NRL Women's Premiership
| File:Telstra NRL Women's Premiership.png | |
| Sport | Rugby league |
|---|---|
| Instituted | 6 December 2017 |
| Inaugural season | 2018 |
| CEO | Andrew Abdo |
| Number of teams | 10 |
| Country | File:Flag of Australia (converted).svg Australia (10 teams) (12 from 2025) |
| Premiers | File:Eastern Suburbs colours.svg Sydney Roosters (2nd title) (2024) |
| Most titles | File:Brisbane colours.svg Brisbane Broncos (3 titles) |
| Website | NRL.com |
| Broadcast partner | Australia Broadcast Nine Network Fox League Streaming 9Now Kayo Sports Overseas Broadcast International broadcasters Streaming Watch NRL |
| Related competition | NRL Men's Premiership NSWRL Men's Premiership NSWRL Women's Premiership QRL Men's Premiership QRL Women's Premiership Tarsha Gale Cup |
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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
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
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
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
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
Club in recess
| Club | City/Town | Est. | Joined | Recess | Premierships | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Entered | Exited | Total | Most recent | ||||
| File:Auckland colours.svg 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
| Club | City/Town | Est. | Joining |
|---|---|---|---|
| File:Canterbury colours.svg 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
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
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
Pre-season
Prior to the commencement of the home-and-away season teams are paired off to play an exhibition trial match.
Premiership season
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
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
* 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
Awards
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]
Records
Tables last updated 7 October 2024 (after the Grand Final of the 2024 Season).
Most Appearances
The following players have made 25 or more appearances in NRLW matches.
Most Individual Points
The following players have scored 25 or more points in NRLW matches.
Most Points in each season
| Season | Player | Club | M | T | G | FG | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Chelsea Baker | File:Brisbane colours.svg Broncos | 4 | 2 | 15 | 0 | 38 |
| 2019 | Maddie Studdon | File:St. George Illawarra colours.svg Dragons | 4 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 16 |
| 2020 | Meg Ward | File:Brisbane colours.svg Broncos | 4 | 1 | 13 | 0 | 30 |
| 2021 | Lauren Brown | File:Brisbane colours.svg Broncos | 6 | 0 | 19 | 0 | 38 |
| 2022 | Zahara Temara | File:Eastern Suburbs colours.svg Roosters | 6 | 1 | 21 | 0 | 46 |
| 2023 | Ali Brigginshaw | File:Brisbane colours.svg Broncos | 10 | 5 | 32 | 0 | 84 |
| 2024 | Jocelyn Kelleher | File:Eastern Suburbs colours.svg Roosters | 11 | 1 | 37 | 0 | 78 |
- The maximum number of matches including finals has increased over time from 4 in the 2018, 2019 and 2020 seasons, 7 in 2021 and 2022, and 11 from 2023.
- In the first five seasons, 2018 to 2022, the player with the most points in each season has also been the player with the most goals in each season.
- Jesse Southwell (Knights) with 78 points from 3 tries and 33 goals (from 11 games) finished in second place as point-scorer for the 2023 season, and also in first place as the leading goal scorer in 2023.
- Romy Teitzel (Broncos) with 64 points from 4 tries and 24 goals (from 9 games) was the leading point-scorer for 2024 at the completion of the rounds. Jocelyn Kelleher was in second place with 62 points from 1 try and 29 goals. Kelleher was the leading goal-kicker at the competition of the rounds. Zahara Temara was in third place for the 2024 season with 58 points from 2 tries and 25 goals.
- Kelleher's tally went above Teitzel's tally in the Semi-Final, with the former kicking 4 goals and the latter unable to play due to injury. Kellher added a further 8 points from 4 goals in the Grand Final.
- Last updated 7 October 2024.
Most Tries in each season
- Gallagher and Robinson with 9 tries each, were the equal leading try scorers for 2024 at the completion of the rounds. Both played in their team's respective Semi-Final, but neither scored.
- Penitani scored six tries across the nine rounds of the regular season, one try in the Semi-Final and two tries in the Grand Final.
