NRLW teams round 4: Tigers forced to reshuffle with captain Kezie Apps ruled out for season
The Wests Tigers have been forced into some unwanted changes with star captain Kezie Apps ruled out for the rest of the season. Plus, the NRLW debut of a rugby sevens star. FULL TEAMS.
Wests Tigers skipper Kezie Apps has been ruled out for the rest of the NRLW season with a PCL injury.
In a massive blow to the Tigers ahead of their clash with Parramatta on Sunday, the NSW and Australia captain will miss between six and eight weeks with the knee injury, which ends her season prematurely with six rounds to play before finals.
The 33-year-old is one of the stars of the women’s competition and crucial to the Tigers this season, who have yet to win a game across the first three rounds.
In a further blow, the club has confirmed rising winger Harmony Crichton has suffered an ACL injury in last week’s loss to the Roosters.
Both are the latest to be sidelined in a big week of injuries for the NRLW, with Knights, NSW and Australia prop Caitlin Johnston-Green also ruled out for the rest of the season with an MCL injury.
The 23-year-old was ruled out ahead of a shock loss to the Dragons on Sunday night, with Kayla Romaniuk named to start in the front row against Cronulla this weekend.
New Zealand rugby sevens star Tenika Willison has also been named to make her debut for the club on the wing in place of Sherridan Gallagher, who picked up a leg injury in the loss to the Dragons.
Meanwhile, the Sharks have named Australian rugby sevens star Sharni Smale to make her NRLW debut against the Knights on Sunday.
The 36-year-old three-time Olympian has been named in the No.14 jersey after retiring from a 12-year sevens career after finishing fourth at the Paris Olympics.
Elsewhere, Gold Coast star Niall Williams-Guthrie has been ruled out of Saturday’s clash with the Cowboys with a hamstring injury.
The Titans were shocked with a 44-4 loss to the Broncos last week, who have named an unchanged side to face Canberra.
NRLW ROUND 4 TEAMS
Broncos v Raiders
Saturday August 17, 11:05AM at Totally Workwear Stadium, Brisbane
Broncos
1. Hayley Maddick 2. Julia Robinson 3. Mele Hufanga 4. Shenae Ciesiolka 5. Stacey Waaka 6. Gayle Broughton 7. Ali Brigginshaw 8. Keilee Joseph 9. Jada Ferguson 10. Chelsea Lenarduzzi 11. Tazmin Rapana 12. Romy Teitzel 13. Jasmine Fogavini
Interchange: 14. Destiny Brill 15. Tafito Lafaele 16. Lavinia Gould 17. Lauren Dam
Reserves: 18. Skyla Adams 19. Bree Spreadborough 20. Hannah Larsson 21. Ashleigh Werner
Raiders
1. Apii Nicholls 2. Madison Bartlett 3. Cheyelle Robins-Reti 4. Mackenzie Wiki 5. Shakiah Tungai 6. Zahara Temara 7. Ash Quinlan 8. Tommaya Kelly-Sines 9. Chante Temara 10. Sophie Holyman 11. Monalisa Soliola 12. Hollie Dodd 13. Simaima Taufa
Interchange: 14. Emma Barnes 15. Grace Kemp 16. Kerehitina Matua 17. Sereana Naitokatoka
Reserves: 18. Relna Wuruki-hosea 19. Jaida Faleono 20. Felice Quinlan 21. Georgia Willey 22. Alanna Dummett
Cowboys v Titans
Saturday August 17, 12:45PM at QCB Stadium, Townsville
Cowboys
1. Krystal Blackwell 2. Francesca Goldthorp 3. Jakiya Whitfeld 4. Jasmine Peters 5. Libby Surha 6. Tahlulah Tillett 7. Kirra Dibb 8. Tallisha Harden 9. Emma Manzelmann 10. Essay Banu 11. China Polata 12. Tiana Raftstrand-Smith 13. Bree Chester
Interchange: 14. Jetaya Faifua 15. Lily Peacock 16. Sareka Mooka 23. Harata Butler
Reserves: 18. Lillian Yarrow 19. Shaniah Power 21. Ebony Raftstrand-Smith 22. Shellie Long 24. Vitalina Naikore
Titans
1. Evania Pelite 2. Georgia Grey 3. Jaime Chapman 4. Lailani Montgomery 5. Emily Bass 6. Taliah Fuimaono 7. Lauren Brown 8. Shannon Mato 9. Brittany Breayley-Nati 10. Jessika Elliston 11. Rilee Jorgensen 12. Shaylee Bent 13. Georgia Hale
