Squads Analysed: Breaking down the Gold Coast guns demanding NRLW shot
A historic season awaits, and eight Gold Coast rising talents have been identified as the next to crack the top level. But with a start date not locked in, an NRLW star has revealed the off field struggles that make that announcement one of vital importance.
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It has been a period of uncertainty for Jaime Chapman as the drawn out battle between the Rugby League Players Association and NRL threatened to end in calamity.
However with a historic Collective Bargaining Agreement secured, the young fullback has called on the next generation to spearhead the game towards full-time professionalism.
But now, a 2023 season fixture needs to be locked in.
While the pay dispute has been finalised for the women’s game, a start date for the campaign is yet to be confirmed as players begin to negotiate new contracts.
A salary cap of $900,000 with an average wage of $30,000 put in place for the NRLW, with those numbers set to increase to $1.518m and $50,000 by 2027, but as it stands many athletes will still be required to work other jobs to maintain a full-time income.
The 2023 season will also welcome four new teams into the fold — the Cowboys, Sharks, Raiders and Tigers — meaning players still are unsure where they will end up and when they will be required to relocate.
A move would also include pre-season preparation, meaning players could be required to be away for approximately five months.
For Chapman, the Jillaroos star is fortunate to work for disability support service organisation What Ability, who work extensively in the inclusive sport space and have proven to be flexible with her rugby league commitments.
But the 20-year-old said she had still be unable to secure a home lease given she is unsure where she will be once the season inevitably starts.
Chapman said the funding announcement had come as an enormous relief for the wider playing group, knowing higher payment will be forthcoming, but the challenge of locking in their immediate futures away from the field and work remained.
While she would not confirm which clubs she had been in discussions with for the 2023 season, the Tweed Seagull did say she had started contract negotiations.
“Having that CBA sorted has taken a big weight off all of the NRLW girls’ shoulders. I couldn’t re-sign my lease … and the rest of it with family life it’s so hard when you don’t know what you’re going to be doing,” Chapman said.
“It’s still up in the air, we obviously can’t sign a lease up here because you never know what’s going to happen, so I’m still waiting to re-sign my lease or find somewhere else.
“We were all so uncertain, it was a bit stressful, but having it sorted gives us a base where we can work out where we’re going to be playing this year and start to sort out our life a bit.
“I’m lucky within the work space where I can kind of say I can’t work now and they’re really flexible around footy … but some girls have full-time jobs, they don’t know when they can leave for footy, if they need to relocate with four new teams.
“There’s going to be a lot of movement in the teams, and girls will be relocating a lot so girls with full time jobs have to let them know when they’re leaving.”
Already Chapman has impressed for the Dragons and Broncos in the past two years, and in the meantime would turn her attention to the QRLW campaign to begin next weekend.
Fresh off a triumphant World Cup campaign, the flyer was on deck to help announce the renewed sponsorship support for the Tweed women’s outfit from Gold Coast Airport.
And Chapman highlighted Seagulls U19s twins Tamika and Sienna Smith — at prop and halfback respectively — to take advantage and propel towards the elite.
“They were just amazing, the talent was just out of this world. They’re definitely up and coming; just their ball skills and ability, they were just all over amazing footy players,” Chapman said.
“We were just doing an opposed session and they were so competitive, and I feel like in the young girls you don’t really find that passion as easy as you do in the older women.
“I think having that right now, that passion and competitiveness, they’re going to go a long way.”
GOLD COAST 2023 QRLW BREAKOUT STARS
Felice Quinlan — Burleigh Bears
A try scoring machine who is just itching for an opportunity at the top.
Felice Quinlan announced herself as a force to be reckoned with in Round 6 last year, when she ran in four tries to help the Bears thump Souths Logan 44-12.
In that contest the 24-year-old was credited with four linebreaks, five tackle busts and 132 running metres as well as a try assist.
Quinlan scored in each of her final four clashes in the season, ending with seven tries from six appearances as well as eight linebreaks, four try assists and an average of 84m a game.
