‘I’m very relieved to have the big three to build around’: Tigers unveil superstar signings as NRLW era begins

There hasn’t been much joy for Wests Tigers fans, but the emergence of a new big three should change that as the club gets ready to join the NRLW.

World Cup winner Kezie Apps is one of three major signings as the Wests Tigers ramp up preparations for their first year in the NRLW. Picture: Naomi Baker/Getty Images

Wests Tigers NRLW coach Brett Kimmorley says it’s a “relief” to finally be able to announce his key signings after stalled CBA negotiations created uncertainty around women’s contracts and other key details for the expanded competition.

The Tigers are one of four new clubs to join the NRLW, with Botille Vette-Welsh, Kezie Apps and Sarah Togatuki unveiled as their inaugural signings at the Zurich Centre in Concord.

Botille Vette-Welsh will captain the Wests Tigers in their first NRLW season. Picture: Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images

It’s been a signing spree this week, with clubs announcing some major roster changes after the NRL and Rugby League Players Association reached an in-principle agreement on key terms for the NRLW CBA back in February.

The stalled negotiations made it hard for clubs – especially the four new teams – to sign players, but the past few days have been frenetic with plenty more deals to come.

“It’s been difficult and it’s probably been a lot harder for the girls. I knew I was going to be the coach of it and I’d get 24 players,” Kimmorley said, pleased that NRLW players could relax now that their futures were more secure.

“For the ladies who knew it was eventually coming, they had to wait for whatever the contracts were going to look like.

“They were playing footy while potentially not knowing what the end of the year competition or contracts looked like. There was a potential to get hurt and injured and they were unsure what their lives were going to go through.”

Brett Kimmorley is confident the club will continue to grow thanks to its strong pathways program. Picture: Mark Evans/Getty Images

Kimmorley is no stranger to the women’s space, having coached the Wests Tigers last year in the Harvey Norman Premiership before he stepped in as interim coach of the men’s team.

The goal is to promote players from the HNWP team into the NRLW, but it helps having three major signings to build around given everything they’ve achieved in the game.

Apps is a Jillaroos legend who is coming off more World Cup glory, Togatuki was the best player on the field in the 2021 NRLW grand final, and Vette-Welsh is a tireless fullback who will captain the club in her return from an ACL injury.

“I’m very relieved to have the big three to build around,” Kimmorley said, revealing all three players had signed multi-year deals.

“We’ll get some other players and keep growing and growing because we’ve got to have those 24 players secured in a few weeks’ time.

“Luckily enough we’ve been in the Harvey Norman women’s program for the past few years, so we’ve got a lot of our own local girls who have been given that opportunity to play Harvey Norman to pursue that NRL licence.

“It’s a really good position that our club is in because we’ve got a huge women’s program out here, so we’re hopefully developing that endless run of local talent coming through our system.”

Vette-Welsh hasn’t played since she tore her ACL playing for the Eels in March 2022. Picture: Mark Evans/Getty Images

Vette-Welsh says she’s “super excited” to get back on the field after a frustrating 12 months out of the game, and Kimmorley believes she’s the ideal person to lead the club given she’s been at the Tigers since their inaugural HNWP season in 2019.

“Because she’s been injured for the past 12 months, she has been kind of forgotten about in that NRLW space,” Kimmorley said.

“We know how good she is as a player. I think her leadership will be very important for us.”

Getting Apps to join from the Dragons is a huge coup for the club, with the Jillaroos veteran likely to split her time between the edge and the middle.

“It was a big decision for me to come here, but I really wanted to challenge myself in a new environment,” Apps said.