- Two players were in equal fourth place for the 2024 season with 8 tries: Teagan Berry (Dragons) and Madison Bartlett (Raiders).
- Last updated on 7 October 2024,
Most Tries in a Match (Try Hattricks)
Most Goals in a Match
Premierships
| Tally | Club | Seasons |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | File:Brisbane colours.svg Brisbane Broncos | 2018, 2019, 2020 |
| 2 | File:Newcastle colours.svg Newcastle Knights | 2022, 2023 |
| 2 | File:Eastern Suburbs colours.svg Sydney Roosters | 2021, 2024 |
Most consecutive
- 3 – File:Brisbane colours.svg Brisbane Broncos (2018 to 2020)
Runners-up
| Tally | Club | Seasons |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | File:St. George colours.svg St. George Illawarra Dragons | 2019, 2021 |
| 2 | File:Eastern Suburbs colours.svg Sydney Roosters | 2018, 2020 |
| 1 | File:Parramatta colours.svg Parramatta Eels | 2022 |
| 1 | File:Gold Coast Titans colours.svg Gold Coast Titans | 2023 |
| 1 | File:Cronulla colours.svg Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks | 2024 |
Minor Premierships
| Tally | Club | Seasons |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | File:Brisbane colours.svg Brisbane Broncos | 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2024 |
| 1 | File:Eastern Suburbs colours.svg Sydney Roosters | 2022 |
| 1 | File:Newcastle colours.svg Newcastle Knights | 2023 |
Most consecutive
- 4 – File:Brisbane colours.svg Brisbane Broncos (2018 to 2021)
Matches played
| All Time Ladder | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pos | Team | First game | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | Win% | Share % |
| 1 | File:Brisbane colours.svg Brisbane Broncos | 9 September 2018 | 43 | 43 | 0 | 0 | 1052 | 656 | 67.44% | 61.59% |
| 2 | File:Newcastle colours.svg Newcastle Knights | 27 February 2022 | 33 | 22 | 0 | 11 | 754 | 527 | 66.67% | 58.86% |
| 3 | File:Eastern Suburbs colours.svg Sydney Roosters | 8 September 2018 | 45 | 28 | 0 | 17 | 984 | 660 | 62.22% | 59.85% |
| 4 | File:Cronulla colours.svg Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks | 23 July 2023 | 20 | 11 | 0 | 9 | 390 | 304 | 55.00% | 56.20% |
| 5 | File:Gold Coast Titans colours.svg Gold Coast Titans | 27 February 2022 | 31 | 15 | 0 | 16 | 492 | 579 | 48.39% | 45.94% |
| 6 | File:Canberra colours.svg Canberra Raiders | 23 July 2023 | 18 | 8 | 0 | 10 | 367 | 422 | 44.44% | 46.51% |
| 7 | File:Auckland colours.svg New Zealand Warriors | 8 September 2018 | 9 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 110 | 164 | 44.44% | 40.15% |
| 8 | File:St. George Illawarra colours.svg St George Illawarra Dragons | 9 September 2018 | 41 | 16 | 0 | 25 | 677 | 850 | 39.02% | 44.34% |
| 9 | File:Parramatta colours.svg Parramatta Eels | 27 February 2022 | 30 | 10 | 0 | 20 | 445 | 735 | 33.33% | 37.71% |
| 10 | File:North Queensland colours.svg North Queensland Cowboys | 22 July 2023 | 18 | 6 | 0 | 12 | 270 | 484 | 33.33% | 35.81% |
| 11 | File:Wests Tigers colours.svg Wests Tigers | 23 July 2023 | 18 | 4 | 0 | 14 | 244 | 404 | 22.22% | 37.65% |
Last updated: 7 October 2024
Share % is the percentage of points For over the sum of points For and Against.
Media coverage
Television
In its inaugural season all matches will be televised live by affiliate partners the Nine Network and Fox League.[49] And NRLWRAP
Online
The official internet/mobile broadcast partner of the NRL is 9Now and Kayo Sports. Outside Australia, the inaugural season is available on WatchNRL.
