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Roosters hold off Broncos to top NRLW table

Yahoo

20-07-2025

Sport
Yahoo

Roosters hold off Broncos to top NRLW table

Sydney Roosters sit alone atop the NRLW ladder after a nail-biting 30-26 win over the Broncos despite being reduced to 12 players for the final three minutes at Brisbane's Totally Workwear Stadium. Both teams scored five tries but it was the second-half comeback by the Broncos that nearly stole the show, after they trailed 18-0 after just 13 minutes. They clawed their way back to 24-22 before Dally M medallist Olivia Kernick scored her second to put the buffer back to 12 points. A frantic finish had Jess Sergis in the sin-bin for holding down winger Kerri Johnson, who scored in the next play to give the home side a last chance. The Broncos opted not to take the conversion with just 90 seconds left, but couldn't get far enough into Roosters territory to secure a winning try. Kernick shoots through! 💪 — NRLW (@NRLWomens) July 20, 2025 Heading into round three the Roosters, Broncos and Bulldogs were undefeated, but with Canterbury's 18-14 loss to the Dragons on Saturday, John Strange's team now sits clear out in front. "That feels good but it's only early days," Roosters fullback Brydie Parker told Channel Nine. "It feels really good to get the win on the road and it was certainly a grind. Once we got ahead they came right back at us." Integral to the Broncos' fightback was star No.1 Tamika Upton, who scored two tries in eight minutes – her second double in a week. "It definitely hurts," Upton said. "It was because of our very poor first half. You can't do that against a team like that." In the earlier game at the other end of the ladder, a breakthrough beckoned for either Wests Tigers or Gold Coast, after both clubs had started the 2025 season with two losses. Despite the lead changing four times at Leichhardt Oval, the Titans prevailed with more energy and better defence for a 24-12 win. Titans shift it out to Lolesio 🤝 — NRLW (@NRLWomens) July 20, 2025 Things didn't start well for the home team, who lost utility Chelsea Savill in the war-up through a quad strain. But winger Caitlin Turnbull scoring a hat-trick helped the Tigers to a 12-6 lead early in the second half, only for all that good work to whittle away under a 9-4 penalty count against them. "We spoke about discipline at half-time but we were still poor, especially on our try line, so we made it really really hard for ourselves," coach Brett Kimmorley said. The Titans, who were minus their suspended captain Georgia Hale, put on three tries in 10 minutes through lock Sienna Lofipo, winger Georgia Grey and centre Ivana Lolesio. "The coaching staff put a challenge to us this week and that was that attitude shift (in defence)," stand-in skipper Lauren Brown said. "So my message was to just take that energy into this game because we know our defensive structures work."

