NRLW Recruitment & Retention Thread

There's a clear top two out of the gun players off contract I'd be keen on.

Elsie Albert is the obvious one.

The other is Evania Pelite. I think she's the rare rep player who's a bit undervalued, and the Titans salary cap is likely a bit stretched fitting all their rep players in. I'm assuming Abigail Roache is going to go to the Warriors also - Pelite could take her spot and that gives us one of the best yardage workers in the comp at left centre. The women's game is already moving away from simply a game of who has the best pack and towards centres & wingers being more and more important in getting sets rolling. She'd add a lot for us.
 
Kukutai looked very strong in reserves at prop.
I'd like to see her back in firsts at prop to see if she has added fitness and strength, or if she is just able to bully reserve grade players.
 
There's a clear top two out of the gun players off contract I'd be keen on.

Elsie Albert is the obvious one.

The other is Evania Pelite. I think she's the rare rep player who's a bit undervalued, and the Titans salary cap is likely a bit stretched fitting all their rep players in. I'm assuming Abigail Roache is going to go to the Warriors also - Pelite could take her spot and that gives us one of the best yardage workers in the comp at left centre. The women's game is already moving away from simply a game of who has the best pack and towards centres & wingers being more and more important in getting sets rolling. She'd add a lot for us.
Both those players would be brilliant additions
 
See Tazmin Rapana is listed as off contract from this season, She was very strong last yr, havent seen a loot of her in a powerful Broncos team, very good a breaking the line though. along with McEwen and Kirkpatrick would be a good impact forwards and add with experience
 
I notice all our Development players - McKewn, White, Ollerton, Ahsam and also Fane Finau are now listed as having NRLW contracts next year.

Kukutai and Waterman are both listed as Mutual Options for next year.

Shanice Parker, Rima Butler and Nita Maynard are not signed yet.

At this point we have for 2025

1 Upton
2 Gallagher
3 Finau
4 Willison
5 Lilly White
6 Roche
7 Southwell
8 Karpani
9 Higgins
10 Predebon
11 Clydsdale
12 McKewn
13 Southwell

14 Jones
15 Tinoa
16 Romaniuk
17 Carter

18 Kirkpatrick
19 Ollerton
20 Ahsam

Unsigned

Herdegan
Kukutai
Waterman
Butler
Parker
Maynard

Leaving
Johnston - Sharks
Roache - Warriors
Albert-Jones - Warriors
 
Roache hasn’t been confirmed anywhere yet but the poster on here who seems to be in the know hinted she was off to the Cowboys.

Would be shocked if Parker goes and I think Butler is sticking around as well. Jeffries said Jones is the plan in the #14 jersey for the next few years so pretty good indication that Maynard won’t be back.
 
Ahsam's profile says she is still 18.
I looked at her career in Qld juniors and thought she must have aged out, so be early 20s.
Impressive for an 18 year old prop.
 
Haven’t seen full games but Waterman has been standing out in the highlight videos with some impressive plays. She moves well for someone with her frame and has some ability. Looked a bit lost when being thrown into NRLW in round 1 but could be worth sticking with her for another year if she’s adjusting. Remember saying the same about Whitfeld after her few rough games fresh out of rugby 7s, a season of HNWP later she was the best winger in the comp.
 
Leah Ollerton is an interesting one.
She has mostly played off the bench as hooker, with 3 or 4 starting games, in HVN cup.
She is equal top try scorer for the season and looks very snappy out of dummy half.
Only 62kg.
She is listed in the NRLW squad next year.
Sounds like a Nita Maynard replacement.
 
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Article on who could be going next year. Says Roache is believed to be off to the Cowboys as Summah alluded to a while ago.

Mentions Butler, Maynard and Parker as being off-contract but Jeffries mentions Parker as a leader for the developing young players coming through so doesn't sound like she's going anywhere.
 
Elizabeth Montgomery might be an option next year.

She came into Tarsha Gale in round 2 as a late inclusion on the bench in jersey 29.
She was in and out for a few rounds, but in round 6 she was starting prop and stayed starting prop till the Grandfinal.
She wasn't in reserve grade in the early rounds, but finished the season and looked good in the Grandfinal.
She appears to have got a lot fitter and stronger over the season.
There is no profile for her, but I suspect she might be another 18 year old in her first year of Tarsha Gale and has trained really hard to go from not picked in round 1 of Gale to play in 2 grandfinals.

Just don't google her - unless you want to see 1000 photos of Sam from Bewitched.
 
I think Willerson can go well at centre if Finau is a little green. But Finau is definitely the project player for Parker's position eventually.

Really like what I see out of Ollerton, Kirkpatrick and Kukutai in reserve grade GF. Unsure if Kukutai is staying for next year, she looked to have missed home a lot and McEwen is already a genuine 17 player for next season.

We still need a damaging prop, none raise they're hands in CUP. I really think club needs to go all out in finding someone like, for like for CJ, even if its outside of League.

Still seems difficult to get players to come to club and stay. Junior recruitment will need to be around damaging ball runners with a mix of already established strong league players in Summer Dowell and Emily McArthur in LF Cup
 
Announced departing players from the NRLW awards night

Jacinta Carter
Nita Maynard
Abigail Roache
Rima Butler
Laishon Albert-Jones
Caitlan Johnston
 
No mention of Parker, Herdegen, Leati (all off-contract), Kukutai or Waterman (options). Leati missed the whole season and was replaced in the squad so she may just already be considered gone and therefore not mentioned, but I assume the rest will be back.
 
As it stands, updated with the info from Summah in the other thread

1. Tamika Upton
2. Sheridan Gallagher / Tenika Willison
3. Shanice Parker*
4. Tenika Willison / Sheridan Gallagher
5. Lilly-Ann White
6. Georgia Roche
7. Jesse Southwell
8. Tayla Predebon
9. Olivia Higgins
10. Simone Karpani
11. Evah McEwen
12. Yasmin Clydsdale
13. Hannah Southwell

14. Evie Jones
15. Kayla Romaniuk
16. Viena Tinao
17. Jules Kirkpatrick

18. Leah Ollerton
19. Leilani Ahsam

*Unconfirmed

Development players
Fane Finau
Mercedes Taulelei-Siala
 
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Article about Matilda Jones being player of the year in the Newcastle comp and still wanting to play NRLW.
I always found it hard to tell Matilda and Evie apart. They look alike and play alike and Matilda is only a year older than Evie. I think Matilda played a game or two of reserve grade this year and had at least 2 years of Tarsha Gale.
 
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