NRL Women's Premiership

Telstra Women's Premiership (NRLW)
SportRugby league
Instituted6 December 2017
Inaugural season2018
CEOAndrew Abdo
Number of teams10
Country Australia (10 teams) (12 from 2025)
Premiers Sydney Roosters (2nd title) (2024)
Most titles Brisbane Broncos (3 titles)
WebsiteNRL.com
Broadcast partnerAustralia
Broadcast
Nine Network
Fox League
Streaming
9Now
Kayo Sports
Overseas
Broadcast
International broadcasters
Streaming
Watch NRL
Related competitionNRL Men's Premiership
NSWRL Men's Premiership
NSWRL Women's Premiership
QRL Men's Premiership
QRL Women's Premiership
Tarsha Gale Cup

The Telstra NRL Women's Premiership (NRLW) is Australia's national rugby league competition for female players. The first season of the league began in September 2018 with four teams. The league is run by the National Rugby League (NRL) and is contested by a subset of clubs from that competition. The current Premiers are the Sydney Roosters.

History

[edit]

In 2016, the Cronulla Sharks and St. George Illawarra Dragons contested a Women's Nine's match, which served as a curtain-raiser to the NRL match between the Sharks and Sydney Roosters, at Southern Cross Group Stadium. The Sharks won the match 16–12.[1][2]

In March 2017, the Cronulla Sharks played another Women's Nine's match, this time defeating the Canberra Raiders by 28–10.[3]

2017 – 2020: Establishment

[edit]

On 6 December 2017, shortly after the conclusion of the 2017 Women's Rugby League World Cup, which concluded with the Jillaroos defeating the New Zealand Ferns by 23–16 in the final,[4] it was announced by the National Rugby League that the inaugural NRL Women's season would operate in a round-robin format, and be held in August 2018, towards the back end of the men's season, with some matches to be played as curtain-raisers to NRL finals matches. The Grand Final, would be contested between the top two teams at the end of the round robin stage, and be played on the same day as the men's Grand Final. It was also announced that a stand-alone State of Origin match would also be contested during the representative weekend, in June.[5]

The Newcastle Knights, St. George Illawarra Dragons,[6][7][8] Brisbane Broncos, New Zealand Warriors,[9] Sydney Roosters, South Sydney Rabbitohs and Cronulla Sharks[10] all declared their interest in applying for a licence to participate in the inaugural NRL Women's competition.[11] Other clubs, such as the Melbourne Storm,[12] Manly Sea Eagles, Gold Coast Titans, North Queensland Cowboys, Canberra Raiders, Wests Tigers, Parramatta Eels, Penrith Panthers and Canterbury Bulldogs, all decided to delay bidding, citing money and time constraints.[13]

On 27 March 2018, the National Rugby League announced that the Brisbane Broncos, New Zealand Warriors, St. George Illawarra Dragons and Sydney Roosters had won bids to participate in the inaugural NRL Women's competition, commencing in September 2018.[14][15]

The Brisbane Broncos were the most dominant team in the opening three seasons winning all three minor premierships and all three premierships.

2021–present: Competition expansion

[edit]

In June 2021 the NRL announced that the NRLW competition would commence expansion and increase to six teams. Initially this meant adding an additional two teams to the competition; however, the New Zealand Warriors announced that they were withdrawing from the competition due to difficulties of moving through borders during the COVID pandemic and an exodus of players and officials. This created an additional spot in the competition, with the NRL announcing that the Gold Coast Titans, Newcastle Knights and Parramatta Eels would be joining the competition for the 2021 season to keep numbers at six.[16]

In March 2022, the National Rugby League and Australian Rugby League Commission announced that NRLW competition would further expand over the course of the 2023 and 2024 seasons by adding two clubs in each season.[17][18] Clubs were invited to make submissions to join the league and were required to by April 2022, six were received.[19] The clubs that made submissions for an NRLW licence in the expanded competition were: Canberra Raiders,[20][21] Cronulla Sharks,[22] North Queensland Cowboys,[23][24][25] South Sydney Rabbitohs,[26] Penrith Panthers and Wests Tigers.[27] The New Zealand Warriors had previously indicated their desire to return a team to the NRLW competition,[28] but they did not place a submission at this time.