NRLW opening wins for Broncos, Dragons and Cowboys

The Advertiser

05-07-2025

Sport
The Advertiser

NRLW opening wins for Broncos, Dragons and Cowboys

Brisbane, St George Illawarra and North Queensland have opened their NRLW campaigns in the best possible style. Tamika Upton's return to the Broncos brought immediate benefits as she helped the three-time champions to a 28-4 win over Wests Tigers at Totally Workwear Stadium on Saturday. The 28-year-old was back in Brisbane colours after three years with Newcastle and reaffirmed why she won the 2023 Dally M Medal with three try assists, four line-break assists, and six tackle busts in her afternoon's work. "She's just an X-factor. Tamika always goes about her football so professionally," Broncos captain Ali Brigginshaw said. "Today she started to really find her groove." The visitors were in the fight at halftime trailing 8-4, but Brisbane went from a trot into a gallop piling on four unanswered tries. "A little bit nerve wrecking and frustrating in that first half. We had a lot of footy but just didn't do too much with it," Broncos coach Scott Prince said. "But in the second half the girls came out with real intent to turn the Tigers around and put them in their corner." Fittingly it was two NRLW debutants that scored their team's first points. Rugby recruit Kerri Johnson touched down in the 21st minute after a 35-metre break upfield by Upton. Wests Tigers Caitlin Turnbull, who scored 13 tries in 11 games for Wentworthville in NSWRL's Harvey Norman Premiership last year, grabbed her maiden NRLW try. Brisbane snapped their round-one blues after losing the opening match of the past three seasons. The league's top-two tryscorers added to their individual tallies, when St George Illawarra overran Canberra at GIO Stadium. Dragons fullback Teagan Berry registered her 30th four-pointer and Raiders winger Madison Bartlett scored her 27th in the Red V's 36-14 win. 18-year-old debutant Indie Bostock took just three minutes to score a runaway 80-metre try for the Dragons after being called up into the centres from the extended bench. The star of the NSW U19s State of Origin win last month, and the sister of Dolphins winger Jack, added a second by supporting Berry down the right after the break. That put the visitors up 18-4 but the Raiders' revival came through tries to Bartlett and Sophie Holyman. St George Illawarra responded with another three tries – Berry, halfback and captain Raecene McGregor and winger Margot Vella. The Dragons only won two of nine games last year but rookie coach Nathan Cross seems to have them on course for a few more in 2025. In Townsville, North Queensland enjoyed a 20-6 win over Gold Coast. Ricky Henry's Cowboys produced nine line breaks to two and 29 tackle-busts to 17 as they rattled off a four tries-to-one victory at Queensland Country Bank Stadium. They were three minutes from recording their first whitewash in their short three-year history, but a consolation try to Titans centre Georgia Gray put an end to that. England international Fran Goldthorp got the party started in the 19th minute, with winger Krystal Blackwell and fullback Jakiya Whitfield also scoring for a 14-0 lead at the break. Emma Manzelmann bagged the Cowboys' fourth and final try with a darting 20-metre run. Brisbane, St George Illawarra and North Queensland have opened their NRLW campaigns in the best possible style. Tamika Upton's return to the Broncos brought immediate benefits as she helped the three-time champions to a 28-4 win over Wests Tigers at Totally Workwear Stadium on Saturday. The 28-year-old was back in Brisbane colours after three years with Newcastle and reaffirmed why she won the 2023 Dally M Medal with three try assists, four line-break assists, and six tackle busts in her afternoon's work. "She's just an X-factor. Tamika always goes about her football so professionally," Broncos captain Ali Brigginshaw said. "Today she started to really find her groove." The visitors were in the fight at halftime trailing 8-4, but Brisbane went from a trot into a gallop piling on four unanswered tries. "A little bit nerve wrecking and frustrating in that first half. We had a lot of footy but just didn't do too much with it," Broncos coach Scott Prince said. "But in the second half the girls came out with real intent to turn the Tigers around and put them in their corner." Fittingly it was two NRLW debutants that scored their team's first points. Rugby recruit Kerri Johnson touched down in the 21st minute after a 35-metre break upfield by Upton. Wests Tigers Caitlin Turnbull, who scored 13 tries in 11 games for Wentworthville in NSWRL's Harvey Norman Premiership last year, grabbed her maiden NRLW try. Brisbane snapped their round-one blues after losing the opening match of the past three seasons. The league's top-two tryscorers added to their individual tallies, when St George Illawarra overran Canberra at GIO Stadium. Dragons fullback Teagan Berry registered her 30th four-pointer and Raiders winger Madison Bartlett scored her 27th in the Red V's 36-14 win. 18-year-old debutant Indie Bostock took just three minutes to score a runaway 80-metre try for the Dragons after being called up into the centres from the extended bench. The star of the NSW U19s State of Origin win last month, and the sister of Dolphins winger Jack, added a second by supporting Berry down the right after the break. That put the visitors up 18-4 but the Raiders' revival came through tries to Bartlett and Sophie Holyman. St George Illawarra responded with another three tries – Berry, halfback and captain Raecene McGregor and winger Margot Vella. The Dragons only won two of nine games last year but rookie coach Nathan Cross seems to have them on course for a few more in 2025. In Townsville, North Queensland enjoyed a 20-6 win over Gold Coast. Ricky Henry's Cowboys produced nine line breaks to two and 29 tackle-busts to 17 as they rattled off a four tries-to-one victory at Queensland Country Bank Stadium. They were three minutes from recording their first whitewash in their short three-year history, but a consolation try to Titans centre Georgia Gray put an end to that. England international Fran Goldthorp got the party started in the 19th minute, with winger Krystal Blackwell and fullback Jakiya Whitfield also scoring for a 14-0 lead at the break. Emma Manzelmann bagged the Cowboys' fourth and final try with a darting 20-metre run. Brisbane, St George Illawarra and North Queensland have opened their NRLW campaigns in the best possible style. Tamika Upton's return to the Broncos brought immediate benefits as she helped the three-time champions to a 28-4 win over Wests Tigers at Totally Workwear Stadium on Saturday. The 28-year-old was back in Brisbane colours after three years with Newcastle and reaffirmed why she won the 2023 Dally M Medal with three try assists, four line-break assists, and six tackle busts in her afternoon's work. "She's just an X-factor. Tamika always goes about her football so professionally," Broncos captain Ali Brigginshaw said. "Today she started to really find her groove." The visitors were in the fight at halftime trailing 8-4, but Brisbane went from a trot into a gallop piling on four unanswered tries. "A little bit nerve wrecking and frustrating in that first half. We had a lot of footy but just didn't do too much with it," Broncos coach Scott Prince said. "But in the second half the girls came out with real intent to turn the Tigers around and put them in their corner." Fittingly it was two NRLW debutants that scored their team's first points. Rugby recruit Kerri Johnson touched down in the 21st minute after a 35-metre break upfield by Upton. Wests Tigers Caitlin Turnbull, who scored 13 tries in 11 games for Wentworthville in NSWRL's Harvey Norman Premiership last year, grabbed her maiden NRLW try. Brisbane snapped their round-one blues after losing the opening match of the past three seasons. The league's top-two tryscorers added to their individual tallies, when St George Illawarra overran Canberra at GIO Stadium. Dragons fullback Teagan Berry registered her 30th four-pointer and Raiders winger Madison Bartlett scored her 27th in the Red V's 36-14 win. 18-year-old debutant Indie Bostock took just three minutes to score a runaway 80-metre try for the Dragons after being called up into the centres from the extended bench. The star of the NSW U19s State of Origin win last month, and the sister of Dolphins winger Jack, added a second by supporting Berry down the right after the break. That put the visitors up 18-4 but the Raiders' revival came through tries to Bartlett and Sophie Holyman. St George Illawarra responded with another three tries – Berry, halfback and captain Raecene McGregor and winger Margot Vella. The Dragons only won two of nine games last year but rookie coach Nathan Cross seems to have them on course for a few more in 2025. In Townsville, North Queensland enjoyed a 20-6 win over Gold Coast. Ricky Henry's Cowboys produced nine line breaks to two and 29 tackle-busts to 17 as they rattled off a four tries-to-one victory at Queensland Country Bank Stadium. They were three minutes from recording their first whitewash in their short three-year history, but a consolation try to Titans centre Georgia Gray put an end to that. England international Fran Goldthorp got the party started in the 19th minute, with winger Krystal Blackwell and fullback Jakiya Whitfield also scoring for a 14-0 lead at the break. Emma Manzelmann bagged the Cowboys' fourth and final try with a darting 20-metre run.

