<i>‘</i> I learnt how to survive, not thrive’: gendered barriers in rugby league leadership

Although women’s participation in sport has grown substantially in recent decades, they remain underrepresented in leadership roles such as coaching, officiating and administration, particularly at elite levels. While existing literature has identified structural and cultural barriers to women’s advancement, limited attention has been paid to the lived experiences of those currently occupying leadership positions, especially within rugby league. Using a feminist lens and institutional theory, this study draws on in-depth interviews with 30 women engaged in leadership roles, including coaches, referees, board members, and sport scientists, across elite and sub-elite rugby league competitions in Australia. While the findings reveal that the rugby league environment offers some employment opportunities for women in elite and sub-elite sport settings, women also continue to experience systemic gender inequities through harassment, exclusion, and resistance. These insights underscore the need for structural reform and cultural change to advance gender equity in rugby league leadership in Australia.