Eastern Raptors Rugby League Club

What an honour and a privilege is has been this year to coach the U12 girls team.
We started the season with a great mix of new and experienced players. The girls showed up week in and week out at training to learn new skills and train hard. This translated seamlessly each week on the field during games where they displayed strength, skill and absolute sportsmanship. The girls never gave up or gave in.
I was well supported by assistant coach Michael and Team manager Stacey.
I would also like to thank and acknowledge the support given to our players by family and friends. This team and this club couldn't function without this support.
This team finished the season as strong as it started but with new skills, strong friendships across clubs and a continued love of the game.
I believe that girls rugby league has a bright future.
Coach Una

WHAT A SEASON. WHAT A TEAM. 🦖

It wasn’t the result we wanted on Saturday, but there is so much to be proud of in this group of girls.

At the start of the season, this team brought together a mix of experience, new faces and players at different stages of their footy journey. What they built together was something pretty special.

They’ve pushed each other, backed each other and shown just how far hard work can take you.

The season may be over, but the conversations have already started…

2027 is going to be bigger. Better. And we’re coming back hungry. 🦖

Girls, you should be incredibly proud of what you’ve achieved. We certainly are.

Stay tuned - later in the week we share the images our team sponsor - Nally’s Visuals - captured over the season.

A massive thank you to both LaTink and Nally’s Visuals for your support of our Second Grade Women’s Team for season 2026 🦖

Congratulations to Cooper, Ben, James and Michael on their appointments as referees and touch judges for the NRL Victoria junior grand finals today.

You have all earned your spot.

Cooper - U13 Boys Div 1 Referee, U14 Girls Div 2 Touch Judge

Ben - U13 Boys Div 2 Referee, U15 Boys Div 2 Touch Judge

James - U13 Boys Div 2 Touch Judge, U14 Girls Div 1 Touch Judge

Michael - U16 Girls Div 2 Touch Judge.

2026 has been a good season for the U11 Raptors. Formed through a combination of last year's U10s, this year's U10s who stepped up a grade, and players who were completely new to the game, the players gelled pretty quickly and created a great team ethic that has been a constant throughout the year.
With such a mixture of experience within the team, one of our main aims was to develop the basic skills while helping the newer players build their confidence and become comfortable playing rugby league. From our first game against Casey to our most recent game, the progress and improvement over the course of the season has been impressive, to say the least.
In training, too, we have seen exceptional progress in all areas of the game. Passing and receiving have continued to improve, while the players have become much more confident in their tackling and in working together to make tackles.
Another big focus has been encouraging the players to run onto the ball rather than receiving it standing still. As the season has progressed, we have started to see more of this transfer into games, along with better support play around the ball carrier.
Seeing things that we have worked on at training beginning to appear naturally on game day has been particularly pleasing.
Perhaps one of the best indications of the team's development is how difficult it has become to differentiate between the more experienced players and those who have played their first season. The newer players have grown enormously in confidence and ability, while the more experienced players have continued to develop their own games.
Just as importantly, the players have developed together as a team. Regardless of experience or ability, they have supported each other and created a team environment that has made this group a pleasure to coach.
We hope they all continue their rugby league journey into 2027. They are all capable of building on what they have achieved so far, and keeping this group together will not only benefit the players, but the club too.
Finally, although there's never a dull moment with this team, these players are a credit to their families in the way they conduct themselves both on and off the pitch.
Well done, everyone.
The U11 Coaching Team (Coach Carl and Coach Brad)

🔥 PRELIM FINAL. LET’S GO! 🔥

This is what it all comes down to.

Our Senior Women are named and ready to go for the Preliminary Final — one game away from earning their spot in the Grand Final. 🦖

The hard work. The setbacks. The wins. The belief.
It’s all led to this.

Now it’s time to leave it all out there, back each other and play for every teammate beside you.

🦖 YOUR TEAM. YOUR MOMENT. YOUR TIME.

Get down, get loud and get behind the girls!

LET’S GO RAPTORS!