Her first stint at this level is now done and dusted. Another strong output could be her ticket to an NRLW berth.
Jetaya Faifua — Tweed Seagulls
She has already got two NRLW seasons under her belt, but now the time may have come for Jetaya Faifua to truly announce herself as a star of the game.
At just 19, the silky utility has seven Titans appearances to her name, coming off the bench three times last season and scoring her maiden try in her last clash.
At the Seagulls she has taken a place in the halves and at fullback and shone, finishing 2022 with five games, three try assists, four linebreak assists and a try. She even went on to represent the Australia Prime Minister’s XIII.
Not bad for someone who is only 19, and a big 2023 with Tweed could be what launches her into an NRLW starting outfit.
Rilee Jorgensen — Burleigh Bears
It may be too early to assume Rilee Jorgensen will make an NRLW berth this year, given she is still just a teenager.
But the Titans Academy under-19s squad member has been scouted as a rising star for some time now, playing seven games for the Bears last year despite being just 16 at the time.
The edge forward played every game in the QRLW season from Round 2 onwards, playing 70 minutes as a starter in her first two outings before shifting back to the bench.
A try on debut to go along with a linebreak, four tackle busts, 135 running metres and even five goals highlighted the versatile skillset she brings to the table.
The Titans will be eager to keep her, given her place in the Academy ranks, but many will likely be keeping an eye on Jorgensen and how she fairs in the 2023 state competition.
Matekino Kahukoti-Gray — Burleigh Bears
Making seven appearances off the bench in her debut season last year, Matekino Kahukoti-Gray now appears destined to take her game to new levels.
The Gold Coast Titans Women’s Under-19s Academy member has been earmarked by the NRLW club for higher honours in the future, and should the young backrower make her move into the starting side a contract could soon beckon.
Playing for roughly 28 minutes a game, the teenage phenom finished her maiden QRLW campaign averaging 14 tackles each contest — and remarkably only missed one attempt.
Kahukoti-Gray’s credentials as a future star were announced as early as Round Two. Despite the Seagulls going down to the Tigers 32-0, she still managed 83 running metres — 42 of which were post-contact — five tackle busts and 18 tackles.
A relative of Titans star Tazmin Gray and Canberra Raiders flyer Jordan Rapana, the young forward has plenty of quality teachers to learn from and will no doubt be a force to be reckoned with in 2023.
Brooke Saddler — Tweed Seagulls
She has been a member of the Titans NRLW system, but Brooke Saddler is still chasing the elite level dream. Is this the year she breaks out?
The 22-year-old fullback was limited to just two appearances for the Seagulls last year due to injury, however she still managed four tries in a telling statement of her abilities.
After scoring a hat-trick, making four linebreaks, setting up a try and making six tackle busts in the season opener against eventual champions, the Gold Stars, Saddler was not seen again until Round 6 — another try scoring effort in a 22-10 defeat to the Capras.
She was signed to the Titans extended squad, however did not take the field for the blue and yellow in 2022.
A lethal ball runner who has proven challenging to defend (11 tackle busts in her two games last year), Saddler could easily prove the perfect fullback for one of the new NRLW outfits should she feel her pathway on the Gold Coast is blocked by the likes of Evania Pelite for the number one jumper.
Sophie Buller — Burleigh Bears
So close was Sophie Buller to a debut in Titans colours, having been promoted to the main squad on the eve of the 2022 season.
The hard running lock was called into the top squad after Tazmin Gray and Emily Curtain were ruled out for the campaign due to injury, however she is yet to make her NRLW debut.
Buller shone for Burleigh last season, scoring a try and m
aking a linebreak in each of the opening four games and averaging 86 running metres and 16 tackles a game.
At 22, and with four new NRLW clubs joining the 2023 season, Buller’s experience and no nonsense approach could prove to be the perfect addition to one the new clubs should she not secure another Titans contract.
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