Warriors keen on women’s NRL
The National Rugby League have confirmed a women’s premiership will be launched next year and the Warriors want in on the proposed sixteam competition.
NRL chief executive Todd Greenberg confirmed said the competition will feature double headers played in the lead-up to and during the NRL finals.
Plans were also unveiled for New Zealand to host a test against the Australian Jillaroos and a women’s State of Origin match to take place during the stand-alone representative weekend.
The Warriors are understood to be among 14 NRL clubs to have expressed interest in fielding a women’s team, with an announcement due in the new year regarding which clubs have been granted entry to the competition.
Warriors chief executive Cameron George has been in contact with the NRL and is awaiting feedback about the criteria and funding plans.
“It would be fantastic for the Warriors to be a part of a women’s competition,” said George.
“It would be fantastic for our fan base, for our corporate partnerships, the club in general, and it would be great for rugby league in New Zealand.
“I’ve contacted the NRL to understand more about what a proposed competition would be like and I’m just waiting on their feedback. Once I understand what that is, we can then give it serious consideration.”
Greenberg also announced that 40 Australian players will be offered Jillaroos contracts which would include match payments but it remains unclear what plans there are to cater for New Zealand-based players.
Sydney’s Daily Telegraph reported the NRL are considering the option of drafting players for a range of
It would be fantastic for the Warriors to be a part of a women’s competition. It would be fantastic for our fan base, for our corporate partnerships, the club in general, and it would be great for rugby league in New Zealand. Warriors boss Cameron George
reasons, such as preventing the Warriors from fielding a team made up of the Kiwi Ferns or the Broncos from entering a side dominated by Queensland players.
It was also reported the $3.75 million allocated to the women’s game for the next three years under the Collective Bargaining Agreement will go towards player payments.
George believes the Warriors deserve some financial assistance from the game’s governing body due to the success and prominence of the Kiwi Ferns in helping grow the women’s game and to help with logistical costs and the payment of players.
“I think we’re entitled to some assistance for sure because New Zealand are a major part of the rugby league landscape and we drove that through our NRL participation,” he said. “And to enable us to participate in it would be great for the growth of the game for both genders.
“But we haven’t even seen what the commercial opportunities are with the competition, so is it going to be televised, are the broadcasts going to be a part of the broadcast deal or is it an additional discussion?
“There’s all those sort of things but we’d be very excited to be a part of it.”