In June 2022, the NRL changed their stance and decided to bring all expansion sides in together with the four teams all be admitted in the 2023 season[29] and that those four clubs were Canberra, Cronulla, North Queensland and Wests Tigers.[30][31]

Following the announcement both the South Sydney Rabbitohs and Penrith Panthers released statements congratulating the clubs that had been chosen and that they both would be interested in joining the competition in future seasons.[32][33]

The 2023 NRLW season ran for 11 weeks with 9 rounds, Semi-finals and a Grand Final with the Newcastle Knights claiming their second premiership and the first of the expanded 10 team competition.

On 28 March 2024, the NRL announced that the competition would expand by two teams in the 2025 season, with the addition of Canterbury Bulldogs and the return of the New Zealand Warriors.[34]

Clubs

[edit]

NRL Women's operates on a single table system, with no divisions, conferences nor promotion and relegation from other leagues.

The competition's ten teams are based across two states of Australia.

Current clubs

[edit]
Club City/Cities & Suburb/s Home Venue(s) (capacity) Est. Joined Premierships
Total Last
Brisbane Broncos Queensland Brisbane
(Milton)
Suncorp Stadium (52,500) 1988 2018 3 2020
Canberra Raiders Australian Capital Territory Canberra
(Bruce)
GIO Stadium (25,011) 1982 2023 0
Cronulla Sharks New South Wales Sydney
(Woolooware)
PointsBet Stadium 1967 2023 0
Gold Coast Titans Queensland Gold Coast
(Robina)
Cbus Super Stadium (27,400) 2007 2021 0
Newcastle Knights New South Wales Newcastle
(New Lambton)
McDonald Jones Stadium (33,000) 1988 2021 2 2023
North Queensland Cowboys Queensland Townsville
Railway Estate)
Queensland Country Bank Stadium 1995 2023 0
Parramatta Eels New South Wales Sydney
(Parramatta)
CommBank Stadium (30,000) 1947 2021 0
St. George
Illawarra Dragons
New South Wales Sydney
(Carlton) (St. George),
New South Wales Wollongong (CBD)
Netstrata Jubilee Stadium (20,500),
WIN Stadium (23,000)
1998 2018 0
Sydney Roosters New South Wales Sydney
(Eastern Suburbs)
Allianz Stadium (42,500) 1908 2018 2 2024
Wests Tigers New South Wales Sydney
(Campbelltown),
New South Wales Sydney
(Leichhardt)
Campbelltown Stadium (17,500),
CommBank Stadium (30,000)
2000 2023 0

Club in recess

[edit]
Club City/Town Est. Joined Recess Premierships
Entered Exited Total Most recent
New Zealand Warriors New Zealand Auckland 1995 2018 2020 2025[34] 0

On 1 July 2024, the New Zealand Warriors announced the appointment of Ronald Griffiths as their NRLW coach for their return to the competition in 2025. Griffiths has been appointed on a three-year deal.[35]

Future Club

[edit]
Club City/Town Est. Joining
Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs New South Wales Sydney (Bankstown) 1935 2025[34]

On 30 May 2024, the Bulldogs announced the appointment of Blake Cavallaro as their NRLW coach for their entry into the competition in 2025.[36] On 19 July 2024 the Bulldogs announced their first two players signings for the 2025 NRLW season, Tayla Preston and Ashleigh Quinlan, with both players signing two-year deals.[37][38]

Players

[edit]
Members of the St. George Illawarra Dragons NRL Women's team assemble outside Jubilee Oval during a promotional appearance in August 2018

The club's playing lists were constructed from scratch through the later stages of 2018. All participants in the 2018 season were required to be over the age of 17.

Initially, clubs were asked to nominate a list of desired players, with the NRL assigning two of these "marquee" players to each club. In addition, clubs were able to sign a number of players with existing connections to the club, or with arrangements for club sponsored work or study.

