For Robbie Taylor, the success of the 2026 NSW Women’s Premiership season stretches far beyond the win column.
In his first year as coach, and with a new squad featuring several local juniors and players returning to the game, Taylor focused on creating an environment where his players could develop, gain confidence, and take the next step in their rugby league journey.
“For us, it was more about developing players, with a lot of local juniors coming in,” Taylor said.
“We wanted to make sure that they were ready to move into a competitive open women’s program.”
The NSW Women’s Premiership is a key step for players aiming for NRLW and helps returnees rebuild their confidence and skills.
“It gives them a little bit of a step in,” Taylor explained.
Sharing his perspective on the playing group’s development throughout the season, Taylor said he enjoyed seeing them build on their weekly performances.
“I loved watching them play and grow as players,” he said.
For Taylor, however, development wasn't measured solely by what happened on game day.
With an initial squad of 41 players, there was always the possibility that some players would spend much of the season training without knowing whether their opportunity would come.
Jade Pond, a young outside back, was one of these players.
"Jade carried an impressive attitude into every training session. She didn’t complain and just kept turning up,” Taylor said.
And when her chance arrived in the second to last round of the season, Pond well and truly made the most of it.
Starting on the wing, she defended strongly and crossed for the match-winning try in the final minutes.
In Taylor’s eyes, however, her greatest achievement was the commitment that preceded the opportunity.
“I just wanted to congratulate her for being that person who stuck it out,” he added.
A testament to the culture being built amongst the playing group, Taylor revealed that players who had sustained season-long injuries continued to attend training.
“It just shows how much they value the side and the players around it. They loved it,'' Taylor added.
"They were just happy to be training around the girls and be a part of it."
Taylor is confident that his squad can elevate their game in 2027.
"I feel like we have built something special and we need to keep growing,'' he said.
“I think we’ve got a really, really strong team that can go to that next level.”
