Alicia Dooley will make history on July 13 when she runs out for the 200th time in the Group 7 Competition.

Dooley will not only be the first woman to do this in Group 7 history, but she has also done it at the same club and will therefore also be the first woman to play 200 games for the Jamberoo Superoos.

“I didn’t think it would be me, there’s been a lot of players that have probably played just as long, or started before I did, but it just feels pretty good to be able to do it for one club. I think it's a big thing because in Group 7 people move around a lot. So, it's a pretty unreal feeling, but it's good at the same time,” says Dooley.

Alicia Doolan winning the 2016 premiership. Credit - Gameface Photography

She began her career playing League Tag in 2013 when there was only one competition and since then women’s involvement in rugby league has only grown with there now being two competitions, a tackle competition and now a junior competition.

“It's really good for the game and it’s great for women to be able to get out and feel included in something that used to be a very male dominated sport,” says Dooley.

Dooley has won the Group 7 premiership four times in her 11 year career and counts the first one in 2015 and the most recent one in 2023 as the most special. But she says winning is only a small part of why she keeps coming back year after year.

“I’ve made a lot of friendships within sport that you don’t make anywhere … You have that undying connection with different people from different places and different walks of life. In our club alone we have a lot of people from out west, so our connections span far and wide. And that's what you always come back to: the friendships you make and the social side,” says Dooley.

Dooley’s Jamberoo Superoos captain coach Aimee Barnard has played alongside Alicia for many years and would describe her as the perfect team and club member.

“Alicia possesses all the positive traits that make her such an integral part of the team.

She is passionate, supportive, competitive, dedicated, levelheaded with a team first mentality,” says Barnard.

Member of the Jamberoo club, David Hall, echoes this sentiment about Alicia and says its people like her that make him proud to be a part of the club.

“It's just a really good little club and its people like Alicia who just make it really special. She’s loved in the club and who knows how many she’ll play until she retires,” says Hall.

On July 13 Doolan will make history playing against the Kiama Knights at Kevin Walsh Oval and she is adamant that her 200th won't be her last.

“I probably just want to continue to play until I can’t anymore and maybe one day bring my kids to the club and get them to play too,” says Doolan.

The Bugle congratulates her and wishes her all the best with her future.