The regular season is over and the four best NRLW teams – Newcastle Knights, Sydney Roosters, Brisbane Broncos and Gold Coast Titans – will battle it out for the trophy.
And while I’ve enjoyed an expanded competition and seeing some new talent emerge, it’s clear to me that any further moves to add teams to the competition should be put on the backburner.
Two weeks ago, the NRL began seeking expressions of interest from the NRL clubs about entering the NRLW with officials hinting that expansion might come as soon as 2024.
The NRL asked clubs to nominate when they would be interested in entering the competition. This week Canterbury put in their bid, however it was unclear when the Bulldogs were proposing to enter the competition.
Whatever grand plans the NRL has about expansion, it’s important to listen to the most important stakeholders, the players, their coaches and the people involved in delivering the women’s programs at the clubs.
Players have expressed concern about depth and injuries. In an AAP survey conducted with all 10 NRLW coaches, seven out of 10 coaches were against any expansion in 2024. One coach did not have a strong opinion either way and another was pro expansion should the next expansion team be the New Zealand Warriors.
Despite the expansion this year, I don’t think the quality of the competition has suffered. Where challenges have emerged is when injury and suspension to key players happens because the difference between your top ranked player and your 30th player is much wider than in the NRL.
The Parramatta Eels were deeply challenged without Rachael Pearson and Elsie Albert in the first three weeks (Albert returned for 29 minutes before suffering a season-ending injury). The Eels then lost Kennedy Cherrington to suspension and did not have the depth to cover the loss.
The Wests Tigers were in a similar position with injuries to Kezie Apps, Sarah Togatuki and Botille Vette-Welsh impacting their season.
Even a team in the top four like the Roosters was tested for depth and signed their strength and conditioning coach, Millicent Scutt to a contract last week.
We’ve also seen increased blowout scores as the season has progressed, with the Sharks becoming the first team to score 50 points against their opposition on the weekend.
We also have to be careful now too, with 60 per cent of players now contracted to multi-year deals any new teams would likely be depending on new talent and even in this year’s competition there was a clear distinction between players with that established talent versus new and emerging talent.
I’m hopeful that the earliest we see expansion is 2025. Anything earlier would be to the detriment of the players and the competition.
In big news for the Knights Jesse Southwell has been cleared to play after suffering a cork in the first half last week against the Wests Tigers and Georgia Roche returns to the halves after being rested last week.
The last time these two teams met was in Round 5, where the Knights won by just two points. But the Broncos have not beaten the Knights since 2021.
The Knights enter this game as rightful favourites. They have consistently been the best team all year, but the Broncos have really grown into this season. With several new players joining the club this year, it took a while for combinations to form, but players like Mele Hufunga, Shenae Ciesolka and Julia Robinson have been try scoring machines, each scoring two tries against the Dragons.
I’m expecting this one to be a high scoring contest with the Broncos scoring over 20 points in their last seven games.
Newcastle will look to win the game in the middle through their forwards like Sheridan Gallagher and Caitlin Johnston before giving Tamika Upton room to move.
The Broncos have been able to utilise their backline well this season and will look to spread the ball early and quickly.
I’m also looking forward to the contest between Ali Brigginshaw and Southwell.
Prediction: Broncos by 2
It’s really unfortunate that neither team is at full strength for this game.
The Roosters do welcome back Millie Boyle and Keeley Davis. Jessica Sergis is still in the reserves.
For the Titans, Tahliah Fuimaono is on the reserves and Emily Bass is in the extended squad.
Even without some of their key players, the Roosters have been steamrolling their opposition, scoring over 20 points in their last seven games. The last time these two teams met, the Roosters won by 30 points to 8. The Titans have been most improved this year, with Lauren Brown’s cool approach under pressure getting the Titans across the line in several key matches.
The battle that I am most looking forward to on the field is between Shannon Mato and Millie Boyle. Mato has been immense for the Titans this season and if they are to challenge the Roosters in the game she will need to work hard to win the forward battle.
It will also be a big test for Chantay Kiria-Ratu, the young five eighth who is coming up against Tarryn Aiken, who is having one of her best ever seasons.
Prediction: Roosters by 4
PGNEWC
Roar Rookie
Yes if you watch the quality of the AFLW 18 teams there is clearly a huge drop of in quality between Melbourne Brisbane and Adelaide and the rest of the teams going around. The exiting thing about NRLW is that contests are close and scoring except for a couple have not been huge blowouts also tries and goals are occurring at a natural pace at the same frequency as the men. In comparison to the desert of low scoring that is AFLW. I am astonished how well the kicking game has improved over the last couple of years in NRLW especially the use of the chip and chase and the in goal grubber.- that takes skill. The sideline conversion kicks have improved as well.