📷 Nally’s Visuals

Malo e Lelei 10s
Phase One - Getting the Basics Right
Over the season, our first focus has been getting the basics right - tackling, passing and catching. I’m really happy with how much the kids have taken on board and, more importantly, how they are now putting those skills into our games. We’ve seen a big change in their confidence. The passing has got cleaner, the catching has improved and the kids trust each other more on the field. We’ve even had comments from opposition teams about how well our kids move the ball and catch while making their way up the field. That’s something they should all be really proud of.
Tackling
Tackling has probably been one of the biggest improvements we’ve seen. I still remember some of those early games when the opposition girls were running through us pretty easily! 😂 Fast forward to now and the difference is huge. The kids are tackling in numbers, backing each other up and following through with what we’ve been practising at training. Seeing them hold their tackles and stay connected as a defensive line shows that the hard work at training is starting to pay off.
Learning to Play Together
Probably the biggest thing for me has been watching the kids move from playing as individuals to actually playing as a team. They are looking for each other, supporting each other and trusting their teammates on the field. We’re seeing them pass when the pass is on, back each other up in defence and work together to move the ball forward. That’s a big achievement for a young team. They’ve taken the fundamentals we’ve worked on at training and are now putting them into action together on game day.
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Phase Two - Putting It Into Our Game
As the season has progressed, we’ve been able to introduce set plays and a bit more structure into our game. This has given the kids another challenge - rremembering where they need to be, knowing their role and working together to get the play moving. It hasn’t always gone perfectly, but that’s part of learning. What’s been great to see is how quickly the kids have picked things up and started putting them into our games. The set plays have also helped reinforce what we’ve been working on from the beginning - communication, passing, catching, positioning and, most importantly, working together.
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Bringing It All Together
Looking back at where we started and where we are now, I’m really proud of the kids. They’ve worked through both phases and have shown that they can learn something at training and take it onto the field. There’s still plenty for us to work on, but that’s what makes coaching these kids so enjoyable. Every game gives us something new to work on, and our training nights gives us the chance to practice and get better.
For me, the personal enjoyment has been a bit of a full-circle moment. The last time I coached at Raptors was with my oldest boy, Caedus, when he was in the U10s. He’s 21 now, and here I am all these years later coaching my 3 youngest in their u10s. Seeing the kids enjoying their footy, backing each other and becoming a team makes me genuinely happy. It’s been pretty special to come back to where it all started, from when we first signed up to the Raptors at a muddy ground, of Bayswater neighbourhood back in 2011. I honestly believe a coach is only as good as the team he’s surrounded by.
To Our Team Behind the Team
A massive thank you to Michael and Jay. You boys put in a lot of work at training and on game day - running drills, helping organise the kids and tending to them on the field when they need a hand. Having that support makes a massive difference and I really appreciate everything you do.
And to our super manager Kim — thank you! You somehow keep us all organised, keep everyone on top of schedules, game days and everything else that comes with keeping a team running. We definitely couldn’t do it without you!
And finally, to all the parents and families, thank you for getting the kids to training, turning up on game day and supporting them from the sidelines.
And most importantly, to the kids - you should all be proud of yourselves. You’ve listened and you’ve learnt to play for each other.
Let’s keep enjoying it, keep learning and keep getting better together.
Up the Raptors U10s.
Coach
Pasilika

What a season it’s been for our Under 8 boys and girls!

As their coach, I can honestly say I couldn’t be prouder. Their first full season of tackling, and somehow we’ve made it through with most of the coaches, parents and teeth still intact! 😂

On top of everything, the biggest win has been seeing them learn real sportsmanship — respecting their teammates, opponents, and referees — while remembering that rugby league is meant to be fun first and foremost.

First up, a massive welcome and thank you to Monica, our new team manager, who somehow volunteered for the job without fully understanding what she was getting herself into! 😂 From organising the team to keeping everyone pointed in roughly the same direction, Monica has been a massive part of the team and I couldn’t have done it without her.

Then there’s our coaching dream team, Blair and myself (Josh), who have spent the season teaching the boys and girls the important things in rugby league — tackle hard, run straight, pass when you’re supposed to… and occasionally listen to the coach! 😂 Most importantly, we’ve tried to make sure they enjoy every minute and understand that being a good sport and having fun matters just as much as winning.

💥 The Team
Will & Ezy – The Try Machines
If there was a try on offer, I swear these two were already lining up for it! 😂 Every week they just seemed to pop up in the right place at the right time — usually with a massive grin and a defender wondering, “Where did he come from?”

Tobi & Sammy – The Wrecking Balls
Every time these two ran the ball, I could hear the parents before the tackle even happened — “Yep… there goes another one!” 😂 Absolute little terrors in the best possible way, and exactly what you want in your team.

Logan & Eddy – The Stepping Kings
Left, right, left again… and even I was sometimes guessing where they were going! These two have had defenders spinning all season trying to work out which way they were headed next.

Fatai & Remi – The Offloading Legends
These two have fully embraced the offload life. Sometimes it’s pure brilliance, sometimes it’s a bit of chaos, but I love that they’re always looking for a teammate and playing with their heads up.

Trevor, Mason & Anthony – The Meter Eaters
Give these three the ball and just get out of the way! 😂 Week in, week out they’ve done the tough carries, chewed up the metres and set the platform for the team. If there was ground to be gained, these boys found it.

🏆 What a Year!
From learning how to tackle properly for the first time, to running harder, passing better, backing each other up and, most importantly, having fun and learning good sportsmanship along the way — I’ve watched this group come such a long way.
There have been big hits, big runs, big tries, a few questionable decisions, plenty of laughs, and definitely a few moments where Blair and I just looked at each other and laughed! 😂

But what I’m most proud of is how far every single one of these kids has come. At the start of the season, they were learning the basics of tackling and finding their feet. Now they’re tackling with confidence, running hard, supporting each other and playing as a team. Watching their confidence grow throughout the year has been one of the best parts of coaching them, and I genuinely couldn’t be prouder of what they’ve achieved. And the best part is — this is only the beginning. I can’t wait to continue watching this group grow, develop and improve next year. I’m excited to see what they can achieve as they take everything they’ve learned this season into the next one.

A huge thank you from me to Monica, Blair, all the parents, families and supporters who showed up every week, and most importantly, to our amazing Under 8s players. For their first full season of tackling, these kids have absolutely smashed it. The future is looking very bright for this bunch.

Well done U8s — what a season!
GO RAPTORS! 🏉

Coach Josh