Grassroots

StoryFirst presents

Every Tuesday evening a group of disparate young women travel across Yorkshire’s only maritime city to get fitter, stronger, and kick ass at Rugby League. Former martial arts expert Jessie has taken months to cajole this rag tag team of nail technicians, police women and ice cream vending piano players to come together, but some nights they are more interested in catching up, than catching the ball. They came looking for fitness, but they have found friendships and escape from their challenging domestic lives. This is more therapy than sport, a place to share their troubles, gather emotional support, keep secrets and build self esteem. There’s more to the Robins Ladies team than simply training, a new community is being built, and some people don’t like it!

Kirra Kelly, an ex-professional Australian star of women’s rugby league, has moved half way across the globe to follow her husband’s rugby career, giving up friends, family and her own promise as a coach. A decision she may already be starting to regret as she deals with the culture shock of east Hull compared to Brisbane. Desperate to find purpose in her new found home, Kirra persuades Jessie to let her help coach the Robins ladies. But not everyone welcomes the arrival of Kirra, she trains hard and that commitment is difficult to find when you are juggling school, work, families and hostility to women joining the game. For these twenty something’s, this charismatic Aussie comes from a world of money, and professionalism they simply do not recognise. And for Kirra her demotion to grassroots training, makes her resentful and puts a strain on her already brittle marriage, as her husband Ashton, becomes a local star.

Over time Jessie begins to feel pushed out of a team she has worked hard to build, without it, what has she got? But these women are tight, no woman will be left behind. And gradually the whole team, Kirra and Jessie alike realise, that the true strength of a team is not how hard they train but how they work together and always have each others back.

No matter if they win or lose it all starts at the grassroots!

* For Australia, New Zealand, Asia and Germany only*