NRLW Season 2025: Week 9 w/ Jada Taylor and Chantay Kiria-Ratu

[00:00:05] Hey there, welcome to SharkCastPod NRLW 2025, a production between the Cronulla Sutherland Sharks and this very podcast, SharkCastPod. My name is Sam Shinazzi, I've been doing this for 11 seasons now, I'm an OG since 2015. Every week, multiple episodes about this great club, both NRL and NRLW. If you're not on board with us, if you're not part of the family, please join, like, subscribe, share,

[00:00:30] on whatever podcast app you listen to. We also put audio up on YouTube and we do videos every week on YouTube. We're on all the social medias, give us a follow, give us a like, we would appreciate it very much. This week on the show, you'll be hearing long interviews with Jada Taylor, the returning Jada Taylor, as well as halfback, Chantay Kiria-Ratu. Always a fascinating listen and fascinating for me to go behind the scenes with these great athletes

[00:00:59] athletes and hear about their lives both as youngsters and then coming up through the ranks and what it's like now to be professional athletes at the greatest club in the history of the world. The Sharks are stringing wins together now. They were very up and down to start the season, mostly due to injuries, but we are now back and we are winning games consistently. We're sitting in fourth place going into round nine. Somehow it's already round nine. Crazy.

[00:01:26] We have the Newcastle Knights coming to town this week. NRLW kicking off at 11.50am on Sunday. Get your tickets while you can. It will sell out. Sharks coming off a 22-14 win over the Warriors in Hamilton. A great win by the team. A short trip far away and they got the job done. Every win matters in this league because there are only so many games they get to play.

[00:01:52] Emma Verrin, again, a player of the match performance. She scored two tries. And the other absolute highlight of this game was Georgia Hannaway playing at Hooker. We know her more as a 5'8", but she played at Hooker. Did an outstanding job. I think that's the key to success for this team this year is the versatility. Versatility in the playing positions of these athletes. We saw the return of Jada Taylor, who you'll be hearing from shortly. She came on and played more of a roving lock kind of position.

[00:02:22] She won't be doing that this week, but that's the point. The point is these players can play in multiple positions and get the job done. So great work from Tony Herman and his crew, not only in recruitment, but in the way that he coaches, the way that he selects. We've got great players who can't even get into the 17. So as much as injury has hampered this team, I think the long view of this season is that we get everyone back together. And it's going to be really hard for Tony to pick the 17 because there's going to be so much quality there to choose from.

[00:02:52] Quincy Dodd, we know he's out for the season, but she has told people that if we make the grand final, she will be ready to play. So I wouldn't doubt her knowing the drive that she has. They're doing great, the Sharks, from what has been a very injury ravaged season. And all teams have injuries, but it's been quite excessive this year for the Sharks. Very serious injuries. They're doing pretty good.

[00:03:18] Coming up, you're going to hear from Jada Taylor and from Shantae Kireratu. So please stick around for that. Until we get there, we have a game to look at. 1150 AM this week, Sunday against the Knights at Shark Stadium. The Sharks have named the following team. Jada Taylor at fullback. She is back. Wingers are Cassie Staples and Georgia Ravix. Your centers, captain, Tiana Penetani-Gray and Grace Lee Weeks.

[00:03:48] Halves, Emma Verrin moves to 5'8". And Shantae Kireratu at halfback. Your starting front row is Ellie Johnston. Georgia Hannaway stays at number 9. And Stephanie Faulkner, who's in great form, is the other starting prop. The back row, which I say every week is my favorite back row. Tale Holmes, Rhiannon Byers and Brooke Anderson. So much talent there. The immediate interchange bench is Nakia Davis-Welch,

[00:04:17] Anne-Marie Kireratu, Manalita Takapatolo and Caitlin Johnston Green coming up against her old team, the Newcastle Knights. Extended bench, friend of the show, Jacinta Carter is waiting in the wings. Dominique Dutrois, Tomeya Kelly-Signs, Tia Jordan-Vassilovsky and Jadika Tafua. So that is your entire squad name to play this week against the Knights.

[00:04:44] Tony Herman will trim that down 24 hours before the game. And then of course, trim it again an hour before the game. Stay tuned for news there. They're coming up against the Knights. And the Knights last week lost to the very talented Brisbane team 46-16 at home in Newcastle. They sit in fifth place, so just one place below us. They have also won five games, just like the Sharks.