Yahoo

05-07-2025

Sport
Yahoo

NRLW opening wins for Broncos, Dragons and Cowboys

‘That real hard edge': Dual-code prodigy leads Queensland's new era of NRLW stars

Sydney Morning Herald

04-07-2025

Sport
Sydney Morning Herald

‘That real hard edge': Dual-code prodigy leads Queensland's new era of NRLW stars

Broncos NRLW superstar Tamika Upton has declared Reegan Hicks is in line to produce a breakout campaign, as the club seek to bounce back from their preliminary final exit last year. Upton, largely regarded as the game's leading woman, will assume Brisbane's co-captaincy alongside Ali Brigginshaw in 2025, having cast aside the hip injury that cost her a place in Queensland's game three State of Origin side. While the former Dally M Medal winner described her time in rehab as a 'blessing' in a chaotic year which had included a trip to Las Vegas with the Jillaroos, she kept an eye on the Broncos' developing talent who loom as the future faces of the game. Hicks – who has been named as 19th woman for the Broncos' opening round clash with the Tigers – came to the front of Upton's mind when asked who was set to become an NRLW household name. The edge forward fresh off scoring the first try in the Maroons' 26-10 defeat to New South Wales in the under-19s State of Origin clash. Loading The 18-year-old managed five appearances in her maiden Queensland Cup campaign for North Devils last year – her sole loss coming in the grand final – but Upton hinted there could be various roles in her future. 'She's been absolutely incredible. Just from the first couple of months of meeting her and how far she's come with the training, she's been jumping into most positions,' Upton said. 'I think someone that's hungry like that and willing to learn and do whatever it takes, I think she has a big future ahead.'

