The Western Force have continued to strengthen their 2024 Super W squad with the re-signing of exciting full-back Aiysha Wigley and additions of Brooklyn Teki-Joyce and Anneka Stephens.
Wigley, 21, hasn’t missed a Super W game since debuting in Round 1 2020, clocking up 14 appearances.
The Wanneroo talent, who started every game for the Force last season at full-back, won the 2023 Sue Roberts Trophy for the Fortescue Women’s Premier Grade Women’s Player of the Year. She was also the competition’s leading scorer, playing at fly-half for the Divas.
Aranmore College product Teki-Joyce, also 21, is a promising back-rower who has previously been involved in the Force set-up but is yet to make her Super W debut.
Originally out of the Nedlands Junior Rugby Club, Teki-Joyce played for Australia’s Under-18s at the 2018 Youth Rugby Sevens and gained experience in New Zealand’s Farah Palmer Cup with Bay of Plenty, earning a Black Ferns call-up for a 2021 Development Camp.
Experienced flanker Stephens, 34, returns the Force after spending last year playing rugby league having previously played five Super W games in 2021 and 2022, winning the club’s Nicola Forrest Force Woman award in the latter year.
The mother-of-four represented Cook Islands at the 2016 Rugby World Women’s Sevens Olympic Repechage Tournament in Dublin and the 2021 Women’s Rugby League World Cup, while she has NRLW experience with St George Illawarra in 2018.
Force head coach Dylan Parsons said: “Aiysha is another local girl who has been around our set-up for a number of years. She’s still very young with plenty of upside. She played every minute of every game last season at full-back and had a breakout year. We’re excited to see where she goes this year and beyond. She’s going to have some good experience beside her in 2024, with Sheree Hume coming on board.
“Brooklyn is very dynamic. She’s got a rugby background, and with great instincts. We see big upside with her experience gained from the New Zealand system in the Farah Palmer Cup. But being a Perth local we’re excited about the opportunity to bring her back home.
“Anneka is a player who’s really well respected across the community. She offers a lot around our leadership and her standards. As a seasoned competitor, she brings a lot of experience to our younger girls and helps impart those high standards. We’re excited to have her back.”
The Force open their Super W campaign on Friday March 15 from 4:30pm against the Melbourne Rebels at HBF Park.
Prior to that, the Force women will face Japanese club Tokyo Sankyu Phoenix in two pre-season trial games from Friday 23 February from 4:30pm prior to the Force men’s Super Rugby season opener at HBF Park.
Memberships are on sale now, including the offer of free Junior Memberships.
2024 Western Force Super W squad: Sheree Hume, Tamika Jones, Natsuki Kashiwagi, Saelua Leaula, Nicole Ledington, Michaela Leonard, Hera-Barb Malcolm Heke, Alapeta Ngauamo, Hannah Palelei, Trilleen Pomare, Anneka Stephens, Pia Tapsell, Harono Te Iringa, Brooklyn Teki-Joyce, Braxton Walker, Aiysha Wigley, Samantha Wood - Seneti Kilisimasi, Siutiti Ma’ake (PacificAus Sports scholarships)
