Namoe Gesa’s ascent through the ranks of Queensland rugby league has been remarkable in every respect, but her 2025 season stands as one of the most extraordinary achievements ever recorded by a teenage girl in the sport. At just 17, she became the first female player to win four Queensland State Championships and a National School title in a single season, doing so while playing for three undefeated teams. It is an unprecedented accomplishment, and one that will be extremely difficult to repeat given the level, depth, and consistency required across multiple competitions.

Gesa’s run began with the Under-19 Harvey Norman State Championships, where her side went through the tournament undefeated. She then helped secure the Met East Queensland School Sports State Championship, again without a loss. Her dominance continued with Marsden State High School’s State Championship title, followed by her performances with the Brisbane Tigers in the BMD Women’s Premiership, a campaign in which the Tigers completed the season undefeated to claim Queensland’s senior state title

Crowning her campaign, Gesa and Marsden State High School went on to win the National School Championship, completing a clean sweep of titles that is unparalleled in junior women’s rugby league. For one athlete to be a central figure in so many championship-winning sides, across different environments and age levels, all in the same year, places her in a category of her own.

Those achievements formed the foundation of the next step in her journey. Gesa has signed with the Wests Tigers and moved to Sydney to prepare for the 2026 NRLW season, where she will be one of the youngest players in the professional system. Her performances in the BMD Premiership were already drawing attention, with 10 tries in 12 games and a work rate that marked her as a genuine impact player. Selection in the Queensland Under-18 Emerging Squad confirmed what many coaches in Brisbane had long believed: that she is one of the most promising prospects in the pathway.

Her rise also carries deep cultural meaning. In 2023, Gesa travelled to Tonga for the first time with Tokoua Tonga Junior Rugby League to compete at the TNRL Heilala 9s. The experience strengthened her connection to her heritage and shaped her desire to represent Tonga internationally. Her father, Siosifa Fatafehi, the president of Tokoua Tonga Junior Rugby League, has long invested in opportunities for young Tongan players in Brisbane, helping maintain a strong identity among diaspora youth. Gesa’s success reflects not only family support, but the community networks that guide many Tongan athletes through the pathway system.