'Best I've seen': new faces, code-hoppers show Knights can contend for title

The Advertiser

03-07-2025

Sport
The Advertiser

'Best I've seen': new faces, code-hoppers show Knights can contend for title

They were considered the team to beat entering the past two seasons, but how will a new-look Knights squad fare in an expanded 12-team competition in 2025? There is no denying the off-season losses have been big, most notably Dally M Medallist and two-time Karyn Murphy Medallist for player of the grand final Tamika Upton, and a wealth of experience has moved on. Coach Ben Jeffries, in his second year at the helm, looks to have turned to mostly untapped talent and home-grown prospects this campaign. They will be complemented by a core group of exceptional players, which includes prodigious halfback Jesse Southwell. Newcastle launch a new era against newcomers Canterbury Bulldogs at Accor Stadium on Friday night. In a short amount of time, the Knights have quickly become one of the competition heavyweights. After collecting the wooden spoon in their maiden campaign, they claimed grand final glory in 2022 with a host of high-profile signings. They backed it up in emphatic fashion in 2023, claiming the club's first NRLW minor title before defending their premiership crown. Last year, they had a huge target on their backs. They scraped into the top four after six wins and three losses and bowed out in the semi-finals to eventual champions the Sydney Roosters. This year, the competition expands from nine to 11 rounds with the additions of the Bulldogs and the New Zealand Warriors, and there will be a top-six finals series instead of top four. Upton is widely regarded as one of the best players in the women's game. The Queensland and Jillaroos fullback was at the heart of the Knights' back-to-back premiership double but was released at the end of last season on compassionate grounds. Also gone are former captain Hannah Southwell (St George Illawarra) and barnstorming forward Caitlan Johnston-Green (Cronulla), who have State of Origin and Jillaroos experience. The Knights also lost premiership-winning prop Rima Butler (Sydney Roosters), utility Nita Maynard (Dragons), second-rower Laishon Albert-Jones (New Zealand Warriors) and centre Abigail Roache (Queensland Cowboys). Premiership-winning middle forward and New Zealand international Tiana Davison returns to the Knights, where she played in 2022 and 2023, after winning last year's grand final with the Roosters. A bit-part player in her three NRLW seasons, the 24-year-old is aiming to cement a starting spot this campaign. Fullback Botille Vette-Walsh brings plenty of experience to the Knights. The New Zealand-born 28-year-old has played in NRLW since its inception. She has played at the Roosters, St George Illawarra, Parramatta and Wests Tigers and is a NSW and Australian representative. Other new faces include NSW under-19 representative lock Sienna Yeo, who was rookie of the year for NSW Women's Rugby League premiers Illawarra, and New Zealander Keighley Simpson, an outside back who played Super Rugby for Matatu. Joeli Morris returns to NRLW after a stand-out season in the Knights' second-tier NSW Premiership team last year and will start against the Bulldogs with Olivia Higgins out through suspension. She is widely regarded as the best second-rower in the women's game, and Cardiff South-raised Yasmin Clydsdale will captain her home-town team this year. The 31-year-old Scone-based school teacher has 39 NRLW appearances, and three premierships to her name, and leads by example. The NSW and Jillaroos forward is super fit, has an incredible work ethic and lifts those around her. Home-grown No.9 Higgins, also a NSW and Australian representative, New Zealand centre Shanice Parker and Gloucester-raised prop Tayla Predebon all have over 30 appearances in NRLW and are proven premiership-winners. Knights five-eighth Georgia Roche is an England international and will again form part of an experienced spine for Newcastle. She is only 20 years of age, but Jesse Southwell has long been earmarked for future greatness. And, the Kotara Bears junior showed why as she led NSW to a State of Origin triumph with stand-out performances throughout the three-match series in May. "We'll play a little bit differently this year, so I'm really happy with how she came back from Origin," Jeffries said. "She played with some real maturity and patience in that Origin space. I thought that was the best football I've ever seen her play." Knights pathways products Evah McEwen, Evie Jones and Lilly-Ann White all made their NRLW debuts last year, and Jules Kirkpatrick is set for hers in round one. "Going forward, there's going to be a lot more home-grown players coming through," Jeffries said. "This year, next year, the year after that and so forth. Someone like Evah McEwen ... I think you'll see a lot more of her. Then you've got Jules Kirkpatrick, Evie Jones, the Lilly Whites. They're all waiting to take their opportunities." There wasn't much McEwen didn't do in 2024. The 19-year-old was the Knights' Tarsha Gale (under 19s) player of the year, represented NSW in the under-19 State of Origin, made her NRLW debut, earned a call-up to the Samoan side and was nominated on the Golden Boot long list for international player of the year. But 2025 could prove even bigger for the powerful second-rower, who has been upgraded from development player to the top-24 roster and drawn plenty of similarities to Clydsdale. The St Marys junior starts on Friday night following the departure of Albert-Jones, and the club has backed her potential by locking down McEwen until the end of 2027. White, who was the NSW under-19 fullback last year, has also been promoted to the Knights' top squad and has been rewarded for some strong performances on the wing as a development player last season with a starting spot there for round one. Cross-code success stories probably don't come any better than that of Young Matildas captain-turned-NRLW tryscoring machine Sheridan Gallagher. The crossover from rugby union to rugby league seems an easier transition than the jump from soccer. But, Gallagher has proven an exceptional rugby league winger in just two seasons, scoring 16 tries in 19 games to be the Knights' leading tryscorer both campaigns. This year, after spending the NRLW off-season playing A-League with the Newcastle Jets, the 23-year-old is looking to be even more lethal. Tenika Willison's leap from rugby sevens has been equally impressive. The 2020 Olympic gold medallist was a late addition to the Knights squad in 2024. She joined the club from the Paris Olympics, where she was part of New Zealand's gold medal-winning rugby sevens campaign, and launched her rugby league career in sensational fashion by scoring on debut in round four. The athletic outside back retained her starting spot on the wing for the rest of the season, scoring four tries in seven appearances, producing two try assists and averaging 109 running metres per game before being named Knights' Rookie of the Year. Jeffries reckons there is plenty more to come from the Kiwi this year. The 27-year-old comes in with a full NRLW pre-season under her belt and has been shifted to the centres for round one. Expect to see more of Grace Kukutai in her second season in an NRLW environment. The