The enjoyment and success with which 25 Indigenous teens tackled the Queensland State 7s shows how well targeted is the partnership support of the Lowitja Institute.
For many girls from rugby league, touch and Oztag backgrounds, this was a major step up into testing skills against peers with far broader rugby backgrounds.
The girls, who formed the Queensland Indigenous teams at Under-15s and Under-17s level, were drawn from Hope Vale on Cape York and the Torres Strait Islands in the north to Tweed Heads in the south.
The Lowitja Institute sponsorship for Rugby Sevens within the Queensland Rugby Union’s Indigenous Program met tournament costs for the girls, travel costs in a few cases and kitted them proudly in Indigenous jerseys.
By the end of two days of competition last Sunday, the bronze medals for both teams demonstrated how much growth there had been at Ballymore Stadium. The smiles that went with them were just as important.
“These girls were just so coachable. To see their commitment to learn and their progress was fantastic,” said Under-17s coach Melissa Orcher.
“Many of the girls had been talent-spotted from outside rugby so a sevens tournament like this was very new.
“We were able to create a culturally safe space so the girls could be who they are. The natural ability is there. We know that. With the support we had, we brought it all together.”
The U17s finished Sunday with a 26-10 win over the Brisbane Junior Rugby Union. The final try summed up why the steps to have Indigenous teams was well worth it.
Alexandra Kulla Kulla started the move 70m from the tryline and found Natalia Hickling in support with a one-handed offload. When cornered, Hickling produced another neat one-handed offload to put Evie Clarkson over.
Girls like Darwin’s Marley Morgan and U15s Nikayla Mosby and Shyloh Tofae stood out.
For Kulla Kulla, the game’s attraction has been growing during her time as a boarder at Rockhampton Grammar School.
“We are all growing together on the field and off it. You want to be there for the other girls when they need you,” she said of the Indigenous team.
“I love the tournaments because you are meeting new friends and travelling.
“Sevens is a really quick game. It definitely keeps up your fitness.
“I do like going back to my community on Cape York and telling my cousins that anything is possible if you stay with it.”
Kulla Kulla said the cut-through of Australia’s champion women’s sevens team was real after gold medal successes at the Commonwealth Games, Rugby World Cup Sevens and numerous World Rugby Seven Series tournaments.
“Maddi Levi would be someone I look up to with the way she carries herself on the field. She also scores a lot of tries,” Kulla Kulla said with a smile.
Speedster Aamira Renouf, 16, is another. The niece of former Brisbane Broncos ace Steve Renouf goes to Caloundra State High and league is clearly in her veins.
“I really like the sevens, having extra space to use my speed and having fun with all the girls,” Aamira said.
“Being able to represent my culture is important to me.”
The upbeat side of attending the State 7s was seeing how many Indigenous girls were representing in other teams like livewire Zafeera Gibson, 15, for Central Queensland.
She is part of the Cape York Leaders Program and has dived into rugby as a boarder on scholarship at Rockhampton Grammar.
Her new-found skill as a pilferer at the ruck was eye-catching.
“It’s something I’ve only just learnt from the coaches. It’s all part of playing your heart out,” she said.
Zafeera is just 42.5kg but with definite skills as an emerging halfback.
She too shows how magnetic the appeal is of Australia’s top sevens players.
“Maddi Levi…she’s the one I watch. She’s fast and just plays eyes-up footy,” she added.
The Lowitja Institute is Australia's only national Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community-controlled health research institute.
The organisation is named in honour of its namesake and co-patron, the late Dr Lowitja O’Donoghue AC CBE DSG.
The Lowitja Institute works for the health and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people through high-impact quality research and knowledge exchange. Support for a new generation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health researchers is a significant part of it.
Here are the Queensland Indigenous teams that proudly represented at U15s and U17s level.
Under-15s
Tylah Orcher
Alani Conlon
Shyloh Tofae
Zihade Laterre
Harper Moore
Jayannah Kelly-Glenber
Macy Clarkson
Aaliyah Barba
Cienna Dumas
Jaida Flores
Learra Iselin-Jansen
Sedeequa Clevin
Nikayla Mosby
Under-17s
Kaia Skeen
Marley Morgan
Kanisha Green
Aamira Renouf
Alexandra Kulla Kulla
Lailah Hickling
Matilda Trindall
Evie Clarkson
Natalia Hickling
Lily Sumner
Lilly Shaw
Emmalena Ingui