[00:05:13] So both teams are 5-3. Defensively, they've been a bit poorer than us. Attack about the same. The Knights team, which always is a challenging game against the Sharks. Vettie Welsh is at fullback. The wingers are Sheridan Gallagher and Lillianne White. The centres are Shanice Parker and Tanika Willison. Halves are Georgia Roach and Jesse Southwell. The starting pack is Predoborn, Higgins and Davison. The back row is McEwen.

[00:05:42] Captain, Yasmin Clydesdale and Jules Kirkpatrick locks the scrum. Bench is Morris Tenano, Sienna Yeo and Grace Giampino. The extended bench is Finney, Cucutai, Talalay Sayela, Jones and Simpson. Coached by Ben Jeffries. So that is happening 11.50am on Sunday at Shark Stadium. Come down for that game. Be there for kickoff. Cheer on this great team.

[00:06:11] They'll show you a lot of heart, a lot of spirit. Above all that, a lot of skill and talent. And the Knights games are always pretty good against the Sharks. You can stick around, of course, for the NRL game at 2pm, which is going to be very important for the Cornelis Sharks and the entire club. Looking ahead, as we sometimes do, we have the Bulldogs. Saturday, the 6th of September, 5.15pm. That's a double header with the NRL following that out at Acor Stadium.

[00:06:41] And then Thursday Night Football on the 11th of September, 7.45pm kickoff. And that's at Gosford. And we play the very talented, in-form Roosters team. And that'll be a pretty crunch game. So a lot to play for. We want to just keep winning. So we've got the Knights, the Dogs and the Roosters before the finals. Fascinating stuff. My name is Sam Shinazzi. Thank you to the Cornelis Sutherland Sharks for their continued access within the club

[00:07:08] to help promote everything they do in our own unique way. We'll see you down at Shark Stadium. Can't wait for it. NRLW kicking off at 11.50pm. The gates will be around 11.30pm. If you can be there, please do so. Otherwise, you can watch on KO, Fox Sports and Channel 9 affiliated programming. Up up. Talk to you soon. Let's go. They'll keep going left, you'd imagine. They're ready to put on a pet play out there. Bared for Kiri Arantz.

[00:07:37] Who throws the dummy and goes over untouched for the instant reply. Yeah, all class from the young 5'8". SharkastPod 2025 NRLW. Shantae, welcome to the show. Great to meet you. We get to know the players a bit about how they grew up and behind the scenes. Tell us about where you grew up and how you got into sport, please. Yep. So I was originally born back in New Zealand, back in Auckland. And then when I was about five or six, we moved over to the Gold Coast.

[00:08:06] And that's kind of where all my footy started. So I started off playing touch football for a couple of years, then moved to a rugby sevens, and then I moved over to the rugby league background. And tell us about the rugby sevens. What did you do there? Did you reach great heights? Was it just club? Or what did you do there? Yep. Yep. So I was back in high school, back at Kieber Park, played a couple of footy games there. And I was lucky enough to get selected into like a Queensland rugby league academy that they had running, which was really good for me.

[00:08:35] I think I got to really learn some new assets of contact sports and obviously be where I am now with my footy. But yeah, it was kind of just an academy. We got to verse a couple of the New South Wales teams. And yeah, it was definitely an eye and open for me. So yeah. Awesome. And tell us about the Titans and how they found you and your experience there. I know there was a bit of injury, which definitely put you on the back step for a little while. But tell us about your time at the Titans overall. Yep.

[00:09:04] So I got picked up from them through the school system. So my school was with Titans. So I was lucky enough to get picked up from them with a development contract for the first two years when they first started Titans. So that was something special. And then kind of just got picked up for my rookie year back in 2023 and got to play a couple games under my belt and then make the GF, but obviously not get the result we wanted. But yeah, that's kind of where all my rugby league really started kicking off from there.

[00:09:32] Without getting too negative, tell us about the injury and how you handled it both mentally and physically and how you got back to where you are now. Yeah. I mean, that was a massive setback for myself. But yeah, it was quite tough through that 12 month period having to rehab and get back into it. But I think I was pretty lucky. I was surrounded by family and a couple of mates that also did their knees. So I was able to do rehab with them as well. But yeah, it was definitely a mental challenge for myself.

[00:09:59] But just having my family and my friends behind me, it made it much easier to get back on the field. And you've come to this great club, our favorite club in the whole world. Tell us about Tony and whoever else scouted you to come down here, the process. And was it a hard decision? Was it easy? Tell us about your feelings about that. Yep. Yeah. I've been pretty lucky to be playing down here in the Shire. And yeah, it wasn't an easy choice to move to a new club, especially being 20, living at home with my family and having to move away.

