Rival NRLW captains believe the introduction of the competition’s first Magic Round in Newcastle this weekend is evidence of the rapid growth of the women’s game.
With the NRLW having expanded to 12 teams in its eighth season, all six matches will be played at McDonald Jones Stadium on Saturday and Sunday to enable fans to watch the biggest stars in the world’s best women’s contact sporting competition at one venue.
For players involved in the inaugural season of the NRLW in 2018, which featured just four teams and seven matches, the first Magic Round is proof of how far the game has come since the 2017 World Cup.
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“In 2017, the NRLW didn’t exist so to fast forward to now, in 2025, and to be able to say that we’ve got our own Magic Round is something really special,” Penitani Gray said after Cronulla’s 20-16 defeat of Wests Tigers on Sunday night.
It’s a credit to all of the women that play the game where the game’s at now, and to all of the talent that’s coming through.
“For us to have our own Magic Round up in Newcastle is really exciting. We can’t wait to face off with the Broncos in Newcastle.”
Brigginshaw, the Broncos captain, has witnessed firsthand the massive growth of the game since debuting for the Jillaroos in 2009.
“You see the fans come out and they just want to watch footy, so I am excited for everyone to come to Newcastle. We have got the Sharks so that will be a huge match up for us,” Brigginshaw said.
Apps, the Wests Tigers skipper, was inspired to play after Australia’s 2013 World Cup triumph and the duo combined with Kelly, the 2024 Roosters premiership winning captain, and Penitani Grey to help Australia to World Cup glory in 2022.
Hale and Nicholls, who played in the first season of the NRLW for the Warriors, have been mainstays of the Kiwi Ferns.
“It’s amazing and I think it’s been a long time coming,” Hale, the Titans captain, told NRL.com.
To have six games, with the quality of where our game is right now, across the weekend is amazing.
“Hopefully we get a bit of a contingent coming down from the Gold Coast. It’s going to be a great weekend, and I am looking forward to crossing paths with those Kiwi Ferns girls over the course of the weekend and supporting them from afar.”
Nicholls, the Warriors captain, added: “I think it’s a great event, not just for us players, but for all the families that will be bringing in a lot of daughters and sons. They’ll be able to see what their future could look like so that’s something to look forward to”.
Titans captain Georgia Hale and Warriors counterpart Apii Nicholls were foundation members of the club’s inaugural NRLW team in 2018.
©Anthony Kourembanas/NRL Photos
The Warriors meet the Cowboys on Sunday, before the Knights take on the Raiders and the Eels face the Dragons in the final match of Magic Round.
On Saturday, the Titans kick off the round against the Bulldogs before Wests Tigers play the Roosters and Broncos clash with the Sharks.
“To be able to play in our own first ever Magic Round will be special for the women’s game and hopefully we get a lot of fans who travel and come up to Newy to watch all women’s games all weekend,” Apps said. “It’ll be a great buzz, and I can’t wait to rip in.”
Kelly said the unbeaten NRLW ladder leaders were also looking forward to their clash with the Tigers.
Sydney Roosters captain Isabelle Kelly and her Knights counterpart Yasmin Clydsdale at the launch of NRLW Magic Round in Newcastle.
©NRL Photos
“It’s really exciting. Newcastle, they love their rugby league and to have all the women’s games there, it’s going to put on a good show, definitely,” Kelly said.
“I’m looking forward to it. I think coming off the win for us this week and a lot of things we’ve got to look back on, I’m hoping that we can perform to the standard that we know we can.”
Warriors coach Ron Griffiths, who guided the Knights to back-to-back premierships in 2022 and 2023, said Newcastle was an ideal location for the NRLW Magic Round.
“I know what Newcastle’s like, I know what the crowd will be like there. It’ll be fantastic,” he said.
“The NRLW game has got to be authentic and unique, but I feel like following the path of the men with the Magic Round is the right thing to do.
“I just think it’s an opportunity for the community, the players to immerse themselves in the culture of rugby league in a blue collar, hardworking rugby league town, and I’m, really looking forward to it.”