Kiwi is another multi-code talent and made three appearances in NRLW last year, being concussed in a crunching tackle by Jillaroos prop Millie Elliott on debut in round one, and spent most of the season helping the Knights' reserve-grade team make the NSW Premiership grand final. The super fit 28-year-old played Super Rugby with Willison for Chiefs Manawa in the off-season and has an elite netball background. Last year, Kukutai played in the back row. This year, she shifts to a middle forward position and has been named on the bench against the Bulldogs. The addition of two more teams is going to make competition for top-six positions fierce. There will be no room for slip-ups. Consistency, squad depth and fitness are going to be key. Jeffries has put the Knights through a gruelling pre-season, saying: "It's obvious the game is getting faster, so you've got to be fitter." "We're pretty optimistic around what we can and can't do," Jeffries said as pre-season kicked off in May. "We haven't talked about it too much, but just understanding when you look at our group, there's people who have played Origin. There's back-to-back premiership winners. There's gold-medal winners. There's players that have played 19s Origin, so that's why we're quite optimistic. "We're not going to say we're going to win the comp and things like that. That's not how it works. We understand there's a lot of hard work to be done from them. "It's just a transition phase. We're not rebuilding. We're bringing our young ones through. Their time will come and they'll be projected into the spotlight when they're ready. "But the way they've come back through pre-season ... they're hungry to succeed." The hard work showed in a 20-12 trial win over Canberra in Cessnock on June 15 but Newcastle's performance on Friday night could prove more telling. There are six changes to the Knights' starting side from last year's semi-final loss to the Roosters. And three new faces on the bench. They were considered the team to beat entering the past two seasons, but how will a new-look Knights squad fare in an expanded 12-team competition in 2025? There is no denying the off-season losses have been big, most notably Dally M Medallist and two-time Karyn Murphy Medallist for player of the grand final Tamika Upton, and a wealth of experience has moved on. Coach Ben Jeffries, in his second year at the helm, looks to have turned to mostly untapped talent and home-grown prospects this campaign. They will be complemented by a core group of exceptional players, which includes prodigious halfback Jesse Southwell. Newcastle launch a new era against newcomers Canterbury Bulldogs at Accor Stadium on Friday night. In a short amount of time, the Knights have quickly become one of the competition heavyweights. After collecting the wooden spoon in their maiden campaign, they claimed grand final glory in 2022 with a host of high-profile signings. They backed it up in emphatic fashion in 2023, claiming the club's first NRLW minor title before defending their premiership crown. Last year, they had a huge target on their backs. They scraped into the top four after six wins and three losses and bowed out in the semi-finals to eventual champions the Sydney Roosters. This year, the competition expands from nine to 11 rounds with the additions of the Bulldogs and the New Zealand Warriors, and there will be a top-six finals series instead of top four. Upton is widely regarded as one of the best players in the women's game. The Queensland and Jillaroos fullback was at the heart of the Knights' back-to-back premiership double but was released at the end of last season on compassionate grounds. Also gone are former captain Hannah Southwell (St George Illawarra) and barnstorming forward Caitlan Johnston-Green (Cronulla), who have State of Origin and Jillaroos experience. The Knights also lost premiership-winning prop Rima Butler (Sydney Roosters), utility Nita Maynard (Dragons), second-rower Laishon Albert-Jones (New Zealand Warriors) and centre Abigail Roache (Queensland Cowboys). Premiership-winning middle forward and New Zealand international Tiana Davison returns to the Knights, where she played in 2022 and 2023, after winning last year's grand final with the Roosters. A bit-part player in her three NRLW seasons, the 24-year-old is aiming to cement a starting spot this campaign. Fullback Botille Vette-Walsh brings plenty of experience to the Knights. The New Zealand-born 28-year-old has played in NRLW since its inception. She has played at the Roosters, St George Illawarra, Parramatta and Wests Tigers and is a NSW and Australian representative. Other new faces include NSW under-19 representative lock Sienna Yeo, who was rookie of the year for NSW Women's Rugby League premiers Illawarra, and New Zealander Keighley Simpson, an outside back who played Super Rugby for Matatu. Joeli Morris returns to NRLW after a stand-out season in the Knights' second-tier NSW Premiership team last year and will start against the Bulldogs with Olivia Higgins out through suspension. She is widely regarded as the best second-rower in the women's game, and Cardiff South-raised Yasmin Clydsdale will captain her home-town team this year. The 31-year-old Scone-based school teacher has 39 NRLW appearances, and three premierships to her name, and leads by example. The NSW and Jillaroos forward is super fit, has an incredible work ethic and lifts those around her. Home-grown No.9 Higgins, also a NSW and Australian representative, New Zealand centre Shanice Parker and Gloucester-raised prop Tayla Predebon all have over 30 appearances in NRLW and are proven premiership-winners. Knights five-eighth Georgia Roche is an England international and will again form part of an experienced spine for Newcastle. She is only 20 years of age, but Jesse Southwell has long been earmarked for future greatness. And, the Kotara Bears junior showed why as she led NSW to a State of Origin triumph with stand-out performances throughout the three-match series in May. "We'll play a little bit differently this year, so I'm really happy with how she came back from Origin," Jeffries said. "She played with some real maturity and patience in that Origin space. I thought that was the best football I've ever seen her play." Knights pathways products Evah McEwen, Evie Jones and Lilly-Ann White all made their NRLW debuts last year, and Jules Kirkpatrick is set for hers in round one. "Going forward, there's going to be a lot more home-grown players coming through," Jeffries said. "This year, next year, the year after that and so forth. Someone like Evah McEwen ... I think you'll see a lot more of her. Then you've got Jules Kirkpatrick, Evie Jones, the Lilly Whites. They're all waiting to take their opportunities." There wasn't much McEwen didn't do in 2024. The 19-year-old was the Knights' Tarsha Gale (under 19s) player of the year, represented NSW in the under-19 State of Origin, made her NRLW debut, earned a call-up to the Samoan side and was nominated on the Golden Boot long list for international player of the year. But 2025 could prove even bigger for the powerful second-rower, who has been upgraded from development player to the top-24 roster and drawn plenty of similarities to Clydsdale. The St Marys junior starts on Friday night following the departure of