The road to the 2024 NRLW season

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Tara Reinke signs with Western Clydesdales for 2024 Queensland Women’s Premiership season.

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Sadly, looks like a knee reconstruction for Alanna Dummett.


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Raiders NRLW trip to NZ a success



Canberra Raiders NRLW representatives recently travelled to New Zealand to deliver a series of skills clinics through the support of the Raiders Foundation. Raiders NRLW coach Darrin Borthwick, NRLW players Simaima Taufa, Zahara Temara and Grace Kemp and Raiders Board Member Katrina Fanning travelled to Auckland, Hamilton and Rotorua to run clinics, share the Raiders’ message and do some talent identification.

“To connect with a few different clubs over there, to go and run a clinic at Madison Bartlett’s club, Apii has spent some time there and Katrina played there back in the day too. That was really good,” Borthwick said.

Read more: https://www.raiders.com.au/news/2023/11 ... a-success/

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NSWRL to enhance women’s pathway competitions

The NSW Women's Premiership will take place at the same time as the 2024 NRLW season, enabling it to act as reserve grade competition in that state. The QRL's Women’s Premiership will remain in the first half of the year. In addition, the Under 17s Lisa Fiaola Cup will be expanded to a full season, as a counterpart to the Harold Matthews Cup, and as a feeder to the Tarsha Gale Cup.

Read more: https://www.aap.com.au/news/three-women ... -10-teams/

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NSW Women's Premiership to undergo significant shake-up

The NSW Women’s Premiership will undergo the most significant change in its short history in 2024, with the competition to start later in the season to align with the NRLW and increase the opportunities for female players to pursue professional Rugby League careers.

The state’s premier competition for women, which started in 2005 and expanded into its current format in 2017, will also increase to 12 teams next year following the addition of Parramatta Eels and the Manly Sea Eagles. The NSW Women’s Premiership will kick off mid-season with the NRL announcing last month the NRLW competition will start on Thursday 25 July. The move to run both competitions concurrently will allow the NSW Women’s Premiership to act as a direct pathway into the NRLW, just as the NSW Cup does for the NRL.

Read more: https://www.nswrl.com.au/news/2023/12/0 ... -shake-up/

Presume the Raiders will continue to link with Mounties.

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NRLW club Canberra Raiders host female training sessions in the Riverina



NRLW outfit Canberra Raiders have hosted female-only skills clinics in Albury.

Read more: https://www.bordermail.com.au/story/849 ... in-albury/

Elise Smith is hopeful of being part of a second NRLW campaign with Canberra Raiders: https://www.dailyadvertiser.com.au/stor ... -canberra/

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Canberra Raiders NRLW players to feature in Queensland Women’s Premiership

There’ll be a few familiar faces from the Raiders NRLW team taking to the field from this weekend as Queensland’s Women’s Premiership gets underway.

After her impressive debut NRLW season, Raider #18 Emma Barnes will again line up for the Seagulls, named at hooker for their round one match. Raider #16 Tara Reinke will run out for the Western Clydesdales, while Zahara Temara will again be joined by sister Chanté and Sophie Holyman in the Burleigh Bears team. Ash and Felice Quinlan will wear new colours in 2024, signing with the Tweed Seagulls.

Read more: https://www.raiders.com.au/news/2024/03 ... emiership/

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Canberra Raiders NRLW hooker Chante Temara: ‘My sister inspires me to be better’

Chante Temara’s game went to a new level in 2023 and she is looking to continue her upward trajectory. Temara starred for the Burleigh Bears in the Queensland Women’s Premiership and was part of Canberra Raiders’ inaugural NRLW side.

“I got an opportunity I didn’t think would happen and I enjoyed it. I got a call from (coach Darrin Borthwick) and he actually asked me to be his number one No.9 and I was quite shocked. Actually, I was very shocked… I was like ‘are you sure?’ Very grateful. Went to Canberra and loved it.

Read more: https://www.qrl.com.au/news/2024/03/01/ ... be-better/

[Botman]

Excited for year two of our girls
Think the team actually underperformed last year. I watched a lot WNRL and felt their best was in the ball park of the best anywhere in the league. We just struggled to get to that gear constantly. But it’s always rough in an inaugural year when everyone is starting from scratch

Think this year we should be much better. The talent in the squad is very capable.

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Canberra Raiders set to sign first American athlete from combine



The Canberra Raiders are set to make history by becoming the first rugby league club to sign an American athlete from the NRL Combine, Liz Tafuna.

“I spoke to her and said I would love to have you and she said yes, I’d be keen,” Raiders CEO Don Furner said. “Other clubs might be interested in her, but we would love to get her. I had previously watched her highlights and sent them to our coach Darrin Borthwick and after seeing her today, we would love to offer her an opportunity if she wants to come.

Read more: https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport ... 5028f94320

'I love what the NRL is doing': USA Sevens star eyeing code switch

Liz Tafuna was only introduced to league as a fill in player but after winning a place in the team of the tournament the USA rugby union representative now has her sights set on playing in the NRLW.

