Katrina Fanning Scholarship Program /

Elise Simpson receives 2024 Katrina Fanning Scholarship

Canberra Raiders Tarsha Gale Cup member Elise Simpson has received the 2024 Katrina Fanning Scholarship through the Canberra Raiders Foundation.

The scholarship, founded in 2023, provides financial assistance to a female player who has come up through the Canberra Raiders pathways program, to assist in their rugby league and educational opportunities while in the Canberra Raiders development system.

This year’s recipient Elise Simpson, who is completing her secondary studies, said she was honoured to receive the scholarship and said it would benefit her on her journey towards the NRLW.

“I want to thank the Raiders Foundation for the opportunity to receive the Katrina Fanning Scholarship this year, and I know it will help me on the way to achieving my goals.”

Raiders Foundation Manager Paul Walshe said the Raiders Foundation was proud to continue the scholarship and looked forward to seeing Elise’s progression on and off the field.

“The Katrina Fanning Scholarship is now in its second year and we’re proud to be able to continue to assist young women who are looking to further their studies and support their journey towards the NRLW,” Walshe said. “It’s wonderful to have an icon of the game like Katrina Fanning associated with this scholarship and even more so this year after she was recently named in the NRL Hall of Fame.”

2023 Recipient - Georgia Willey

At the NRLW season launch in June 2023 the Raiders Foundation announced a new NRLW Scholarship, the Katrina Fanning Scholarship Program.

Katrina grew up in Junee and moved to Canberra after high school, starting a career with a traineeship in the ACT public service while playing rugby league for Australia.

When she retired after more than a decade in the game Katrina was the most capped female player in the world and credits her experience on football fields for her professional achievements and leadership style, striving to get the best out of everyone in her team.

Katrina is a member of the Raiders Board, Chairs the Australian Rugby League Indigenous Committee and in January 2023 was awarded one of the highest honours, the Officer in the General Division of the Order of Australia (AO).

Given Katrina’s commitment to Women’s NRL and standing in the game it is very appropriate that the Katrina Fanning Scholarship is named in her honour as recognition of the wonderful work Katrina has done and continues to do in this area.

Georgia Willey was announced at the first ever Katrina Fanning Scholarship recipient. The Scholarship will allow Georgia to continue her journey towards the NRLW.