2023 NRLWahine: Newcastle Knights Celebrate + Final Round Preview
Defending NRLW champions Newcastle Knights have sealed the top spot in this season's NRLW after defeating Tigers on Thursday night. Knights are now on 16 points with a 8-1 record while Roosters and Titans are next on the ladder with 12 points (6-2). Broncos and Raiders are both on 10 points (5-3) ahead of their games this weekend, offering a funky battle between teams with the most wahine from Aotearoa.
Knights didn't need many Aotearoa wahine to win NRLW last season. Shanice Parker was the only NRLWahine in the team that won the 2022 Grand Final and she then opted to represent Aotearoa Kiwi Ferns at the World Cup. Knights added veteran Kiwi Ferns dummy half Nita Maynard, as well as signing Abigail Roache and Laishon Albert-Jones.
All four played for Kiwi Ferns prior to this NRLW season with Knights. Parker was a funky Aussie addition and Maynard has now played 14 Tests for Aotearoa. Albert-Jones was selected for Kiwi Ferns from local footy in Aotearoa and her World Cup mahi then led to a gig with Mounties in the NSW Women's Premiership. This featured a move from the halves to the forwards, with Albert-Jones playing as a middle forward in a 1-0 win for Mounties over Bulldogs in the NSW Women's Premiership Grand Final.
Albert-Jones started at lock for game tahi of NRLW, before a shift to the bench for three games and then starting at edge forward in the last four games. One of those edge forward games saw Albert-Jones play 55 minutes and she is now on run of three games playing the full 70mins.
Roache was selected for the Kiwi Ferns World Cup squad from local footy and she quickly settled as one of the best new Kiwi Ferns in the tournament. Then Roache played for Chiefs Manawa in Super Rugby Aupiki before linking up with Knights where she has played all nine games at centre along with Parker. The best team in NRLW has two Kiwi Ferns playing centre in every game, as well as Albert-Jones playing eight games and Maynard chiming in off the bench in all nine games.
Roosters host Cowboys on Saturday night and they should seal their finals spot against a Cowboys team that is stuck down the bottom of the ladder. Cowboys are also missing their only NRLWahine Autumn-Rain Stephens-Daly which is a bummer. Teuila Fotu-Moala is named to start at prop with Otesa Pule on an edge and Mya Hill-Moana bumped back to the bench. This flows on to Amelia Pasikala who has slid back to the extended bench.
Dragons host Broncos which is all about Broncos trying to grab a finals spot. Dragons don't have Alexis Tauaneai as they try and spoil the Broncos plans, although Cortez Te Pou, Tyla Nathan-Wong, Raecene McGregor and Roxy Murdoch are all named. With Annetta Nu'uausala suspended for this game, former Black Fern Tafito Lafaele is promoted to starting prop alongside Kiwi Fern Brianna Clark.
Lafaele had her first game with over 100 running metres in last round's win over Tigers and she has made 29 tackles in three games with just one missed tackle. 96.6% tackling and 84m/game in her first dose of NRLWahine footy is a fabulous start to rugby league for Lafaele. Gayle Broughton and Lavinia Gould return for Broncos, joining Mele Hufanga who is again named at centre.
Eels vs Sharks won't impact finals footy as Eels are 10th (1-7) and Sharks are level with Dragons (3-5). Noaria Kapua keeps her bench spot for Eels and Annessa Biddle is joined by Harata Butler in the Sharks team. This game is the early Sunday fixture before Raiders host Titans with Raiders trying to crack finals footy, currently fifth with the same 5-3 record as Broncos.
Raiders have their full crew of NRLWahine with Apii Nicholls, Madison Bartlett, Cheyelle Robins-Reti and Mackenzie Wiki filling four of the five outside back slots. Kerehitina Matua is named on the bench again and she is likely to play edge forward when she enters the game, usually forming a dynamic combo with Wiki on the Raiders right edge.
Titans have Niall Williams-Guthrie who will probably line up on the same edge as Robins-Reti and Bartlett. Centre is the deepest position in NRLWahine this season with the Williams-Guthrie vs Robins-Reti battle a highlight of this round, especially as they are having excellent campaigns in their first taste of NRLW.
Georgia Hale is in the middle for Raiders as usual. Hale now has 373 tackles and three missed tackles for 99.2% efficiency, maintaining her best season running the footy with 102m/game.
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Peace and love.