Tafuna, who is among the North American athletes selected to compete at the NRL’s talent combine in Las Vegas ahead of this weekend’s historic season opening double-header, had never played league or union before moving to Utah.

Read more: https://www.nrl.com/news/2024/02/27/i-l ... de-switch/

'I would love to sign her': Canberra Raiders look to create USA signing history

The Canberra Raiders are set to roll the Las Vegas dice on signing the first USA player from the inaugural NRL combine. Raiders chief executive Don Furner spoke to US rugby union representative Liz Tafuna at the combine on Sunday and was keen to bring her into the Green Machine's NRLW program. She's represented the US in both sevens and rugby union. Furner revealed the Raiders already had a link to Tafuna, with Mackenzie Wiki giving her the tick of approval.

Read more: https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/ ... /?cs=14280

Raiders eyeing US talent to bolster NRLW squad: https://www.nrl.com/news/2024/03/04/rai ... rlw-squad/

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Simaima Taufa and Junior Paulo to advance Pasifika and Maori interests

Canberra Raiders NRLW captain Simaima Taufa and Parramatta Eels prop Junior Paulo have been appointed to a new RLPA (Rugby League Players Association) committee known as the Mana Group aimed at giving a stronger voice to Pasifika and Maori players.

Taufa, whose parents are from Tonga and Paulo whose family is Samoan, join four other current players from the NRLW and NRL to listen to the issues they and their communities face in the Rugby League world and advocate on their behalf.

Read more: https://www.nswrl.com.au/news/2024/03/0 ... interests/

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'It's our job to speak up': The meaning behind the Mana Group



Launched by the Rugby League Players Association in March, the Mana Group is a player advisory body aimed to represent the over 45 per cent of Māori and Pasifika players and leaders within the game. Led by current and former players including NRLW stars Simaima Taufa and Zahara Temara, the Mana Group hopes to be a voice for players from those cultural groups.

“The last couple of years we've had a group where we met here and there, but this year there was a bit more investment being made to the group by the RLPA and it had a big push by some of our Māori and Pacific RLPA representatives,” Temara said. “So it's been revamped and come to light a little bit more this year and we decided on the name Mana, which mainly means power and spirit, all the good stuff.

Read more: https://www.nrl.com/news/2024/03/21/its ... ana-group/

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'Physically they've got it': Vegas combine stars tour Raiders HQ eyeing NRLW



The Canberra Raiders have rolled out the green carpet for two Las Vegas NRL combine winners, as the pair aim to land rugby league contracts in Australia. Canadian Megan Pakulis and American MarCaya Bailous met with Raiders staff including NRLW head coach Darrin Borthwick to tour the facilities at Braddon.

"They performed really well [in the national championships] ... it's a great tournament and a great way for these girls to get exposure so clubs can have a look at them," Borthwick said.

Read more: https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/ ... /?cs=14280

They’ve visited the Titans, and are yet to visit Newcastle, Sydney and Brisbane… so if they join an NRL club, it may well be somewhere else.

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New NRLW teams announced for 2025 competition

The Australian Rugby League Commission (ARLC) has approved the continued expansion of the NRL Telstra Women’s Premiership from 2025.

The Commission has confirmed that the Canterbury Bulldogs and the New Zealand Warriors will be part of an expanded 12-team 2025 Premiership.

The Warriors had previously been part of the competition up until 2020, however were forced to withdraw through COVID. The addition of the Bulldogs will further expand the footprint of the women’s game while allowing more elite pathways for female players in the thriving Western Sydney market.


The NRL and clubs have worked closely together during the past months to develop an expansion plan that will allow the women’s game to continue to grow and thrive not only in Australia but also throughout the Pacific.

Australian Rugby League Commission Chairman Mr Peter V’landys AM said it was important to provide certainty for the growth of the women’s game, and for growth at all levels from grassroots through to the elite.

“The women’s game has gone to another level with the skill level and quality of the games being extraordinary. This is evidenced by the popularity of the NRLW competition,” Mr V’landys said.

“Last year over a million viewers tuned in to watch the NRLW Grand Final, and we are looking forward to an even bigger and better competition in 2025.

National Rugby League CEO Andrew Abdo said the expansion of the NRLW Premiership to a 12-team competition was another important milestone in the code’s strategic growth plan.

He said the awarding of these licenses was strongly focussed on geography and timing, including participation, pathways and infrastructure.

“This is an exciting moment for the NRL Women’s Premiership, as we continue to build on the momentum built from previous seasons,” Mr Abdo said.

“The return of the Warriors is an important strategic boost for the women’s game in New Zealand, while the Bulldogs are adding the final step to their program after years of strong investment in the women’s game.

“We are working closely with each and every club to build a comprehensive strategic plan for the NRLW and the women’s game.

"We are looking forward to working with clubs on each of the individual programs over the next couple of years.”

ARLC media release

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Quite a few important Kiwis in our team like Temara and Nicholls, would be a shame if they went back home.

[Rick]

It’s 2005 Ruben Wiki all over again…


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