QRL elevates state development
Queensland Rugby League has strengthened its investment in people with a trio of professional development events, the Westpac Future Maroons Coaching Conference, the Teachers Forum, and the QRL Performance Conference.
Across consecutive weeks, coaches, teachers and high-performance staff united to share insights, sharpen skills, and reinforce the pathways that define Queensland Rugby League.
Coaching the Future: Westpac Future Maroons Conference
Held across October 25–26 at the Australian Catholic University and Brisbane Airport Convention Centre, the Westpac Future Maroons Coaching Conference carried the theme “Planning for Success.”
Pathway coaches explored leadership, program design and athlete wellbeing through sessions focused on: creating healthy environments, setting up for success, and session design for skill development.
A highlight came through the coaching panel featuring Jamie Stanton (Gold Coast Suns AFLW), Matt Gillett (former Bronco, Queensland Maroon and Australian Kangaroo, now Broncos NRLW assistant coach), Dave Elliott (2026 Redcliffe Dolphins Head Coach, 2025 Harvey Norman Maroons assistant coach) and Ben Woolf (NRL Dolphins assistant coach).
Their discussion on leadership, team culture and the transition from player to mentor, gave coaches candid insight into elite environments
Day two focused on practical planning. Role-specific sessions introduced tools like Hudl and Teamworks AMS, while QRL’s John Mitchell outlined strategies for managing player workloads across the season.
The conference closed with collaborative planning, ensuring every coach left with a clear preseason framework and renewed purpose heading into 2025.
Connecting Classrooms and Clubs: Teachers Forum
The following week, the Teachers Forum brought together rugby league coordinators from more than 20 Queensland schools to strengthen links between education and sport.
Brad Donald opened with Athlete-Centred Outcomes, prompting discussion around balancing student wellbeing and performance.
Facilitated sessions led by John Mitchell, Nathan Small and Amy Bock unpacked the Physical Performance Framework, supporting teachers to better manage workload, communication and collaboration within the statewide competitions.
Former origin great, Wally Lewis also dropped by to impart his knowledge of the game with an eager and willing group.
NRL player safety officer, James Hinchey provided updates on player safety and best-practice protocols, before teachers completed reflective Good, Better, How, Help, activities to identify ways to improve planning and alignment with QRL programs.
High Performance in Action: QRL Performance Conference
On November 6, performance coaches, sports scientists and medical staff converged at the Voco Hotel Brisbane for the QRL Performance Conference, a full day of applied learning and collaboration.
Led again by Glenn Ottaway and John Mitchell, the program opened with Dr Leesa Grier’s Training the Female Athlete, exploring the science and culture of developing female players.
Hands-on sessions followed in bracing, taping, wound care and breast health, finishing with Velocity-Based Training (VBT).
Afternoon sessions included Dr Jo Lukin’s Leadership vs Likership, challenging attendees to reflect on influence and accountability within teams, and a practical sprint-training module from Cowboys speed coach Liam Bartlett.
Finally, a panel featuring Alice Hill, Jess Turnbull, Junior Mautairi, Pat Kenny and Liam Bartlett reflected on learnings and future opportunities within the world of rugby league.
The day closed with a networking event celebrating connection across the QRL performance community.
A Connected Pathway for Queensland
Across the three workshops, one message was clear: Queensland’s success is built on connection, between coaches, teachers, performance staff and athletes.
By investing in education, leadership and collaboration, QRL continues to strengthen the state’s rugby league pathway and uphold its reputation as the benchmark for development in Australia.
From the classroom to the coaching box and the high-performance lab, Queensland Rugby League’s united approach ensures that every player, mentor and educator is equipped to keep the Maroon standard at the forefront of the game.