Salary

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NRL Women's Premiership hands contracts to 40 elite women players.[39][40][41]

The top level salary in 2022 is $60,000 (excluding marquee deals). Representative Origin payments are $6,000 per game.[42]

Season structure

[edit]

Pre-season

[edit]

Prior to the commencement of the home-and-away season teams are paired off to play an exhibition trial match.

Premiership season

[edit]

The season operates using a Round-robin format, with the top four finishing teams contesting two Semi-final matches, first versus fourth and second-place versus third. The winners then meet in a Grand Final which is typically held on the same day as the men's NRL Grand Final.[5]

For the first three seasons — 2018, 2019 and 2020 — the draw was structured around the men's finals series and the top two of the then four teams contested the Grand Final.[43] Due to measures in place to mitigate the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia in September-October 2021, the 2021 NRLW season was postponed until February 2022, with the Grand Final held as a stand-alone match on Sunday, 10 April 2022. For the actual 2022 season, the NRLW Grand Final reverted to being held on the same day as the NRL men's Grand Final, which was Sunday, 2 October 2022. The two Grand Finals — women's and men's — were also held on the same day and venue in 2023, and (as scheduled for) 2024.

The rules and regulations are mostly the same as in the men's game, with a few exceptions:[44]

  • original matches were sixty minutes long, with thirty minutes in each half. 2022 season revised to seventy minute matches, consisting of thirty-five minutes per half.
  • ten interchanges in each match, with an additional two during golden point; and
  • a 40/30 kick advantage providing for tactical kicking and unpredictability during matches.

Postseason

[edit]

In October 2018, NRL announced the inaugural edition of Rugby League World Cup 9s in Western Sydney on 18–19 October 2019, featuring 12 international men's teams and 4 women's teams.[45] This would be around one month after the Women's Grand Final and preseason tournament Auckland Nines in previous years was replaced.

Seasons

[edit]
Season Teams Premiers Runners-up Minor Premiers Wooden Spoon
NRL Women's Premiership
2018 4 Brisbane Broncos Sydney Roosters Brisbane Broncos St George Illawarra Dragons
2019 4 Brisbane Broncos (2) St George Illawarra Dragons Brisbane Broncos (2) Sydney Roosters
2020 4 Brisbane Broncos (3) Sydney Roosters (2) Brisbane Broncos (3) St George Illawarra Dragons (2)
2021* 6 Sydney Roosters St George Illawarra Dragons (2) Brisbane Broncos (4) Newcastle Knights
2022 6 Newcastle Knights Parramatta Eels Sydney Roosters Gold Coast Titans
2023 10 Newcastle Knights (2) Gold Coast Titans Newcastle Knights Parramatta Eels
2024 10 Sydney Roosters (2) Cronulla Sharks Brisbane Broncos (5) Wests Tigers

* The 2021 season was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic; the season started on 27 February 2022 and was completed on 10 April.

Grand Finals

[edit]
Season Premiers Score Runners-up Referee(s) Venue Date Att.
2018 Brisbane Broncos 34–12 Sydney Roosters Jon Stone
Kasey Badger
ANZ Stadium
Sydney
30 September 2018 16,214
2019 Brisbane Broncos 30–6 St George Illawarra Dragons Kasey Badger
Daniel Schwass
ANZ Stadium
Sydney
6 October 2019 36,785
2020 Brisbane Broncos 20–10 Sydney Roosters Belinda Sharpe ANZ Stadium
Sydney
25 October 2020
2021 Sydney Roosters 16–4 St George Illawarra Dragons Belinda Sharpe Moreton Daily Stadium
Brisbane
10 April 2022 7,855
2022 Newcastle Knights 32–12 Parramatta Eels Kasey Badger Accor Stadium
Sydney
2 October 2022 42,921
2023 Newcastle Knights 24–18 Gold Coast Titans Belinda Sharpe Accor Stadium
Sydney
1 October 2023 40,649
2024 Sydney Roosters 32–28 Cronulla Sharks Ziggy Przeklasa-Adamski Accor Stadium
Sydney
6 October 2024 40,623

