Watch: The teenage phenoms set to take the NRLW by storm in the near future
Some have ties to some of the biggest names in rugby league, others are playmaking whiz kids at the centre of code tug-of-wars - PAMELA WHALEY profiles some of the best athletes in Australian and New Zealand sport.
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They’re the teenage prodigies set to light up the NRLW over the coming years.
Powerful wrecking balls barely out of high school and playmaking whiz kids at the centre of code tug-of-wars, these rising young players are some of the best female talent in Australian and New Zealand sport.
St George Illawarra’s nursery is already producing some of the NRLW’s most eye-catching talent with one of the youngest rosters in the game, while Brisbane has one of the most in demand young players in Australian rugby on their books for 2025, Shalom Sauaso, ready to make her NRLW debut.
Others, like the teenage daughters of premiership winners Adam Perry and Trent Barrett, are on their path to the top.
Under official rules, players are unable to make their NRLW debut until their 18th birthday unless clubs apply for special consideration, where they undergo full physical and psychological testing as well and must show a resume that stands up to show they can handle the rigours of senior rugby league.
For Sauaso, who has just finished the Super W season with the Queensland Reds, 2025 is her season to pull on the Broncos jersey after signing as a 17-year-old last year.
Other rookies expected to make their debut this year are Indie Bostock with the Dragons, Tess McWilliams with the Eels and Takoda Thompson with the Titans.
BEARS
LOGAN LEMUSU
Age: 18
Position: Halves/fullback
A schoolgirls rugby and touch football star, the 18-year-old is one of the rising talents in rugby league too. The Bears’ Tarsha Gale Cup captain was player of the match in the under-17s City v Country game last year and has been named in the NSW Origin under-19s squad.
BRONCOS
SHALOM SAUASO
Age: 18
Position: Back row/centre
The Samoan powerhouse is one of the most exciting players coming into the NRLW this season. The former Ipswich High student signed with the Broncos as a 17-year-old but has already played Super W with the Queensland Reds, Wallaroos and was captain of the Australian Schoolgirls Sevens team last year.
BULLDOGS
ALIAHANA FUIMAONO
Age: 17
Position: Back row
The Hills Sports High product has played the past two seasons with Canterbury’s Lisa Fiaola squad and established herself as a one of the most damaging second-rowers coming through the system.
ASHA TAUMOEPEAU-WILLIAMS
Age: 16
Position: Centre
The towering youngster dominated the Lisa Fiaola Cup with the Bulldogs this season, but is keeping her options open by playing premier women’s rugby in Auckland for the rest of the season. One to watch for the future.
DRAGONS
Ella Koster
Age: 19
Position: Second row
She’s been around for a while now after making her Dragons debut in 2023, but amazingly is only 19. The Albion Park junior made her Super W debut with the Waratahs at just 16, but is quickly developing into one of the guns of the NRLW.
INDIE BOSTOCK
Age: 18
Position: Centre
Like her older brother Jack, the Illawarra Steelers junior scores tries for fun. After missing the Tarsha Gale Cup season in 2025 to focus on building her strength, she’s shaping up for a big debut NRLW season with the Dragons.
KASEY REH
Age: 19
Position: Halfback
The teenage sensation is tipped to be the next big thing in the NRLW. After her debut season with the Dragons last year, she earned a place in the NSW Origin training squad ahead of this year’s series and is already pushing for higher honours.
MARIA PASEKA
Age: 19
Position: Winger
The speedster captained the Steelers’ Tarsha Gale Cup side this year, and has been added to the NRLW squad as a development player this season. A mainstay in representative sides, she will join teammates in the NSW under-19s Origin this month.
CHANTEL WILSON
Age: 16
Position: Back row
Picked up from Townsville by the Dragons, the rangy edge forward came to NSW chasing a smoother pathway to the NRLW and was impressive in the Tarsha Gale Cup a year young this season.
EELS
TESS MCWILLIAMS
Age: 18
Position: Prop
Player of match in the Tarsha Gale Cup grand final, the Port Macquarie prop is quickly rising in the women’s game, and has just signed a development deal with the Eels for this season.
KNIGHTS
EVAH MCEWEN
Age: 19
Position: Back row
The powerful edge forward is one of the rising youngsters in the game. Made her NRLW debut with the Knights last season and went on to represent Samoa at the Pacific Cup at the end of 2024. She’s been named in the under-19s NSW Origin side again to take on Queensland this month.
RABBITOHS
KIARA MCGREGOR
Age: 18
Position: Halfback
A South Sydney local, Kiara McGregor is a rising playmaker in the women’s game after graduating Endeavour High School last year. The 18-year-old captain was named player of the year for the Rabbitohs’ Tarsha Gale Cup side, kicked the matchwinning field goal for City in their under-19s win recently and was named in the NSW under-19s Origin squad.
RAIDERS
EVIE PERRY
Age: 15
Position: Centre
The teenage daughter of Canterbury Bulldogs premiership winner Adam Perry, Evie is an emerging star from Wagga and played her first season with Canberra’s Lisa Fiaola side as a centre this year where she impressed despite being a year younger than her teammates.
ROOSTERS
TALEA TONGA
Age: 17
Position: Halfback
Halfback for the Central Coast Roosters side, Tonga is a rising talent across both codes and grew up playing rugby union with Manly. The gifted ball runner was selected for the under-18s Australian youth sevens team at 16.
COCO MARSTERS
Age: 17
Position: Centre/five-eighth
The rugby league rookie had her first season of Lisa Fiaola with the Central Coast Roosters this year. She played representative rugby union as a kid, climbing the ranks to play with the under-18s national sevens team as a 16-year-old before making her Super W debut for the Waratahs earlier this year.
STEELERS
HALLE BARRETT
Age: 17
Position: Centre
The daughter of former Steelers and Dragons player Trent Barrett, the 17-year-old played her second season with the Steelers’ Lisa Fiaola team this season and has been rewarded with a development deal with the Harvey Norman NSWRL side and a country under-17s jersey. On her way to NRLW.
ELLA CHURCHILL
Age: 17
Position: Fullback/half
Another player brought into the development squad with a great surname, Churchill is a fullback/half from Kiama with a great ball-playing game and plenty of power. One to watch in the next few years.
TIGERS
EVIE MCGRATH
Age: 19
Position: Five-eighth
A lively playmaker, McGrath joins the Tigers from the Steelers after an impressive season in 2024, where she won the Tarsha Gale premiership and NSW under-19s Origin. She played three NRLW games at the end of last year but is in for a bug season in 2025.
TITANS
TAKODA THOMPSON
Age: 18
Position: Second row
Was named player of the series in the Harvey Norman under-19s premiership with the Sunshine Coast Falcons. A rising young forward ready to take the next step, Thompson recently signed a two-year deal with the Titans to join their top 24 squad this season.
WARRIORS
Tyra Wetere
Age: 19
Position: Halfback/fullback
The talented teen spent her childhood in Sydney before moving to New Zealand at the age of seven where she took up rugby union and rugby league with Bay of Plenty. This is her first NRLW contract after her highlights caught the eye of coach Ron Griffiths.
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