Albert-Jones, and the club has backed her potential by locking down McEwen until the end of 2027. White, who was the NSW under-19 fullback last year, has also been promoted to the Knights' top squad and has been rewarded for some strong performances on the wing as a development player last season with a starting spot there for round one. Cross-code success stories probably don't come any better than that of Young Matildas captain-turned-NRLW tryscoring machine Sheridan Gallagher. The crossover from rugby union to rugby league seems an easier transition than the jump from soccer. But, Gallagher has proven an exceptional rugby league winger in just two seasons, scoring 16 tries in 19 games to be the Knights' leading tryscorer both campaigns. This year, after spending the NRLW off-season playing A-League with the Newcastle Jets, the 23-year-old is looking to be even more lethal. Tenika Willison's leap from rugby sevens has been equally impressive. The 2020 Olympic gold medallist was a late addition to the Knights squad in 2024. She joined the club from the Paris Olympics, where she was part of New Zealand's gold medal-winning rugby sevens campaign, and launched her rugby league career in sensational fashion by scoring on debut in round four. The athletic outside back retained her starting spot on the wing for the rest of the season, scoring four tries in seven appearances, producing two try assists and averaging 109 running metres per game before being named Knights' Rookie of the Year. Jeffries reckons there is plenty more to come from the Kiwi this year. The 27-year-old comes in with a full NRLW pre-season under her belt and has been shifted to the centres for round one. Expect to see more of Grace Kukutai in her second season in an NRLW environment. The Kiwi is another multi-code talent and made three appearances in NRLW last year, being concussed in a crunching tackle by Jillaroos prop Millie Elliott on debut in round one, and spent most of the season helping the Knights' reserve-grade team make the NSW Premiership grand final. The super fit 28-year-old played Super Rugby with Willison for Chiefs Manawa in the off-season and has an elite netball background. Last year, Kukutai played in the back row. This year, she shifts to a middle forward position and has been named on the bench against the Bulldogs. The addition of two more teams is going to make competition for top-six positions fierce. There will be no room for slip-ups. Consistency, squad depth and fitness are going to be key. Jeffries has put the Knights through a gruelling pre-season, saying: "It's obvious the game is getting faster, so you've got to be fitter." "We're pretty optimistic around what we can and can't do," Jeffries said as pre-season kicked off in May. "We haven't talked about it too much, but just understanding when you look at our group, there's people who have played Origin. There's back-to-back premiership winners. There's gold-medal winners. There's players that have played 19s Origin, so that's why we're quite optimistic. "We're not going to say we're going to win the comp and things like that. That's not how it works. We understand there's a lot of hard work to be done from them. "It's just a transition phase. We're not rebuilding. We're bringing our young ones through. Their time will come and they'll be projected into the spotlight when they're ready. "But the way they've come back through pre-season ... they're hungry to succeed." The hard work showed in a 20-12 trial win over Canberra in Cessnock on June 15 but Newcastle's performance on Friday night could prove more telling. There are six changes to the Knights' starting side from last year's semi-final loss to the Roosters. And three new faces on the bench. They were considered the team to beat entering the past two seasons, but how will a new-look Knights squad fare in an expanded 12-team competition in 2025? There is no denying the off-season losses have been big, most notably Dally M Medallist and two-time Karyn Murphy Medallist for player of the grand final Tamika Upton, and a wealth of experience has moved on. Coach Ben Jeffries, in his second year at the helm, looks to have turned to mostly untapped talent and home-grown prospects this campaign. They will be complemented by a core group of exceptional players, which includes prodigious halfback Jesse Southwell. Newcastle launch a new era against newcomers Canterbury Bulldogs at Accor Stadium on Friday night. In a short amount of time, the Knights have quickly become one of the competition heavyweights. After collecting the wooden spoon in their maiden campaign, they claimed grand final glory in 2022 with a host of high-profile signings. They backed it up in emphatic fashion in 2023, claiming the club's first NRLW minor title before defending their premiership crown. Last year, they had a huge target on their backs. They scraped into the top four after six wins and three losses and bowed out in the semi-finals to eventual champions the Sydney Roosters. This year, the competition expands from nine to 11 rounds with the additions of the Bulldogs and the New Zealand Warriors, and there will be a top-six finals series instead of top four. Upton is widely regarded as one of the best players in the women's game. The Queensland and Jillaroos fullback was at the heart of the Knights' back-to-back premiership double but was released at the end of last season on compassionate grounds. Also gone are former captain Hannah Southwell (St George Illawarra) and barnstorming forward Caitlan Johnston-Green (Cronulla), who have State of Origin and Jillaroos experience. The Knights also lost premiership-winning prop Rima Butler (Sydney Roosters), utility Nita Maynard (Dragons), second-rower Laishon Albert-Jones (New Zealand Warriors) and centre Abigail Roache (Queensland Cowboys). Premiership-winning middle forward and New Zealand international Tiana Davison returns to the Knights, where she played in 2022 and 2023, after winning last year's grand final with the Roosters. A bit-part player in her three NRLW seasons, the 24-year-old is aiming to cement a starting spot this campaign. Fullback Botille Vette-Walsh brings plenty of experience to the Knights. The New Zealand-born 28-year-old has played in NRLW since its inception. She has played at the Roosters, St George Illawarra, Parramatta and Wests Tigers and is a NSW and Australian representative. Other new faces include NSW under-19 representative lock Sienna Yeo, who was rookie of the year for NSW Women's Rugby League premiers Illawarra, and New Zealander Keighley Simpson, an outside back who played Super Rugby for Matatu. Joeli Morris returns to NRLW after a stand-out season in the Knights' second-tier NSW Premiership team last year and will start against the Bulldogs with Olivia Higgins out through suspension. She is widely regarded as the best second-rower in the women's game, and Cardiff South-raised Yasmin Clydsdale will captain her home-town team this year. The 31-year-old Scone-based school teacher has 39 NRLW appearances, and three premierships to her name, and leads by example. The NSW and Jillaroos forward is super fit, has an incredible work ethic and lifts those around her. Home-grown No.9 Higgins, also a NSW and Australian representative, New Zealand centre Shanice Parker and Gloucester-raised