[00:10:29] But I think the one thing I asked for them was if they had anything for my sister. And they didn't hesitate. They straight away gave me like, yeah, we can play here. She's not guaranteed in playing any top games with me or whatever. But I think straight away from there, I was kind of like, yeah, I want to go there. Fresh start, straight off injury. Got to speak with Tony in there. I was just super relaxed just talking to him just casually and getting to know him well.

[00:10:56] And I think that really helped my decision moving down to Cronulla Shire. And I wasn't going to ask you, I completely forgot, but your sister has played beside you. What's that like? Yeah, it's an unreal feeling, I think. It's definitely an emotional feeling for my family just knowing that she was coming back from a two year injury, hadn't played rugby league for about two years. So getting back on the field together was super special. And I think she's worked hard for it.

[00:11:23] And yeah, I'm just grateful for this coaching staff for giving her a chance and giving her a crack. Awesome. Now tell us about your role. You've got the keys to the team. You're the halfback. A lot of pressure on you to perform week in, week out. You're only young. Tell us about how that sits with you and what's it like week to week. You've got amazing players around you. Great team. But what's it like being the halfback of the NRLW Sharks? Yeah, I mean, it's a lot.

[00:11:47] But I think when I first stepped into the club, that's the one thing I wanted to do was just earn that respect for my teammates and just be the one that they can look up to or rely on for little things on the field as a halfback. But just massive, massive thanks to my teammates and Tony. They've made it so much easier for me as a halfback to just come in, play my role, do my job. And yeah, I'm loving it. Have you always been a halfback? Yeah. Always. That's the only position I knew of playing when I first started.

[00:12:16] So, yep, played halfback. And I've actually played fullback once for Queensland Maroons for the 19s. Tell us. That's pretty good. Tell us about the goal kicking. Have you always been a goal kicker? Um, not quite a goal kicker. But if they need me to step in and do some kicking, I'll happily just to step in for the team and get some kicking under my belt. All right. Now, it's been an interesting year this year with all the injuries. Like lots of injuries. Week in, week out. It never stops.

[00:12:45] Someone comes back, someone gets injured, etc. A few losses to start with. Expected to win some games we didn't. But now we're top four. We're back to where we sort of need to be. Yeah. Tell us about the year, how it's been for you and the team. Do you feel like you're in a groove now and in the right spot? Yeah, I think we started off the year a bit slow and not how we wanted to start. But I think we're starting to find our feet now and really stay in our games and continue to obviously get some wins under our belts.

[00:13:14] And I think as the games are coming through now, I think our time is going to start coming now. So we've got Knights this week at Shark Stadium. Encourage everyone to get down here for that. We have Roosters and Dogs before the finals. So it's a tough run in. How are you feeling physically and mentally? Yeah, physically and mentally I'm feeling good, especially off the last three wins I've got. I think we can really take that into our game and just a bit of positivity around taking that onto the field.

[00:13:42] But yeah, we've come away with the last three wins and I think we just need to go on with a good mindset and know what our Sharks footy looks like. What are you expecting from the Knights this week? They definitely will come hard, especially after the game with the Bronx. But they've got some star players in there, but I think our girls, we can take them down any time of the day. Okay, sounds good. Before we let you go, there's one question we always ask everyone on the show, whether it's the men's, women's, admin, anyone. It's about music.

[00:14:11] So tell us, Shante, about what music you listen to, what you like, whether it's an artist, a genre, whether it's something you're listening to today or your all-time favorite, just talk to us about music if you can. Yeah, I'm actually a mixed lolly bag, I reckon. Okay. Yep, I've got genres, I've got R&B, I've got some reggae, got some afro and yeah, I've got just a whole bunch. And like even country, like I can just listen to anything really. Do you have an all-time favorite artist?

[00:14:40] I'll probably go with 660. Okay. It's a New Zealand band back at home. Okay. But yeah, they kind of just get me in my groove really. Awesome. Alright, thanks for joining us, great to meet you. Good luck against Newcastle on Sunday and best of luck the rest of the year. Thank you for having me. Pleasure. This kick is for Fuwa, Taylor's there, she's going to get back in the field of play here. That is massive from the dead ball line. Oh! And she's going to go a lot further. No one is going to get to her over the halfway line. She's starting to get on the treadmill.

