Dragons NRLW star and World Cup winner Taliah Fuimaono (pictured right with Club Captain Keeley Davis) will don the Steelers jumper for the club’s maiden NSW Women’s Premiership season.
Now Wollongong-based, Fuimaono has emerged as an NRLW standout in two seasons with the Dragons and only recently returned from the Jillaroos all-conquering display at the World Cup in November.
Coach Alicia-Kate Hawke said the marquee signing made an impact from her very first session on Wednesday night.
“We threw her straight out there and she was out there steering the ship within about five minutes,” Hawke said.
“It was great to get her locked in because [signing her] was hanging around as a possibility. Having played with a lot of the girls in the past, more than she probably even realised, it was a good fit.
“We’ve got some girls who had gone up and played with her at Mounties and obviously some girls she’s played with for the Dragons in NRLW.
“She lives down here now and she’s been really committed to make Wollongong home and that made things a lot easier.”
Inking the deal will likely see her link with Dragons halves partner Rachael Pearson as part of an all-star spine that also includes inaugural skipper and Australian Test star Keeley Davis.
“She’s shown, she’s got huge utility value and can play absolutely anywhere, but she’s really keen to master her game in that No. 6 jersey,” Hawke said.
“Watching our shift coast to coast with the players in those key positions was really slick when you’ve got the likes of Teagan Berry and Shak Tungai at fullback.
“It’s a double win because we get to lift our standard really quickly and we can get our other girls to come up to that standard. There are some other options who may be joining the squad down the track as well.”
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Fuimaono will be on of three Jillaroos in the Steelers inaugural squad alongside Davis and Tungai, while Berry, Keele Browne and Jade Etherden are NRLW regulars.
Inaugural skipper Keeley Davis (picture left with Steelers Deputy Chair Sean O’Connor and Coach Hawke) has proven a major recruitment draw for the Steelers.
Hawke feels the squad, chockfull of Illawarra talent, is capable of competing from the jump.
“For the last four years we’ve been making lists of all the girls that have come through our pathway that were playing elsewhere,” she said.
“The ideal scenario was always ‘if we could get them all back how good would that side would be?’ but when push comes to shove you’re not sure how many you’ll get back, how many will come.
“With Keeley putting her hand up really quickly, that helped a lot because she’s someone people want to play with.
“From there, we’ve tried to stick to our philosophy of being a pathway team for [Illawarra]. The girls that came back came running and really want to play for the Steelers.
“It’s a strong squad up there with as good as I could have imagined so I’m really happy with it.”
Illawarra will open its maiden campaign as the fourth leg of a massive quadruple header at WIN Stadium on February 5, with the Steelers Harold Matthews, Tarsha Gale Cup and SG Ball sides all kicking off their seasons at the same venue.
Mitch Jennings Article Courtesy Illawarra Mercury