It’s Members Monday, and it’s time to reveal this week’s Member of the Week…
To mark International Women’s Day, today’s Member of the Week is Hull FC Women’s team captain Nataliina Romano!
Romano has been part of the side since joining in 2018, taking the chance to join the club with both hands with previous opportunities coming at a real premium
Having played for a boys team as a youngster, she struggled to find a girls team as a teenager due to there being a lack of opportunities for young ladies.
Despite almost dropping out of rugby at a young age, the loose forward kept the faith and now she is preparing to play in her third full season with the side.
Speaking to hullfc.com, she said: “I have just got so much passion for rugby and I felt that I wasn’t ready to stop, so I left the team that I was previously at to come and join Hull FC, the team who I have supported all of my life.
“As a woman playing rugby league, there has got to be the opportunity to work your way up the ladder to the very top. Men have the chance to do it, so women should have that opportunity too. That is going to help the women’s game grow.
“My aim here is to get as many women into rugby league and to make sure that they are enjoying it.
“We want to be able to compete in a league like we do in the Women’s Championship and stick together like any team would.
“I have come a long way. From being nine-years old when I was fighting to try and get game time in the boys teams, to now where we have this whole women’s team and my only concern is to earn the right to wear my playing shirt. I don’t have to worry about not being allowed to play.
“It would be amazing for me to help more people get into women’s rugby league and give them an opportunity that I never had as a young girl.
“When I was that nine-year-old girl, I never had anybody showing me the pathway and telling me what I needed to do to play women’s rugby league.”
If you are interested in getting involved with our Hull FC Women’s side, please email sam.french@hullfc.com
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