[00:15:10] Paul A is chasing. New South Wales will win the game off the back of a length of the field try. Alright, Shark House Pod NRLW 2025 here with Jada Taylor. What a joy to have you here. You're back. How are you feeling? I'm back. To be honest, I don't want to lie to you, I'm a bit sore. It's a bit rough when you have been out for 12 months and you happen, you know, to kick back and then you get out there and you get pumped a couple of times.

[00:15:36] So it feels good to be back, but definitely feeling a few more of the bruises this week. You didn't hold back. You were straight in there. Yeah, straight in there. A couple of tough carries, which is pretty rare for me. So I'm pretty happy to, you know, have those up my belt now. But in all seriousness, you're feeling okay? The knee's okay? Yeah, the knee's okay. The body's okay. I'm a grade 10 carry on. We'll always whinge about the bumps and the bruises, but no, I feel really, really good. Okay, excellent. Great to have you back.

[00:16:06] Let's get to know you a little bit better. Now you grew up or were born in one of my favorite places on earth, Tamworth. Oh wow. Your favorite places? Well... You haven't been to many places or something. I like country music. So tell us about Tamworth and your time there. Yeah, Tamworth's home for me. Grew up there, was born at Tamworth Base Hospital and then didn't move until I went to boarding school in Sydney in year 10. So, yeah, it's still home for me. My whole family's still there. So get back as much as I can.

[00:16:36] And, you know, I've talked badly about it before saying it's quite a boring town, but I love it and it's home for me. Okay. Tell us about your sporting days before you went professional, I guess. Like tell us about growing up. Did you always like footy? Like what did you do growing up? Yeah, I was born into a rugby league family. My dad's rugby league mad and he grew up with rugby league. He went to the Raiders when he finished school and then my brother was born. So he came home.

[00:17:03] One of those stories where it was a what would have happened sort of thing. But, yeah, no, he came home and, yeah, my brother and I just grew up with a footy in our hands and having an older brother, I was bashed around quite a bit. So, no, it was great for what ends up being my career. And I started playing rugby league when I was five and then I played up until I was about 11, I think. And then the boys get a little bit too big and the girls eventually, you know, a band from playing with the boys. So I started playing rugby sevens.

[00:17:31] One of my teammates, Emma Varen, she actually won a gold medal in Rio. And there was a massive boom in women's sevens. So I started playing that and then I got a scholarship to a school in North Sydney and came down and come back to the good side, started playing rugby league again and then debuted that same year. With the Roosters? With the Chooks. So tell us about that. Yeah, it all happened really, really quick. I started, I actually tried to start three years young for Tasha Gale.

[00:17:57] And I actually came to like an intro night at the old leagues club for the Sharks. And I was going to be a shark and then I had my first shoulder reconstruction. And then the following year, I went to the Roosters. It was just a bit closer to school and stuff and had to have another shoulder reconstruction. And then by the time I was the right age for Tasha Gale, I finally got a season in, in 2022. And we won that. I think we went through undefeated.

[00:18:27] And then, yeah, from there I got my first NRLW contract. And then, yeah, that one game for the Roosters in 2022. So how'd you find your way here, the great Sharks club? Oh, that's a good question. I actually, Corbin Baxter was out having a baby when I was at the Chooks and Sammy Bremner came in. And so that's why I sort of only got the one game. And then Corbin was coming back to the Chooks. And to be quite honest, I didn't really have any intentions of sort of, you know, hopping around clubs.

[00:18:57] That's a nice way to put it because there's a lot of words for those people who jump around clubs. But, yeah, I didn't really want to be that sort of player. And I knew that, you know, there had to be good reason for me to leave. And they sort of said, Corbin's coming back. You know, she's our incumbent. She won a premiership there. She was their captain. I sort of wasn't going to play the following year. And I'd been watching a lot of girls play consistent footy that I played Nineteen's Origin with and stuff like that. So I thought, I can't sit back and wait any longer.

[00:19:24] I've got to join a club where, you know, they want me to be their fullback. And I actually spoke to a few different clubs. And I actually came to the Sharks and met with Tony. And my dad was here and Casey. And they sort of said, oh, like the jersey's not the jersey's yours, but that number one spot. We need someone. And Emma Verran was coming to play number six. And they started talking about the team and what it could look like. And I was pretty much sold.

[00:19:52] I had to keep quite a, you know, serious face. Had to talk money. All that good stuff. But no, I was honestly, the moment I met Tony, and I think I was sold at heart. But I did the right thing by my dad. And I went and spoke to the Raiders the next day. I went down and seen their pretty flash facilities down there. And yeah, just, they were great. But also I knew my heart wanted to be here. So it wasn't just the pretty blue color that got me over the line looking good in a jersey.