Interchange: 14. Lily-Rose Kolc 15. Laikha Clarke 16. Matekino Gray 17. Dannii Perese
Reserves: 18. Hailee-Jay Maunsell 19. Ngatokotoru Arakua 20. Georgia Sim 21. Sarina Masaga 22. Malaela Sua
Dragons v Roosters
Sunday August 18, 12PM at WIN Stadium, Wollongong
Dragons
1. Teagan Berry 2. Maatuleio Fotu-moala 3. Keele Browne 4. Bobbi Law 5. Kimberley Hunt 6. Tyla King 7. Raecene Mcgregor 8. Angelina Teakaraanga Katoa 9. Kasey Reh 10. Madison Mulhall 11. Shenai Lendill 12. Charlotte Basham 13. Alexis Tauaneai
Interchange: 14. Zali Hopkins 15. Ella Koster 16. Bronte Wilson 17. Steph Hancock
Reserves: 18. Sophie Clancy 19. Alice Gregory 20. Tayla Curtis 21. Jordyn Preston 22. Jamilee Bright
Roosters
1. Sam Bremner 2. Jayme Fressard 3. Jessica Sergis 4. Jasmine Strange 5. Mia Wood 6. Isabelle Kelly 7. Tarryn Aiken 8. Millie Elliott 9. Keeley Davis 10. Mya Hill-Moana 11. Otesa Pule 12. Olivia Kernick 13. Jocelyn Kelleher
Interchange: 14. Aliyah Nasio 15. Pani Hopoate 16. Samantha Economos 18. Tavarna Papalii
Reserves: 19. Tiana Davison 20. Taina Naividi 21. Amber Hall 22. Eliza Lopamaua
Sharks v Knights
Sunday August 18, 1:45PM at PointsBet Stadium, Cronulla
Sharks
1. Cassie Staples 2. Nakia Davis-Welsh 3. Tiana Penitani 4. Annessa Biddle 5. Georgia Ravics 6. Georgia Hannaway 7. Tayla Preston 8. Ellie Johnston 9. Quincy Dodd 10. Holli Wheeler 11. Talei Holmes 12. Vanessa Foliaki 13. Brooke Anderson
Interchange: 14. Sharni Smale 15. Chloe Saunders 16. Manilita Takapautolo 17. Tegan Dymock
Reserves: 19. Leki Leilua 20. Pia Tapsell 21. Emma Tonegato 22. Jaydika Tafua
Knights
1. Tamika Upton 2. Tenika Willison 3. Shanice Parker 4. Abigail Roache 5. Lilly-Ann White 6. Georgia Roche 7. Jesse Southwell 8. Tayla Predebon 9. Olivia Higgins 10. Kayla Romaniuk 11. Laishon Albert-Jones 12. Yasmin Clydsdale 13. Hannah Southwell
Interchange: 14. Nita Maynard 15. Simone Karpani 16. Rima Butler 17. Grace Kukutai
Reserves: 18. Jacinta Carter 19. Jules Kirkpatrick 20. Viena Tinao 21. Evie Jones 22. Isabella Waterman
Tigers v Eels
Sunday August 18, 6:10PM at Campbelltown Sports Stadium, Campbelltown
Tigers
1. Botille Vette-Welsh 2. Rebecca Pollard 3. Leianne Tufuga 4. Rikeya Horne 5. Tess Staines 6. Pauline Piliae 7. Losana Lutu 8. Sarah Togatuki 9. Salma Nour 10. Christian Pio 11. Brooke Talataina 12. Shaianne McGlone 13. Najvada George ’
Interchange: 14. Sophie Curtain 15. Natasha Penitani 16. Tara Reinke 17. Jessica Kennedy
Reserves: 18. Tiana-Lee Thorne 19. Imogen Gobran 20. Claudia Nielsen 21. Ebony Prior
Eels
More Coverage
1. Abbi Church 2. Zali Fay 3. Rory Owen 4. Rosie Kelly 5. Monique Donovan 6. Cassey Tohi-Hiku 7. Rachael Pearson 8. Elsie Albert 9. Taneka Todhunter 10. Madeline Jones 11. Chloe Jackson 12. Mahalia Murphy 13. Kennedy Cherrington
Interchange: 14. Rosemarie Beckett 15. Tyla Amiatu 16. Jade Fonua 17. Ruby-Jean Kennard
Reserves: 18. Tafao Asaua 19. Breanna Eales 20. Chelsea Makira 21. Kate Fallon 22. Pihuka Berryman-Duff
Originally published as NRLW teams round 4: Tigers forced to reshuffle with captain Kezie Apps ruled out for season
‘A bit surreal’: Aussie gun shocked by award
She was the best player in the NRLW grand final and starred for her state and country, but Tarryn Aiken still couldn’t believe this honour.
Roosters star caps off dream season with ultimate honour
It’s just her year. Sydney Roosters star Tarryn Aiken could not have asked for anything more in 2024, after adding one of rugby league’s most prestigious trophies to her collection.
‘Right direction’: Women’s sports takes over
Women’s sports are now enjoying the recognition they’ve long deserved with AFLW player Éilish O’Dowd and WBBL cricketer Phoebe Litchfield among the athletes taking over the industry.