Corporate relations
Sponsorship
Holden is the league's past and inaugural naming rights partner.[50][51] Telstra is the league's naming rights partner. All playing and training equipment as well as all licensed apparel and hats for the league's four clubs are manufactured by Nike. Other league sponsors include Rebel Sport,[52] Harvey Norman and Kellogg's. The official ball supplier is Steeden.[53]
Merchandising
Official match day attire together with other club merchandise is sold through the NRL's stores and website as well through the clubs and through some retailers.
See also
- List of sports awards honoring women
- Australia women's national rugby league team
- Women's rugby league in Australia
- Australian Women's Rugby League
- National Rugby League
- Women's Super League
- NZRL Women's National Tournament
References
- ↑ Lulham, Amanda (29 August 2016). "Women's rugby league passes test with flying colours as Cronulla beat Dragons in historic nines match". The Daily Telegraph (Sydney). Retrieved 7 December 2017.
- ↑ Carayannis, Michael (27 August 2016). "The Sharks have beaten the Dragons 16–12 in a historic NRL womens [sic] nines match". The Daily Telegraph (Sydney). Retrieved 7 December 2017.
- ↑ Coman, James (11 March 2017). "Women's Nines: Sharks defeat Raiders". Raiders.com.au. Retrieved 7 December 2017.
- ↑ "Women's Rugby League World Cup: Australia's Jillaroos beat New Zealand 23–16 in final to claim world title". ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation). 2 December 2017. Retrieved 7 December 2017.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Bungard, Matt (6 December 2017). "NRL 2018: National women's competition set to run next season". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 7 December 2017.
- ↑ Bungard, Matt; Proszenko, Adrian (6 December 2017). "NRL 2018: Knights, Dragons first to declare bids for licences for women's tournament". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 7 December 2017.
- ↑ Jennings, Mitch (22 February 2018). "Apps backs Dragons women's NRL bid". Bega District News. Retrieved 3 March 2018.
- ↑ "Dragons confirm interest in women's competition". Dragons.com.au. 6 December 2017. Retrieved 7 December 2017.
- ↑ Barnsley, Warren (20 December 2017). "New women's NRL excites Jillaroos but more details are needed, say players". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 20 December 2017.
- ↑ Bollen, Fiona (9 March 2018). "NRL women's comp starts 2018, what we know and don't know about it". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 10 March 2018.
- ↑ Perry, Jodan (6 December 2017). "NRL Women's Premiership a dream come true for Jillaroos hero Ruan Sims". ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation). Retrieved 7 December 2017.
- ↑ Cavanagh, Chris (6 December 2017). "Melbourne Storm pushing for team in new women's competition". Herald Sun. Retrieved 7 December 2017.
- ↑ "NRL left without women's team out west". Special Broadcasting Service. 17 February 2018. Retrieved 3 March 2018.
- ↑ Arnold, Rikki-Lee (19 March 2018). "Broncos win spot in NRL women's competition". news.com.au. Retrieved 19 March 2018.
- ↑ Newton, Alicia (27 March 2018). "Geographic location the focus as NRL women's teams announced". NRL.com. Retrieved 27 March 2018.
- ↑ "Knights, Titans and Eels to join NRLW in 2021". NRL. 11 June 2021.
- ↑ "ARLC announce expansion for NRLW, Women's State of Origin". NRL. 15 March 2022. Retrieved 15 March 2022.
- ↑ Walter, Brad (15 March 2022). "Stars set to earn fulltime deals in expanded NRLW". NRL. Retrieved 15 March 2022.
- ↑ Riccio, David (23 April 2022). "Abdo Responds To Shark Alarm". Daily Telegraph. p. 95.
- ↑ "Raiders aim for 2023 NRLW inclusion". Raiders.com.au. 29 November 2021. Retrieved 15 March 2022.
- ↑ Polkinghorne, David (23 April 2022). "Canberra lodges submission to join NRLW expansion". Canberra Times.
- ↑ "Special delivery: Sharks confirm intent to join NRLW in 2023". NRL. 22 April 2022. Retrieved 23 April 2022.