Awards

[edit]

The following major individual awards and accolades are presented each season:

  • Best & Fairest Trophy – to the best and fairest player in the league, voted by the referees
  • Leading Try Award – to the player who scores the most tries during the home-and-away season
  • Rookie of the Year –[46]
  • Veronica White Medal –[47]
  • Karyn Murphy Medal – the best player on the ground in the NRL Women's Grand Final, not voted by a committee of media members[48]
Season Player of the Year Rookie Try Scorer Veronica White Karyn Murphy Medal
Dally M Medal RLPA
Players' Champion
Community Grand Final
Player of the Match
2018 Brittany Breayley-Nati NA Taleena Simon Kimiora Breayley-Nati
2019 Jessica Sergis Jessica Sergis Jessica Sergis Honey Hireme Annette Brander
2020 Ali Brigginshaw Hannah Southwell Kennedy Cherrington Tamika Upton Georgia Hale Amber Hall
2021 Millie Boyle
Emma Tonegato
Emma Tonegato Destiny Brill Madison Bartlett Karina Brown Sarah Togatuki
2022 Raecene McGregor Raecene McGregor Jesse Southwell Teagan Berry
Jayme Fressard
Tamika Upton
Tamika Upton
2023 Tamika Upton Teagan Berry Annessa Biddle Teagan Berry Tahlulah Tillett Tamika Upton
2024 Olivia Kernick Isabelle Kelly Kasey Reh Romy Teitzel Kimberley Hunt Tarryn Aiken

Records

[edit]

Tables last updated 7 October 2024 (after the Grand Final of the 2024 Season).

Most Appearances

[edit]

The following players have made 25 or more appearances in NRLW matches.

