A new star has arrived in the NRLW.

Knights recruit Sidney Taylor, one of the many women who crossed from rugby sevens to the NRLW this year, had a stellar debut as Newcastle defeated Cronulla 18-4 in the first game of the season on Thursday night.

Sidney Taylor. NRL Imagery

The former Australian rugby sevens star had a huge impact at right centre, churning out a match-high 183 run metres from 16 carries and setting up a try as Newcastle took down Cronulla at Shark Park.

Shanice Parker chalked up the first try of the season – and Taylor set it up.

The 23-year-old scooted onto a Kirra Dibb cut-out ball, hit the accelerator, drew Sharks winger Cassie Staples to create an overlap, and dished off the ball to Parker, who dived and scored in the 10th minute.

Knights hooker Olivia Higgins is in awe of Taylor’s attacking threat.

“She’s a natural ball-runner, as you can see, but she’s an absolute weapon. She’s taken to the game really well,” Higgins said on Nine’s post-game show.

“And we knew that with Shanice moving to the wing as well, I think they complement each other so good.

“She [Taylor] looks very dangerous. Very impressed with her.”

Taylor jumped from rugby sevens to league via the 15-woman code.

She debuted for the Wallaroos against Fiji in Canberra in May, before arriving at the Knights for a crack at the NRLW.

She was a reserve for the Australian rugby sevens team at the Paris 2024 Olympics.

She returned home with her sights set on becoming a mainstay of the Australian sevens team – but suffered an ACL rupture.

Taylor and Sharks recruit Madison Ashby were sevens teammates in the Australian set-up. They shared a warm embrace at full-time on Thursday night.

Dibb, Newcastle’s five-eighth, said Taylor had made a striking impression since arriving in the Hunter.

“We’ve been watching her all pre-season, and she earned that jersey above and beyond,” Dibb said on Nine’s post-match show.

“And I think she showed tonight that she really deserved that jersey and what she’s going to do for our game.”

Parker, Fane Finau and Simone Karpani bagged tries for Newcastle on Thursday night, while Rhiannon Byes was Cronulla’s sole try-scorer.