Temora's footy future is bright after inaugural Rachael Pearson Shield win

After a tight game against Kildare Catholic College, Temora High School's under 14s side lifted the inaugural Rachael Pearson Shield at Parramore Park on Wednesday afternoon.

Captain Macey Kenworthy said the win was well earned.

In a team where many of the athletes had never played before, Kenworthy said it was a bumpy start during their first round of games.

Finding their feet heading into Wednesday's final, she was proud of how far they have come.

"The final was one of the toughest games," Kenworthy said.

"We all worked as a team, we all worked together and moved up.

"A lot of them, it's their first time, they went well, it was a bit frustrating at the start for the girls who didn't know how to do anything but they all learned how to do it and we worked together and it was really good."

Presented the shield by Pearson herself, the team is elated to be the first to have their names etched on it.

Reflecting on the shield's new name, Pearson said it brought her to tears when she was asked.

Born and raised in the Riverina town of Hay, she said school is a hugely important place for girls to be given access to footy.

"Your sports coordinators at school play a big part in what you do with your sporting career," Pearson said.

"Some of these girls today haven't played rugby league before but they might have loved today so then they might go and find a team that they can play for or get that rugby league but where they want to get into playing rugby league.

"It's really important for the direction of your sporting, schools play a huge part, they played a huge part for me."

Tuesday's under 14 and under 16s finals featured sides from Wagga, Temora, Cootamundra, and Griffith.

Seeing smaller towns represented in the progression of the competition was heart-warming for Pearson.

There was no girls competition of this kind when she was in high school.

She hopes playing for their schools is just the start of long football careers.

"We would have loved this when we were in high school, to be able to play a nines tackle carnival, it's awesome," she said.

"The game is just progressing so quickly and I think this is that prime age, 14-16, they're looking at NRLW contracts and the pathway is there.

"It's really exciting for the women's game because it's going leaps and bounds, it'll be full-time professional in the next five years and every NRL team will have an NRLW side, so there's going to be lots of opportunities for girls playing rugby league and as we know, there is heaps of talent out in the Riverina."

Kildare Catholic College (opens), Sacred Heart Cootamundra (16s) and Temora High School (14s) have progressed to the next round of games.

The Southern NSW School Girls Trophy finals will be held at Parramore Park on July 31.