Netball was Laikha Clarke’s main sport while growing up, but from the way she played the sport, she was more suited to a tackle sport – netball’s loss was rugby league’s gain.
Of Samoan (Letogo, Saleaumua, Aleipata) and Māori descent, 25-year-old Laikha was raised in between the Gold Coast and Porirua and is now based in Queensland.
It was in Queensland where she was introduced to rugby league, by her cousin Tazman Rapana.
“She brought me to the Burleigh Bears, and from there, that’s where it all started,” Laikha says.
After making her debut for the Queensland Rugby League Women’s (QRLW) Premiership side in 2020, Laikha has gone on to impress, being selected for the National Rugby League Women’s (NRLW) Gold Coast Titans side two years later, who she has recently re-committed to, extending her contract to stay on until the end of 2028.
The new deal comes after the prop’s best season to date, becoming one of the form front rowers in the NRLW to earn her place in this year’s Rugby League Players Association Dream Team – voted by her peers as the prop of the year.
Topping off a stellar year, Laikha was selected to represent Samoa at the 2026 Rugby League World Cup, kicking off on October 15 to November 15.
“For my first World Cup, I definitely just want to take it all in,” Laikha says.
“The World Cup only comes around every few years, so I just want to soak in as much as I can.
“I am looking forward to connecting more, especially as I was not raised around our culture as much.
“It is something I seek to grow and learn from through our girls and our nation – I also want to make history with my ‘Sā sisters’ and play in the finals.”
Laikha adds her why is her close loved ones – siblings, cousins, and partner, while her purpose comes from her testimony and love for Christ, her parents and herself.
And while Samoa is only a small island nation, she says the nation is big in heart.
“We will proudly carry our nation with us into this World Cup campaign, and we hope we do our supporters proud.
“We, as current players wearing the jersey, want our young future Samoan girls to know that we will do our job so that when we do leave, we know we have left the jersey in a good place for them to proudly wear and add to when their time comes to play in it.”
The Samoa Women are in a very competitive Pool A, alongside Australia, Wales and England.
Digicel PNG has secured the exclusive broadcast and digital rights in the Pacific for the tournament and will screen matches to Tonga, PNG, and Fiji.
With support from New Zealand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT), Pasifika TV will screen the men’s and women’s games to its affiliated broadcasters in other countries throughout the region.
For more information about match coverage, visit Pasifika TV or your local broadcaster.