It was while watching a men’s NRL game on TV four years ago that Neha Kumar learnt about the women’s league.
“I looked at my partner and was like, ‘What’s NRLW? I’ve never heard of it before.’”
While men’s rugby league has a chokehold on Queenslanders, the women’s equivalent operates largely under the radar – even for the most avid sports fans, like Kumar.
As a child, Kumar loved playing soccer and dreamt of becoming the first Fijian-Indian Matildas player. While that dream is yet to become a reality, sport is still a huge part of the 26-year-old’s life.
“I remember playing soccer at lunchtime, and I’d always be like one of two girls who would play with all the boys … I wouldn’t understand why that was the case,” she said.
As she pursued a career in sports, the gender divide didn’t go away.
Kumar only ever saw online content about male rugby league players, on pages such as Rugby League Guru and Bloke in a Bar, and noticed an absence of meaningful coverage about women’s sports.
With the mindset of “if you can’t beat them, join them”, she decided to create her own Instagram page dedicated to NRLW news.
Watch Her Footy (originally NRLW Watch) was born 4½ years ago and has since accumulated 23,000 loyal Instagram followers.
“The page has made me realise that you can’t be what you can’t see,” she said.
Watch Her Footy shares live game updates, rankings and explainers – with both players and fans commending Kumar for shining a light on the comparatively neglected sport.
While juggling the page, she also works in marketing for the Queensland Reds. She says the union club is very supportive of Watch Her Footy, despite it celebrating a different code.
The Instagram page has garnered attention not only from fans, but NRLW players who celebrated the platform for its inclusivity in a male-dominated industry.
“I think all of us want the same thing, and that’s to commend and recognise what these women are achieving alongside full-time jobs, or being a mother, or trying to study,” Kumar said.
While gifting a small donation, a follower wrote: “The world needs more people like you promoting the women’s game.”
Kumar cannot yet generate a full-time income from her page, but she hopes that will change.
She has dealt with her fair share of negativity, especially at the beginning, but over time, she’s seen this shift.
Across many codes, women’s football is experiencing greater support. A record crowd turned out to back Sydney’s AFLW team during their match against Essendon last weekend, in a week when the men’s team found itself embroiled in scandal.
Kumar said attitudes were shifting positively, but recognising female athletes still had a long way to go.
She said having the season as long as the men’s would be a huge boost.
“Working in rugby union, I’ve realised that it’s community, it’s sponsorships, it’s so many moving parts to grow the game year-on-year,” she said.
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