R Player Debut Seasons Matches 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
1 Ali Brigginshaw 2018 7 43 4 4 4 6 5 10 10
1 Isabelle Kelly 2018 7 43 4 3 2 7 6 10 11
1 Keeley Davis 2018 7 43 3 4 3 7 6 9 11
4 Chelsea Lenarduzzi 2018 7 42 4 3 4 6 5 10 10
4 Zahara Temara 2018 7 42 4 3 4 7 6 9 9
6 Raecene McGregor 2018 7 41 3 4 4 7 5 9 9
7 Stephanie Hancock 2018 7 40 4 4 3 6 5 11 7
8 Brittany Breayley-Nati 2018 6 39 4 4 6 5 11 9
8 Georgia Hale 2018 7 39 3 3 3 5 5 11 9
8 Shaylee Bent 2019 6 39 4 2 7 6 11 9
8 Simaima Taufa 2018 7 39 4 2 4 5 7 9 8
8 Yasmin Clydsdale 2020 5 39 4 7 7 11 10
13 Millie Elliott 2019 6 38 4 4 5 7 8 10
13 Quincy Dodd 2019 6 38 1 4 7 6 9 11
13 Tarryn Aiken 2019 6 38 4 4 6 5 10 9
13 Vanessa Foliaki 2018 6 38 4 3 4 7 9 11
17 Holli Wheeler 2018 6 37 3 4 7 6 7 10
17 Jocelyn Kelleher 2020 5 37 3 7 6 10 11
17 Nita Maynard 2018 7 37 4 3 4 4 3 11 8
17 Tamika Upton 2019 6 37 3 4 4 5 11 10
21 Jessika Elliston 2019 6 36 1 4 6 5 11 9
21 Kirra Dibb 2019 6 36 3 3 5 7 9 9
21 Tallisha Harden 2018 7 36 1 3 4 6 4 9 9
21 Tiana Penitani 2019 6 36 4 2 5 5 9 11
25 Ellie Johnston 2020 5 35 3 5 7 9 11
25 Hannah Southwell 2018 7 35 3 3 3 7 1 8 10
25 Olivia Higgins 2021 4 35 7 7 11 10
25 Sarah Togatuki 2018 6 35 3 4 7 5 7 9
29 Julia Robinson 2018 7 34 4 3 4 2 5 6 10
29 Madison Bartlett 2019 6 34 2 3 6 5 9 9
29 Olivia Kernick 2021 4 34 7 6 10 11
29 Rikeya Horne 2018 7 34 3 3 1 4 7 8 8
29 Tayla Predebon 2021 4 34 7 7 11 9
34 Evania Pelite 2023 5 33 3 5 5 11 9
34 Jessica Sergis 2018 7 33 3 4 3 6 6 6 5
34 Lauren Brown 2020 5 33 4 6 5 11 7
34 Shanice Parker 2019 5 33 1 4 7 11 10
38 Karina Brown 2018 7 32 4 3 3 6 5 9 2
38 Keilee Joseph 2021 4 32 6 6 10 10
38 Romy Teitzel 2023 5 32 1 5 7 10 9
38 Shenae Ciesiolka 2020 5 32 3 6 5 10 8
38 Tazmin Rapana 2018 6 32 4 4 3 4 10 7
38 Teagan Berry 2020 5 32 1 7 6 9 9
44 Emma Tonegato 2021 4 31 7 6 9 9
44 Jaime Chapman 2020 5 31 3 6 5 9 8
44 Shannon Mato 2020 5 31 4 2 5 11 9
47 Destiny Brill 2021 4 30 6 6 9 9
47 Emma Manzelmann 2021 4 30 5 7 9 9
47 Lavinia Gould 2018 7 30 4 4 2 4 2 5 9
50 Amber Hall 2019 6 29 4 3 6 5 1 10
50 Christian Pio 2021 4 29 4 7 9 9
50 Hayley Maddick 2021 4 29 5 4 10 10
50 Jayme Fressard 2020 5 29 3 4 5 8 9
50 Kezie Apps 2018 7 29 3 4 2 5 5 7 3
50 Talei Holmes 2020 5 29 3 4 3 9 10
56 Apii Nicholls 2018 5 28 3 3 5 8 9
56 Botille Vette-Welsh 2018 6 28 1 4 2 5 7 9
56 Brydie Parker 2018 5 28 2 4 7 10 5
56 Leianne Tufuga 2021 4 28 7 5 9 7
60 Jesse Southwell 2022 3 27 7 11 9
60 Kennedy Cherrington 2020 5 27 4 5 7 5 6
60 Najvada George 2019 4 27 3 6 9 9
60 Otesa Pule 2022 3 27 6 10 11
60 Rachael Pearson 2021 4 27 6 6 6 9
60 Tiana Raftstrand-Smith 2021 4 27 6 5 8 8
66 Abbi Church 2021 4 26 5 3 9 9
66 Bobbi Law 2019 6 26 1 1 5 6 5 8
66 Brianna Clark 2020 5 26 2 4 4 8 8
66 Jada Ferguson 2021 4 26 4 5 7 10
66 Jasmine Peters 2021 4 26 5 3 9 9
66 Shakiah Tungai 2018 6 26 3 4 1 2 9 7
66 Tayla Preston 2022 3 26 6 9 11
73 Brooke Anderson 2022 3 25 5 9 11
73 Elsie Albert 2020 5 25 3 7 5 1 9
73 Mya Hill-Moana 2021 4 25 6 5 8 6
73 Tegan Dymock 2021 4 25 3 3 8 11

Most Individual Points

[edit]

The following players have scored 25 or more points in NRLW matches.

