The NRLW could expand again as early as next year after the NRL asked clubs to submit expressions of interest in fielding a team.
In an email to club CEOs two weeks ago, the NRL said they were accepting proposals for admission into the NRLW, which grew to a 10-team competition this year after the addition of four new teams, and asked clubs to identify their preferred year of entry.
The Newcastle Knights celebrate their 2022 Premiership win.Credit: Getty
“As we continue to focus on growing the game and providing further opportunities for NRL Clubs to participate in the competition, the ARLC have approved the opening of the 2023 NRLW Request for Proposal process for admission into the NRLW competition,” the email read.
“You will note that we are requesting Clubs identify their preferred year of entry with consideration of proposals for entry from 2024. It is important to emphasise that any decision on when to expand, the number of teams and future scheduling are still to be determined by the ARLC.”
“We acknowledge the timeline is accelerated, however we are keen to gain an understanding of your preparedness which will assist in ensuring the overarching whole of game women’s strategy is aligned for the next growth phase.”
Australian Rugby League Commission chairman Peter V’landys said the sport’s governing body would wait until the end of the 2023 season before deciding when to expand.
“We wanted to wait till the end of this season to see how we went with the 10 teams, but we’re very excited about the NRLW and we want it to continue to grow, and we believe that we can get the pool of players even expanding next year,” V’landys said.
Australian Rugby League Commission chairman Peter V’landys.Credit: Getty
The seven clubs without an NRLW team – Canterbury, South Sydney, Penrith, Melbourne, Manly, NZ Warriors and the Dolphins – held discussions last week to determine which were best placed to enter the women’s competition the soonest.
South Sydney chief executive Blake Solly said the Rabbitohs were eager to form an NRLW team and had submitted in expressions of interest on two other occasions, but were leaning towards 2025 or 2026.
The NRLW began in four-team format in 2018 before expanding to six teams in 2021. Four more were added this year.
The Cowboys NRLW team have won just two games so far.Credit: Getty
But there are questions about whether the competition’s talent pool is deep enough to keep pace with the current rate of expansion.
The Sharks, Cowboys and Tigers have all won just two games in their first year in the competition, while last year’s grand finalists, Parramatta, are poised to take the wooden spoon after winning just one game with two rounds left before finals.
But V’landys said he was impressed with quality of the competition in 2023, and he believed expansion sides would source talent from new areas.
“When you have a demand, the supply will come. We want to grow the women’s game, full stop,” V’landys said.
“The standard of the game, the ability of the players is extraordinary, they’ve gone to another level, and we want to continue that.”
Panthers chief executive Brian Fletcher said the club was “keen to go”, but were eyeing a 2026 entrance into the competition once upgrades at BlueBet Stadium were complete.
“We’ve had to delay [an NRLW team] because we’re doing up our stadium in 2025, so we wouldn’t have the facilities to play here, and we wanted to build in that complex some new facilities for the ladies as well, so they have the same facilities as the men,” Fletcher said.
“We’ve indicated to the NRL, we’re keen to go, we’d love to have one tomorrow, but we just haven’t got the facilities with the stadium being pulled down and refurbished.”
Stream the NRL Premiership 2023 live and free on 9Now.
Sports news, results and expert commentary. Sign up for our Sport newsletter.
