The Western Force’s strong off-season recruitment for the 2025 Super Rugby Women’s season has continued with the signing of record-breaking Wallaroo Ashley Marsters.
Marsters joins the Force from the Melbourne Rebels, having become the most capped player in Wallaroos’ history during the triumphant WXV 2 in Cape Town in October last year.
The dynamic forward has played 34 caps for Australia including appearing at two World Cups, 2014 and 2021, scoring a game-winning pool stage try against Scotland at the latter.
Marsters was also last year one of three nominees for the Wallaroos Player of the Year won by Maya Stewart, while she was the runner-up for the award in 2023. The 31-year-old took out the Rugby Union Player Association’s Medal for Excellence in 2023.
Cook Islands-born Marsters is a Victorian rugby product, having played 27 Super W games and scored four tries for the Rebels during an outstanding time with the Club where she won their 2023 women’s Players’ Player award among other accolades and captained the side in the past two seasons.
Marsters debuted at Super W level against the Force in March 2018, scoring a try off the bench on that day. She offers positional versatility with an ability to play in the front and second rows, along with the midfield where she played last year for the Rebels.
Marsters arrived in Perth earlier this week and said she was thrilled to make the move west and join a Club investing in their women’s program.
“I’m really excited for a new change, new location and new friends,” she said.
“The Western Force values resonate with me in terms of building good culture around the team and the whole club.
“There’s no division in terms of men’s and women’s, it’s just one club and it’s ‘us, not me’ kind of mentality. I also believe they know what it’s like to build from the bottom up.
“What’s really good is that they have genuine support behind them and I saw their success come to fruition last season with their placing in finals. I’m just excited to be a part of this team and learn from everyone.”
Force head coach Dylan Parsons hailed the major signing of Marsters, pointing to a raft of on-field and off-field benefits.
“It’s a really exciting signing for the club,” Parsons said. “She’s one of the most dynamic ball carriers in world rugby at the moment.
“She’s very versatile with her skillset and plays multiple positions. What she brings is a huge amount of experience. She’s now the most capped Wallaroo in history.
“Wherever she’s gone, she’s been highly influential and always been a leader within the team. It’s a massive signing for the club.
“One of the biggest influences in learning for players is other high level players. For our young players to see someone as experienced as her, train with her day to day, see how she prepares day to day, that’s invaluable. That provides some of the best fast-tracking of players who learn a lot from their peers.”
Parsons added that the signing of Marsters was a major endorsement of the Club’s women’s program.
“It’s huge,” he said. “That’s one of the goals that we’ve had in this program, not only to retain our best talent but also attract the best talent in the country as well.
“This season we’ve been able to attract some high-level signings and it shows that the program has been developing and the respect the team now has across the whole competition.”
The Force Super W season commences on Saturday 1 March against the ACT Brumbies at HBF Park.
Ashley Marsters
2/11/1993
Utility
Born: Rarotonga, Cook Islands
Wallaroos (2014-, 34 caps)
Melbourne Rebels (2018-2024, 27 caps, 4 tries)
Junior Club: Booroondarra Rugby Club / Aligned Club: Hunter Wildfires
2025 Western Force women’s squad
Georgia Cormick, Rosie Ebbage, Grace Freeman, Sheree Hume, Tamika Jones, Nicole Ledington, Michaela Leonard, Loretta Mailangi, Hera-Barb Malcolm Heke, Ashley Marsters, Ngamihi Monk, Sera Naiqama, Alapeta Ngauamo, Hannah Palelei, Trilleen Pomare, Allana Sikimeti, Cecilia Smith, Anneka Stephens, Pia Tapsell, Libya Teepa, Brooklyn Teki-Joyce, Braxton Walker, Samantha Wood
