The Raiders are pleased to announce another two signings for the club’s inaugural NRLW team, with Ahlivia Ingram and Petesa Lio set to join the club.
Canberra local Ingram was part of the inaugural Raiders Tarsha Gale team in 2017 and will now be part of the inaugural Raiders NRLW team.
Ingram started playing Rugby League eight years ago in the Katrina Fanning Shield, with her past year being one to remember.
The 22-year-old represented the First Nation’s Gems at the 2022 National Championships before being selected to take part in a five-week NRLW Indigenous Women’s Academy at the AIS mid-year.
From there she was selected in the Australian PM’s XIII team that played against PNG in September and was also part of the Indigenous Women’s All Stars team earlier this year.
Ingram is excited for the opportunity to be part of the inaugural Raiders NRLW team and continue her progress into the NRLW competition.
“It still feels unreal. I don’t think it’s sunk in just yet,” Ingram said.
“I want to make history. The first time I got to put the Tarsha Gale jersey on was for the first Raiders team. I wanted to be in the first Raiders NRLW team too.
“I’m excited just to do the whole journey start to finish. Whether that’s putting the jersey on or playing the first game, I just want to do the whole journey. I’m excited for it all.”
Lio first started playing Rugby League in 2017 for the Minchinbury Jets and was part of the 2022 NSW Under 19s team in 2022.
The 20-year-old played her first season of the NSW Harvey Norman Women’s Premiership for Mounties in 2023 and was part of the club’s recent Premiership win.
Lio and her family recently visited the Raiders’ facility and said she is looking forward to her first season in the NRLW competition.
“I already love Canberra. The facility was beautiful. Just walking around it, it’s a good environment,” Lio said.
“I’m excited to live out my dreams and my goals.”
Raiders NRLW coach, Darrin Borthwick, said he’s looking forward to having Ingram and Lio in his inaugural squad.
“Tesa played Origin 19s last year, she comes to us from Mounties who just won the Premiership. She’s versatile, she can play in the forwards, she can play in the outside backs,” Borthwick said.
“She’s someone that was also looking for a change and she’ll fit into our system really well. She’s only young but wants to develop and there’s no better place than the Raiders to do that.”
“Ahlivia is a local, she’s spent a bit of time in the Indigenous Women’s Academy camp last year here and then went on to represent PM’s XIII.
“She came along to our KFS Academy as well and has really surprised me with her attitude and commitment to training. She’s one to keep an eye out on and I look forward to seeing what she does for us.
“She’ll cover a spot in the middle for us. She’s quite a tough forward as well so I think she’ll fit in the dynamics of what we are trying to do here.”
