NRLW: The Burleigh Bears lay claim to 12 NRLW players as pressure mounts for the Titans to join the competition

Burleigh Bears coach Tahnee Norris has called on the Gold Coast Titans to fast-track their bid for an NRLW team after incredible news for her squad. WHY THE TITANS COULD HAVE NRLW SIDE SOONER RATHER THAN LATER.

BURLEIGH Bears coach Tahnee Norris has called on the Gold Coast Titans to fast-track their bid for an NRLW team with a record 12 Bears players named across three squads.

Fresh off adding the inaugural Holcim Cup to its jam-packed trophy cabinet, the women’s rugby league powerhouse has officially announced itself as one of the competition’s leading breeding grounds.

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The Bears lay claim to 12 players in total with defending champions the Broncos boasting Millie Boyle, Chelsea Lenarduzzi, Tallisha Harden, Lauren Brown, Tyler Birch, Chante Temara and Brittany Breayley in their seven-strong Burleigh contingent.

Gold Coast junior Zahara Temara has re-signed with the Sydney Roosters while the Warriors have signed Burleigh products Tazmin Gray, Karina Brown, Teaghan Laing (Hartigan) and Laken Paitai.

Amber Pilley remains sidelined with an anterior cruciate ligament tear while the Tweed Seagulls have also produced a handful of NRLW stars, including the likes of Tarryn Aiken and Jessica Elliston.

Burleigh player Lauren Brown has signed a Broncos NRLW deal and is on the radar for State of Origin. Picture Glenn Hampson

A year after the Titans played a women’s invitational match at Cbus Super Stadium, Norris believes it’s time for the club to make serious inroads to fielding a team in an expanded national competition.

“There are around 16 girls just from this region alone so the Titans could basically have a full side already,” Norris said.

“It’s an absolute breeding ground at the moment and if the Titans don’t put in a team soon, our talent is going to keep heading up the road.”

COVID-19 all but ruined any chance of expanding the four-team competition in 2020 with some clubs even considering withdrawing from the league. But belief is growing the NRLW could soon expand to six teams with the Titans previously declaring their interest in joining and launching their Junior Titans Female Academy earlier this year.

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Norris said it was also pleasing to be recognised as an NRLW breeding ground.

“Our numbers are right up there compared to some clubs in New South Wales,” the legendary Jillaroo said.

“The pleasing thing is that there are so many Gold Coast girls and there’s so much talent coming through this region.

“We’re not the sort of team to pinch players from other clubs, we want to build our girls locally and I can’t ­celebrate them enough.”