prop Tayla Predebon all have over 30 appearances in NRLW and are proven premiership-winners. Knights five-eighth Georgia Roche is an England international and will again form part of an experienced spine for Newcastle. She is only 20 years of age, but Jesse Southwell has long been earmarked for future greatness. And, the Kotara Bears junior showed why as she led NSW to a State of Origin triumph with stand-out performances throughout the three-match series in May. "We'll play a little bit differently this year, so I'm really happy with how she came back from Origin," Jeffries said. "She played with some real maturity and patience in that Origin space. I thought that was the best football I've ever seen her play." Knights pathways products Evah McEwen, Evie Jones and Lilly-Ann White all made their NRLW debuts last year, and Jules Kirkpatrick is set for hers in round one. "Going forward, there's going to be a lot more home-grown players coming through," Jeffries said. "This year, next year, the year after that and so forth. Someone like Evah McEwen ... I think you'll see a lot more of her. Then you've got Jules Kirkpatrick, Evie Jones, the Lilly Whites. They're all waiting to take their opportunities." There wasn't much McEwen didn't do in 2024. The 19-year-old was the Knights' Tarsha Gale (under 19s) player of the year, represented NSW in the under-19 State of Origin, made her NRLW debut, earned a call-up to the Samoan side and was nominated on the Golden Boot long list for international player of the year. But 2025 could prove even bigger for the powerful second-rower, who has been upgraded from development player to the top-24 roster and drawn plenty of similarities to Clydsdale. The St Marys junior starts on Friday night following the departure of Albert-Jones, and the club has backed her potential by locking down McEwen until the end of 2027. White, who was the NSW under-19 fullback last year, has also been promoted to the Knights' top squad and has been rewarded for some strong performances on the wing as a development player last season with a starting spot there for round one. Cross-code success stories probably don't come any better than that of Young Matildas captain-turned-NRLW tryscoring machine Sheridan Gallagher. The crossover from rugby union to rugby league seems an easier transition than the jump from soccer. But, Gallagher has proven an exceptional rugby league winger in just two seasons, scoring 16 tries in 19 games to be the Knights' leading tryscorer both campaigns. This year, after spending the NRLW off-season playing A-League with the Newcastle Jets, the 23-year-old is looking to be even more lethal. Tenika Willison's leap from rugby sevens has been equally impressive. The 2020 Olympic gold medallist was a late addition to the Knights squad in 2024. She joined the club from the Paris Olympics, where she was part of New Zealand's gold medal-winning rugby sevens campaign, and launched her rugby league career in sensational fashion by scoring on debut in round four. The athletic outside back retained her starting spot on the wing for the rest of the season, scoring four tries in seven appearances, producing two try assists and averaging 109 running metres per game before being named Knights' Rookie of the Year. Jeffries reckons there is plenty more to come from the Kiwi this year. The 27-year-old comes in with a full NRLW pre-season under her belt and has been shifted to the centres for round one. Expect to see more of Grace Kukutai in her second season in an NRLW environment. The Kiwi is another multi-code talent and made three appearances in NRLW last year, being concussed in a crunching tackle by Jillaroos prop Millie Elliott on debut in round one, and spent most of the season helping the Knights' reserve-grade team make the NSW Premiership grand final. The super fit 28-year-old played Super Rugby with Willison for Chiefs Manawa in the off-season and has an elite netball background. Last year, Kukutai played in the back row. This year, she shifts to a middle forward position and has been named on the bench against the Bulldogs. The addition of two more teams is going to make competition for top-six positions fierce. There will be no room for slip-ups. Consistency, squad depth and fitness are going to be key. Jeffries has put the Knights through a gruelling pre-season, saying: "It's obvious the game is getting faster, so you've got to be fitter." "We're pretty optimistic around what we can and can't do," Jeffries said as pre-season kicked off in May. "We haven't talked about it too much, but just understanding when you look at our group, there's people who have played Origin. There's back-to-back premiership winners. There's gold-medal winners. There's players that have played 19s Origin, so that's why we're quite optimistic. "We're not going to say we're going to win the comp and things like that. That's not how it works. We understand there's a lot of hard work to be done from them. "It's just a transition phase. We're not rebuilding. We're bringing our young ones through. Their time will come and they'll be projected into the spotlight when they're ready. "But the way they've come back through pre-season ... they're hungry to succeed." The hard work showed in a 20-12 trial win over Canberra in Cessnock on June 15 but Newcastle's performance on Friday night could prove more telling. There are six changes to the Knights' starting side from last year's semi-final loss to the Roosters. And three new faces on the bench. They were considered the team to beat entering the past two seasons, but how will a new-look Knights squad fare in an expanded 12-team competition in 2025? There is no denying the off-season losses have been big, most notably Dally M Medallist and two-time Karyn Murphy Medallist for player of the grand final Tamika Upton, and a wealth of experience has moved on. Coach Ben Jeffries, in his second year at the helm, looks to have turned to mostly untapped talent and home-grown prospects this campaign. They will be complemented by a core group of exceptional players, which includes prodigious halfback Jesse Southwell. Newcastle launch a new era against newcomers Canterbury Bulldogs at Accor Stadium on Friday night. In a short amount of time, the Knights have quickly become one of the competition heavyweights. After collecting the wooden spoon in their maiden campaign, they claimed grand final glory in 2022 with a host of high-profile signings. They backed it up in emphatic fashion in 2023, claiming the club's first NRLW minor title before defending their premiership crown. Last year, they had a huge target on their backs. They scraped into the top four after six wins and three losses and bowed out in the semi-finals to eventual champions the Sydney Roosters. This year, the competition expands from nine to 11 rounds with the additions of the Bulldogs and the New Zealand Warriors, and there will be a top-six finals series instead of top four. Upton is widely regarded as one of the best players in the women's game. The Queensland and Jillaroos fullback was at the heart of the Knights' back-to-back premiership double but was released at the end of last season on compassionate grounds. Also gone are former captain Hannah Southwell (St George Illawarra) and barnstorming forward Caitlan Johnston-Green (Cronulla), who