Kiwi-NRLWahine Round Rima Preview
Another round of NRLWahine means more the learn and fresh developments like NZRL Women's Premiership. Now is a great time to tap into grassroots rugby league and there will be local wahine footy nuggets sprinkled among the weekly NRLWahine yarns. The theme of 2022 NRLWahine has been learning as each week as thrown up new Kiwi-NRL folks in a World Cup year.
Learning about Tiana Raftstrand-Smith, Destiny Brill and Leianne Tufuga has also thrown up a wide range of international eligibility situations. We will find greater clarity when the World Cup rolls around and as bits of clarity emerge, this will be a space to track and update. A lovely example popped up this week as Raecene and Page McGregor are named to face off against each other, with Page throwing herself into Kiwi Ferns contention.
Both were born and raised in Australia. Raecene is a hearty Kiwi Ferns trooper and among the better NRLWahine halves. Her Roosters are 5th (2-2), while Page is starting at centre for Dragons who sit 1st via points difference. Dragons and Amber Hall's Broncos are both 3-1, which suggests that Page and winger Madison Bartlett start as favourites. Dragons defeated Knights 40-4 last week, with their NRLWahine duo scoring tries and there is a chance that the McGregor battle goes down on the same edge this round.
Alongside Raecene in the Roosters team are Tufuga and Mya Hill-Moana. Roosters defeated Eels last week with Raecene grabbing her first try assist of the campaign while Page is among the best with 3 try assists. Tufuga is 25th for Post Contact Metres, behind Annetta Nu'uausala (19th) and Amber Hall (6th); Tufuga is a winger though.
Titans snared an epic win over Broncos last round, now in a tricky battle with Roosters and Eels to seal finals footy spots (top-four). Knights are yet to win a game which is a bummer as they roll out the most Kiwi-NRL players each week in NRLWahine. The positive for Katelyn Vaha'akolo, Autumn Rain Stephens-Daly, Krystal Rota, Charntay Poko, Charlotte Scanlan, Ngatokotoru Arakua, Maitua Feterika and Nu'uausala is that they can stack up game time at the NRLWahine level.
No Georiga Hale for Titans this week and Raftstrand-Smith shifted from centre to edge forward vs Broncos, named to start on an edge again this week. Kimiora Breayley-Nati starts in the halves and middle forward Brill continues to impress, a spot behind Tufuga for PCM (26th). There may be a Titans wave building here and form suggests they should be too good for Knights; a Titans wave will feature increased Kiwi-NRL mahi or the Aotearoa Knights will raise their mana and lead their team to upset win.
Broncos have named Hall on an edge and Lavinia Gould is promoted to start in the middle after an energetic 41mins off the bench last round. They come up against Eels who have Nita Maynard starting at hooker, while Jocephy Daniels drops out of her starting centre role again. Daniels started the first three games at centre which becomes two games outside the top-17.
Two games in the Women's Premiership this weekend, both games in Auckland. Saturday has Counties Manukau vs Canterbury, Sunday as Akarana vs Mid Central. The Counties team appears to feature Teuila Fotu-Moala and at the time of writing their team hadn't been named, so fingers crossed folks get to see Fotu-Moala on the park most weeks. Another notable name is Kanyon Paul in Akarana's squad as she was previously with Warriors NRLWahine and has played at a high level in both codes.
We'll keep learning as no notable names pop out in the Mid Central squad, while Canterbury's team hasn't been named yet. Apparently Bunty Crowe, Dayna Napa, Sailiai Pau and Sui Pauaraisa were named in the Kiwi Ferns wider training squad late last year so keep an eye out for them.
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Peace and love.