By Dan Walsh
The addition of more NRLW teams in the next 18 months and extra marquee deals to lure athletes from rival codes are next on the agenda for women’s rugby league.
NRL chief executive Andrew Abdo on Wednesday unveiled fast-tracked plans for the Cowboys, Raiders, Sharks and Wests Tigers to field sides in next year’s NRLW competition, despite significant reservations from players and coaches about sustainability and player talent.
The NRL had originally forecast adding only two teams to the existing six-club competition for 2023, followed by two more in 2024. Those plans have been expedited, Abdo said, based “on huge growth in participation numbers and some really compelling business cases from clubs that are ready to go from next year.”
Abdo pointed to the increase from about 10,000 women’s rugby league players in 2018 – the NRLW’s first season – to almost 35,000 participants this year. The Tigers’ MacArthur and Balmain nursery (close to 1700 players), Canberra region (close to 1200 players with an additional 1200 Group 9 junior participants), Cronulla-Sutherland (about 1700 players) and Townsville and Far North Queensland districts (about 1200 players) all boast healthy junior catchments.
“We know we have enough athletes to sustain professional competition,” Abdo said. “This is quick, but it’s no quicker than we believe we can still produce a quality product.”
The Roosters celebrate their NRLW premiership win in April.Credit: Getty
Abdo forecast further expansion beyond a 10-team competition in 2024 on the back of those figures and optimism about the NRLW’s value to broadcasters Fox Sports and Channel Nine.
The Rabbitohs are one outfit that has long held a desire to enter the NRLW competition after missing out with their initial bid in 2018. Abdo also said bringing the Warriors back into the NRLW fold was a priority given their footprint in New Zealand.
“Those clubs that submitted proposals, the next step is to engage with them and work with them to show that we can make that announcement as soon as possible,” Abdo said.
“We’ve had strong interest from almost every NRL club. It’s a question of how many.
“I’m pretty confident we’re going to be announcing a further expanded competition in 2024.”
A $350,000 salary cap for August’s six-team competition will see salaries increase by an average of 28 per cent, the NRL says. Ongoing CBA talks will dictate each club’s spending in 2023.
Industry sources have told the Herald that the next agreement will see salaries increase by at least that 28 per cent figure or more.
Abdo also indicated more marquee player spots would be considered in a bid to poach talent from rival codes.
The introduction of two marquee player spots – where only $16,000 of their salary is included in the cap – has resulted in greater player movement ahead of the 2022 season.
Emma Tonegato, pictured playing rugby sevens at the 2020 Olympics, was a revelation for the Dragons this year.Credit: AP
Broncos stars Millie Boyle and Tamika Upton have headlined the upheaval after leaving the Queensland powerhouse to join the fledgling Knights.
Former rugby sevens gold medallists Evania Pelite (Titans) and Emma Tonegato (Dragons) are among the rugby converts to take the NRLW by storm earlier this year, while Parramatta have signed AFLW star Brooke Anderson for the upcoming season.
“We would look at a wide range of ways we might be able to incentivise athletes and clubs to provide opportunities, within reason,” Abdo said of increasing marquee player slots.
“We’d be crazy not to consider ways we could lure athletes from other codes and other countries. If there’s an opportunity to bring athletes in from other sports we absolutely want to think about that from an innovative perspective.”
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