have State of Origin and Jillaroos experience. The Knights also lost premiership-winning prop Rima Butler (Sydney Roosters), utility Nita Maynard (Dragons), second-rower Laishon Albert-Jones (New Zealand Warriors) and centre Abigail Roache (Queensland Cowboys). Premiership-winning middle forward and New Zealand international Tiana Davison returns to the Knights, where she played in 2022 and 2023, after winning last year's grand final with the Roosters. A bit-part player in her three NRLW seasons, the 24-year-old is aiming to cement a starting spot this campaign. Fullback Botille Vette-Walsh brings plenty of experience to the Knights. The New Zealand-born 28-year-old has played in NRLW since its inception. She has played at the Roosters, St George Illawarra, Parramatta and Wests Tigers and is a NSW and Australian representative. Other new faces include NSW under-19 representative lock Sienna Yeo, who was rookie of the year for NSW Women's Rugby League premiers Illawarra, and New Zealander Keighley Simpson, an outside back who played Super Rugby for Matatu. Joeli Morris returns to NRLW after a stand-out season in the Knights' second-tier NSW Premiership team last year and will start against the Bulldogs with Olivia Higgins out through suspension. She is widely regarded as the best second-rower in the women's game, and Cardiff South-raised Yasmin Clydsdale will captain her home-town team this year. The 31-year-old Scone-based school teacher has 39 NRLW appearances, and three premierships to her name, and leads by example. The NSW and Jillaroos forward is super fit, has an incredible work ethic and lifts those around her. Home-grown No.9 Higgins, also a NSW and Australian representative, New Zealand centre Shanice Parker and Gloucester-raised prop Tayla Predebon all have over 30 appearances in NRLW and are proven premiership-winners. Knights five-eighth Georgia Roche is an England international and will again form part of an experienced spine for Newcastle. She is only 20 years of age, but Jesse Southwell has long been earmarked for future greatness. And, the Kotara Bears junior showed why as she led NSW to a State of Origin triumph with stand-out performances throughout the three-match series in May. "We'll play a little bit differently this year, so I'm really happy with how she came back from Origin," Jeffries said. "She played with some real maturity and patience in that Origin space. I thought that was the best football I've ever seen her play." Knights pathways products Evah McEwen, Evie Jones and Lilly-Ann White all made their NRLW debuts last year, and Jules Kirkpatrick is set for hers in round one. "Going forward, there's going to be a lot more home-grown players coming through," Jeffries said. "This year, next year, the year after that and so forth. Someone like Evah McEwen ... I think you'll see a lot more of her. Then you've got Jules Kirkpatrick, Evie Jones, the Lilly Whites. They're all waiting to take their opportunities." There wasn't much McEwen didn't do in 2024. The 19-year-old was the Knights' Tarsha Gale (under 19s) player of the year, represented NSW in the under-19 State of Origin, made her NRLW debut, earned a call-up to the Samoan side and was nominated on the Golden Boot long list for international player of the year. But 2025 could prove even bigger for the powerful second-rower, who has been upgraded from development player to the top-24 roster and drawn plenty of similarities to Clydsdale. The St Marys junior starts on Friday night following the departure of Albert-Jones, and the club has backed her potential by locking down McEwen until the end of 2027. White, who was the NSW under-19 fullback last year, has also been promoted to the Knights' top squad and has been rewarded for some strong performances on the wing as a development player last season with a starting spot there for round one. Cross-code success stories probably don't come any better than that of Young Matildas captain-turned-NRLW tryscoring machine Sheridan Gallagher. The crossover from rugby union to rugby league seems an easier transition than the jump from soccer. But, Gallagher has proven an exceptional rugby league winger in just two seasons, scoring 16 tries in 19 games to be the Knights' leading tryscorer both campaigns. This year, after spending the NRLW off-season playing A-League with the Newcastle Jets, the 23-year-old is looking to be even more lethal. Tenika Willison's leap from rugby sevens has been equally impressive. The 2020 Olympic gold medallist was a late addition to the Knights squad in 2024. She joined the club from the Paris Olympics, where she was part of New Zealand's gold medal-winning rugby sevens campaign, and launched her rugby league career in sensational fashion by scoring on debut in round four. The athletic outside back retained her starting spot on the wing for the rest of the season, scoring four tries in seven appearances, producing two try assists and averaging 109 running metres per game before being named Knights' Rookie of the Year. Jeffries reckons there is plenty more to come from the Kiwi this year. The 27-year-old comes in with a full NRLW pre-season under her belt and has been shifted to the centres for round one. Expect to see more of Grace Kukutai in her second season in an NRLW environment. The Kiwi is another multi-code talent and made three appearances in NRLW last year, being concussed in a crunching tackle by Jillaroos prop Millie Elliott on debut in round one, and spent most of the season helping the Knights' reserve-grade team make the NSW Premiership grand final. The super fit 28-year-old played Super Rugby with Willison for Chiefs Manawa in the off-season and has an elite netball background. Last year, Kukutai played in the back row. This year, she shifts to a middle forward position and has been named on the bench against the Bulldogs. The addition of two more teams is going to make competition for top-six positions fierce. There will be no room for slip-ups. Consistency, squad depth and fitness are going to be key. Jeffries has put the Knights through a gruelling pre-season, saying: "It's obvious the game is getting faster, so you've got to be fitter." "We're pretty optimistic around what we can and can't do," Jeffries said as pre-season kicked off in May. "We haven't talked about it too much, but just understanding when you look at our group, there's people who have played Origin. There's back-to-back premiership winners. There's gold-medal winners. There's players that have played 19s Origin, so that's why we're quite optimistic. "We're not going to say we're going to win the comp and things like that. That's not how it works. We understand there's a lot of hard work to be done from them. "It's just a transition phase. We're not rebuilding. We're bringing our young ones through. Their time will come and they'll be projected into the spotlight when they're ready. "But the way they've come back through pre-season ... they're hungry to succeed." The hard work showed in a 20-12 trial win over Canberra in Cessnock on June 15 but Newcastle's performance on Friday night could prove more telling. There are six changes to the Knights' starting side from last year's semi-final loss to the Roosters. And three new faces on the bench.

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