[00:20:19] But yeah, what they were building at the club and the players that they had here. Now, a lot of people know that you work with the club as well. And we saw this before outside a lot of community work. That must be an amazing feeling for you. Yeah, honestly, I think it makes you a better player when you can be a good person outside of it as well. And I think the Sharks community team sort of makes me a better person. Yeah, like you said out there before, Emma Verrin and I worked together and she just had a disability clinic.

[00:20:47] And to see the smiles that you can put on faces just because of football and the emblem you get to wear on your chest is pretty special. So yeah, no, I love doing what I do and talking about Indigenous health and closing that gap. So yeah, I love it. Awesome. Now, you've spoken long and hard about the injury. Just give us a little brief rundown on how it was the time off because we saw you around here. Everyone, including myself was like, is this the week?

[00:21:15] And you must have gotten a little bit sick of hearing about that and answer the question. But mentally, was there ever a time when it was all too much or you sort of saw the end was going to be happy? Yeah, I've always been pretty positive person throughout rehabs and stuff like that. And when I did my ACL, I guess you start to look at all the people who have done theirs. That's what I did. I started looking at like James Tedesco, who's done multiple of them. Tiana Penetani's had a couple.

[00:21:42] So I honestly was like, oh, if all these people get through it and they're still playing unbelievable footy, I must be all right. I'll get through it. And it wasn't until I was a couple of months into the rehab that I really started to struggle and think, holy shit, how does this get better? But yeah, I think that stage and trying to, you know, walk again and then you're trying to run again. All of those things, the milestones keep you going.

[00:22:06] And my family are probably the biggest credit to why I'm back now and didn't just quit on this season when I got some shitty news at the start of the season. So, but like you said, heaps of people keep checking in as well. And I think it's nice to know that you're not forgotten about. Yeah, it does get annoying when you're like, oh, not this week, not this week. And you sort of feel like you're letting people down. But it also, like I said, shows people care. So over the injury, to be honest, I'm ready to be Jada Taylor without the injuries. Definitely. You already are.

[00:22:36] Like you're one week in. It's awesome. You've got Newcastle this weekend at Shark Stadium. It's going to be a tough one. Always tough games against Newcastle. We've got three games to go before the finals. We're finally in a spot where we want to be. It's a tough start to the season with all the injuries we've had. There's still injuries every week. I can't believe it. But this club, this team's, I don't know, stood under a ladder or something because the bad luck's just been endless. But what I do like is people step up. Yeah. And people come back like yourself. So there's a lot of positivity there.

[00:23:04] I love the fact that we're coming home strong. Before we let you go, one question we ask everyone. I haven't even given you a tip on this. We're going to talk about music. Oh no. Yeah, yeah. Okay. So genre. Gary's laughing. Genre, artist. Just give me something. There's no wrong answer. Like what do you listen to? Don't be hesitant. What do I listen to? Yeah. Okay. I'll tell you a couple of things. My music taste is a little bit all over the shop. I'm loving Justin Bieber's new album that he's got. Uh huh.

[00:23:35] But all time album. I love listening to Jason Derulo's old music. Okay. Yeah, I'm a bit of a loser for that. But my one pregame song that I have and I've had it since I was a little girl is You Can't Touch This by MC Hemmer. Wow. Yes, I know. An old one. My dad used to actually sing it when I played Oz tag, like rep Oz tag. We used to go away for a weekend and my dad used to put it on in the car and he used to sing You Can't Tag This.

[00:24:03] Yeah, I was going to say like I'm so intrigued. My mind's racing. Is it because they can't touch you? Is that the whole? Yeah, like. Okay. Kind of think like. I love it. Too good they can't touch you. I love it. Which seems a little bit childish. Does the dressing room get to hear this as well or is this just in your ears? Yeah, look, sometimes I put it on the big music box thing. Geez Jada, why can't I speak on the speaker? But yeah, no, sometimes it's just me with the headphones on and but I'm a pest in the sheds. I can only listen to it once and then I've got to get around and talk to people.

[00:24:33] So we've interviewed hundreds of people over 11 years doing this. You're the first person to say MC Hemmer. Oh. That's good. Yeah, well, and I'm probably one of the younger ones surely. Yes. And that's such an old song. I love it. Love it. Thanks for your time. No, thank you. Good luck on Sunday. Thank you so much. Hello.

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