- ↑ "Cowboys launch NRLW bid". Cowboys.com.au. 24 February 2022. Retrieved 15 March 2022.
- ↑ "Cowboys to apply for 2023 NRLW". Cowboys.com.au. 15 March 2022. Retrieved 15 March 2022.
- ↑ "Cowboys formally submit bid for 2023 NRLW team". NRL. 22 April 2022. Retrieved 23 April 2022.
- ↑ "Rabbitohs Welcome NRLW Expansion and Investment in Women's Game". South Sydney Rabbitohs. 15 March 2022. Retrieved 15 March 2022.
- ↑ Newton, Alicia (14 October 2021). "Wests Tigers' NRLW push heats up with Apps, Sergis signings". Wests Tigers. Retrieved 15 March 2022.
- ↑ Becht, Richard (11 June 2021). "Warriors out of 2021 NRLW but will return next year". Warriors.Kiwi. Retrieved 15 March 2022.
- ↑ "Statement on NRLW expansion". NRL. 15 June 2022. Retrieved 30 June 2022.
- ↑ "NRLW Announcement". NRL. 15 June 2022. Retrieved 15 June 2022.
- ↑ Newton, Alicia (15 June 2022). "Sharks, Raiders, Cowboys and Wests Tigers to join NRLW in 2023". NRL. Retrieved 15 June 2022.
- ↑ "Rabbitohs statement regarding NRLW licences and expansion". South Sydney Rabbitohs. 15 June 2022. Retrieved 15 June 2022.
- ↑ "Club Statement: NRLW submission". Penrith Panthers. Panthers Media. 15 June 2022. Retrieved 15 June 2022.
- ↑ 34.0 34.1 34.2 "New NRLW teams announced for 2025 competition". NRL. 28 March 2024. Retrieved 28 March 2024.
- ↑ Becht, Richard (1 July 2024). "Griffiths to coach NRLW side". Warriors.Kiwi. Retrieved 1 July 2024.
- ↑ Glanville, Caitlin (30 May 2024). "Canterbury appoints Cavallaro as inaugural NRLW Head Coach". Bulldogs.com.au. Retrieved 31 May 2024.
- ↑ Glanville, Caitlin (19 July 2024). "Preston becomes our inaugural NRLW player". Bulldogs.com.au. Retrieved 20 July 2024.
- ↑ "Bulldogs Secure Second NRLW Signing with Ashleigh Quinlan". Bulldogs.com.au. 19 July 2024. Retrieved 20 July 2024.
- ↑ "NRL women get elite contracts". www.news.com.au.
- ↑ "NRL 2018 salary cap: NRL, RLPA agree to new pay deal for players". foxsports.com.au. 3 November 2017.
- ↑ "Elite female rugby league contracts confirmed for 2019". April 2019.
- ↑ Stars set to earn fulltime deals in expanded NRLW by Brad Walter for NRL.com Senior 15 Mar 2022
- ↑ "Panthers and Dragons looking to find form before finals". The Roar. 29 August 2018. Retrieved 1 September 2018.
- ↑ Newton, Alicia (4 September 2018). "What you need to know: NRL Holden Women's Premiership". NRL.com. Retrieved 5 September 2018.
- ↑ "RLIF welcomes announcement of Downers Rugby League World Cup 9s". nrl.com. RLIF. 29 November 2018. Retrieved 18 February 2019.
- ↑ "Women's Rugby League". www.facebook.com.
- ↑ "Veronica White Medal".
- ↑ "NRL announces Karyn Murphy medal for women's best". National Rugby League. 3 September 2018.
- ↑ "Nine reveal exciting 2018 rugby league coverage". wwos.nine.com.au. 28 February 2018.
- ↑ "NRL Holden Women's Premiership teams announced". National Rugby League. 26 March 2018.
- ↑ "NRL Holden Women's Premiership teams announced". media.gm.com. 28 March 2018.
- ↑ "NRL and Rebel announce partnership". National Rugby League. 7 September 2018.
- ↑ "Home". steeden.com.au.