The Wests Tigers continue to strengthen their connection across the community – in an area stretching from Pyrmont to Picton – with their marquee Junior League Ambassador Program.
Now entering its second year, the program is designed to ensure the Club’s NRL players remain actively engaged with junior rugby league clubs across the Wests Tigers vast catchment area. It also aims to ensure that every junior club within the region feels valued and supported.
The program was the brainchild of Interim CEO, Shaun Mielekamp during his previous role as General Manager of Community, Foundation and Affiliates.
Covering one of the largest junior league catchments in Sydney, going between junior clubs from Ryde to Bargo, the Wests Tigers are in a unique position to connect with a diverse and widespread rugby league community. The program links players directly with junior clubs across Balmain, Wests Macarthur and Group 6.
At the core of the initiative is the Wests Tigers Club Ambassadors Program, which assigns a current Wests Tigers NRL player to each junior rugby league club. These players act as ambassadors, mentors and direct points of connection between the professional squad and grassroots rugby league.
The program continues to grow in both reach and impact, with players actively engaged with clubs through visits to training sessions and personalised video messages of support and encouragement.
Wests Tigers Head of Community, Akanisi Ledua said the program's value extends far beyond simply giving back to local clubs.
“Our players are connecting with the next generation of rugby league athletes,” Ledua said.
“For a lot of them, it’s their junior rugby league club. For some, it’s not, but that doesn’t change their approach. Just being able to go back into the community, pass the ball around and have the junior players ask questions is really important.”
The interactions provide young players with a unique opportunity to engage directly with NRL stars, with conversations covering everything from skill development to career progression.
“The questions range from passing the ball to how to make representative sides,” Ledua said.
Feedback from clubs has been overwhelmingly positive, particularly from those in more remote areas where direct access to NRL players can be limited. Many clubs have highlighted the value of feeling recognised and included by the NRL Club they support.
The program is built around several key objectives, including strengthening relationships with the 33 junior rugby league clubs across the region, providing grassroots players with meaningful access to role models, improving participation pathways, enhancing community pride and ensuring a consistent and structured approach to engagement.
This week saw the May brothers, Taylan and Terrell visit the Campbelltown Warriors and rising star Javon Andrews visit the Concord Burwood Wolves, which saw junior players and their communities show out in numbers for the opportunity to rub shoulders with senior rugby league players.
Ledua believes the program is equally rewarding for the players involved, allowing them to reconnect with the passion that first drew them to rugby league.
“It’s more than going back to the community, it’s making a real impact with the next generation of footy players. That’s why it’s powerful,” Ledua said.
“It is an opportunity for them to rekindle that love for the game because, growing up, they were once in those young kids’ shoes.”
As the program continues to evolve, it reflects the Wests Tigers broader commitment to community connection and the long-term development of the game at all levels.