Panthers
Roar Rookie
Penrith obviously doesn’t have an NRLW team in this competition. Yet started it’s own Penrith area women’s first grade competition this season. Which is a first , as they look to build players depth . With a view to building from within, for a future possible Penrith NRLW side. Perhaps all clubs should have gone this route too, prior to when they entered a team in this NRLW competition? Makes good sense , for the quality of the competition & for player depth.
Ed Gein
Roar Rookie
If you think the Bears want to have an NRLW Team so they can dust off 1.5mil a year, I have an opera house I can sell you.
3 R M
Roar Rookie
Any team entering the comp has to bring its own juniors and fully fledged system of development. This was not a requirement for the teams before the second last expansion so an original team like the Roosters with virtually no juniors should not be let in. It took the cowboys 5 years to set up for entering the comp we had some good regions with good participion before that but the systems with the pipeline of development are in place now and the whole contact area is organised and growing so at the time of the application we had at least half of QLDs registered players. The last expansion was the teams that already had all the pieces in place, some should had been there from the start as they were already up to standard. So in the long term any expansion team that brings participion and development systems will only benefit the league. I don't see the problem of putting in a team like the warriors or even the Dolphins if they have the participion and systems. But a pure franchise with no juniors will bleed the comp until the nurseries eventually fill the player pool. As for the Bears, talk about flogging a dead horse.''''''''''s dry white bones.
jimmmy
Roar Rookie
They are a great side. Catelyn Johnson is my favourite NRLW player .
jimmmy
Roar Rookie
Thats really great to hear. QLD should be a league powerhouse .
Toa Joe
Roar Rookie
I would really love to see Australias best and richest Rugby team, The Penrith Panthers, get an NRLW team.
Jane
Roar Rookie
I hope the Knights win again, the scenes last year up in Newcastle were magical.
MickDonovan
Roar Rookie
It is a shame that the expansion clubs struggled this year and probably a sign that it got too big too quickly, but it is clear form the teams like the Knights, Broncs and Rooosters you need to invest to see results, hopefully teams take some of the huge NRL grants they gat and invest in the girls.
kirsty smith
Roar Rookie
I don't think the League should expand next year either, but I am excited to see the team up here in QLD get better, I live in Rocky and there are now hundreds of talented girls playing League, a lot have come over from Union but others are taking it up young or at school. I think the talent is really going to increase.
Mary Konstantopoulos
Expert
Scouse, I totally agree - particularly on being creative on who gets the new licences. BRING BACK THE BEARS!
BigGordon
Roar Rookie
"the difference between your top ranked player and your 30th player is much wider than in the NRL." Therein lies a big problem. This is effectively an admission that the available talent pool is nearly empty. That's not to say there's not a lot of good women players, rather that the pathways to reach the high levels required within the NRLW are not meeting demand. The powers that be need to take their eyes off profits and those watching the game and focus on how they can improve the grassroots programs that are bringing talent into the women's game. I'm guessing that's going to take a lot longer than a few months, so any thoughts of expansion should be put off for at least a year and probably longer.
ScouseinOz
Roar Rookie
I’ve enjoyed the NRLW season a lot more this year with the extra games. You can see the players developing more. Tamika Upton is one of my favourite players to watch in either competition. It would be bonkers to expand next year but think an extra 2 teams in 2025 would be great. After the Olympics next year I think there will be a decent pool of players that will be open to switching to league. One should definitely be the Warriors. They should then keep it at 12 teams for a long time. I personally think it would be a mistake to end up with every NRL side having a team in the comp. It needs to follow its own path. I actually think since the teams seem to be almost fully funded by the NRL grant, they should give Norths and even Newtown a licence in the NRLW. I do understand the arguments against doing this but think it would energise the competition. Sydney doesn’t need 9 NRLW sides so give fans a different team to follow.
jimmmy
Roar Rookie
Totally agree on the expansion Mary. My thoughts though are it should be held back a few years not just one. The standard of the NRLW is pretty good ATM. People watch it. If the standard drops as it will so will the support. Pathways as always is the key. As for the comp? Knights , Roosters would be a fitting final but I'm cheering for the Titans who are a cjphance. Go the QLDers.