces in our team so it's always handy to have a new skill set to look at, and we're always working on our combos at training, so there's always room for improvement everywhere.

What can fans expect from your game style?

We've got a pretty strong attacking side, and we've been working a lot on our defence, so hopefully Stu Esera our coach can help us out with his knowledge and we'll work really well together.

Who is the team to beat and why?

Honestly, everyone. I think it's a pretty strong comp this year and we need to be ready to bring our game week-in, week-out because every team is pretty strong.

Pine Central Holy Spirit Hornets

Coaches: Ana Fotu & Simon Lui

Captain: Kristine Vaalepu

Signings/retains: Kristine Vaalepu, Acacia Wulf, Eden Utatai, Vyeisha Tuua, Memory Paitai

What are you looking forward to about season 2024?

We've got a mixture of youth and experience and a lot of them just came off the Harvey Norman Under 19s for Redcliffe, so having them involved with the senior group, led by Kristine Vaalepu, we hope they can all gel.

What can fans expect from your game style?

A lot of flair, open type of footy and we're expecting to be really fast-paced.

Who is the team to beat and why?

I think with Burleigh being involved, they're always one of the favourites and they've got good systems down there. Goodna is always very strong. I think they're the favourite and Burleigh will be not far from them.

Runaway Bay Seagulls

Coach: Rona Peters & Ronnie Lavender  

Captain: Paige Rogers

Signings/retains: Crystal Tamarua (former Test and NRLW player), Erana Reti (Norths Devils), Jonny Lavender (Ormeau), Rona Peters, Layne Northey (Brisbane Tigers)

What are you looking forward to most about the season?

Building a foundation for the youth so they have a pathway to BMD Premiership and then NRLW.

What can fans expect from your game style?

Physical 

Who is the team to beat and why?

Not sure