R Player Debut S M T G FG P 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
1 Zahara Temara 2018 7 42 5 89 2 200 3g 0 1t 9g 10g 1fg 1t 21g 1t 21g 1fg 2t 25g
2 Jocelyn Kelleher 2020 5 37 6 69 0 162 0 1t 2t 2t 32g 1t 37g
3 Kirra Dibb 2019 6 36 4 63 2 144 4g 1t 4g 4g 1t 15g 1t 18g 1fg 1t 18g 1fg
4 Jesse Southwell 2022 3 27 5 61 0 142 2t 6g 3t 33g 22g
5 Tayla Preston 2022 3 26 2 62 0 132 1t 15g 1t 25g 22g
6 Ali Brigginshaw 2018 7 43 13 35 0 122 2t 1t 1t 1t 2t 3g 5t 32g 1t
7 Lauren Brown 2020 5 33 5 48 2 118 1t 19g 7g 1t 11g 2fg 3t 11g
7 Teagan Berry 2020 5 32 29 1 0 118 1t 1g 4t 5t 11t 8t
9 Rachael Pearson 2021 4 27 2 54 1 117 1t 12g 8g 1fg 12g 1t 22g
10 Madison Bartlett 2019 6 34 26 0 0 104 1t 1t 6t 3t 7t 8t
10 Tamika Upton 2019 6 37 26 0 0 104 1t 5t 1t 5t 7t 7t
12 Julia Robinson 2018 7 34 23 0 0 92 2t 1t 2t 1t 3t 5t 9t
13 Romy Teitzel 2020 5 32 9 24 0 84 0 2t 3t 0 4t 24g
14 Jessica Sergis 2018 7 33 20 0 0 80 1t 3t 1t 1t 2t 7t 5t
15 Sheridan Gallagher 2023 2 19 16 7 0 78 7t 4g 9t 3g
16 Jaime Chapman 2020 5 31 19 0 0 76 0 3t 4t 9t 3t
17 Tiana Penitani 2019 6 36 18 0 0 72 2t 1t 2t 2t 2t 9t
17 Jayme Fressard 2020 5 29 18 0 0 72 0 1t 5t 6t 6t
19 Raecene McGregor 2018 7 41 1 33 0 70 0 1t 0 0 0 14g 19g
20 Isabelle Kelly 2018 7 43 17 0 0 68 2t 0 0 4t 3t 5t 3t
20 Shenae Ciesiolka 2020 5 32 17 0 0 68 0 4t 3t 5t 5t
20 Mele Hufanga 2023 2 20 17 0 0 68 10t 7t
23 Pauline Piliae-Rasabale 2023 2 18 1 28 0 60 15g 1t 13g
24 Tarryn Aiken 2019 6 38 14 1 1 59 0 1t 2t 3t 1g 5t 3t 1fg
25 Shakiah Tungai 2018 6 26 11 6 0 56 1t 3g 2t 0 0 4t 1g 4t 2g
26 Simaima Taufa 2018 7 39 13 0 0 52 0 2t 0 1t 4t 2t 4t
26 Evania Pelite 2020 5 33 13 0 0 52 3t 1t 0 5t 4t
26 Olivia Kernick 2021 4 34 13 0 0 52 3t 3t 1t 6t
29 Brydie Parker 2018 5 28 12 0 0 48 1t 0 3t 4t 4t
29 Chelsea Lenarduzzi 2018 7 42 12 0 0 48 0 1t 2t 1t 1t 3t 4t
29 Meg Ward 2018 3 10 3 18 0 48 1t 1t 5g 1t 13g
29 Ellie Johnston 2020 5 35 12 0 0 48 0 1t 1t 6t 4t
29 Yasmin Clydsdale 2020 5 39 12 0 0 48 2t 1t 2t 4t 3t
29 Emily Bass 2021 4 18 12 0 0 48 4t 0 2t 6t
35 Chelsea Baker 2018 2 7 2 18 0 44 2t 15g 3g
35 Quincy Dodd 2019 6 38 11 0 0 44 0 3t 1t 1t 3t 3t
35 Jasmine Peters 2021 4 26 11 0 0 44 4t 0 3t 4t
35 Olivia Higgins 2021 4 35 11 0 0 44 1t 2t 4t 4t
39 Rikeya Horne 2018 7 34 10 0 0 40 1t 0 0 0 3t 4t 2t
39 Leianne Tufuga 2021 4 28 10 0 0 40 2t 2t 5t 1t
39 Jakiya Whitfeld 2022 3 20 10 0 0 40 0 4t 6t
39 Georgia Ravics 2023 2 16 10 0 0 40 5t 5t
39 Kimberley Hunt 2023 2 11 10 0 0 40 5t 5t
44 Amber Hall 2019 6 29 9 0 0 36 1t 1t 2t 0