Suddenly, the usual formidable teams of the past have a new challenge on their hands.<\/p>\n
![](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/poster-fallback.png\"\/)
<\/p>\n
While the ever-successful Broncos edged past the Roosters in the Grand Final last year, Brisbane have lost stars like Gayle Broughton & Mele Hufanga to the Warriors (although have picked up a handy signing in former Knight, and star half, Jesse Southwell!) <\/p>\n
The Tricolours meanwhile boast many of the biggest names in the game, as well as former Golden Boot winner, Tarryn Aiken, who is returning from injury after missing last year\u2019s finals. <\/p>\n
But can the Warriors make the most of the Wahs\u2019 wave of support, and talent, to make themselves a genuine premiership threat? <\/p>\n
Can a new look Sharks, still led by NRLW great, Tiana Penitani Gray, take their game up to a new level? <\/p>\n
Will rugby union recruit Teagan Levi, and strike weapon Jaime Chapman, have the Titans vying for the top of the ladder?<\/p>\n
Or will a surprise contender emerge?<\/p>\n
Read on for our NRLW Expert Predictions for the 2026 season!<\/p>\n
Predicting the Premier<\/p>\n
Women\u2019s Rugby League icon and pioneer, Tarsha Gale, remains steadfast in her tip. <\/p>\n
\u201cI can\u2019t see anybody getting on top of the Roosters.\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey have very few roster changes. \u2018Strangey\u2019 (John Strange) is one of the best coaches in the business. At least seven of those starting players have been involved in Origin camp under Strangey, so they\u2019ve got those extra few months together gelling. I know it\u2019s boring, but full credit, he\u2019s got it, he\u2019s amassed a great pack, and they love him too, they really respect him.\u201d <\/p>\n
Gale does believe, however, that the finals will feature different teams this season.<\/p>\n
\u201cHaving said that, I see Parramatta playing finals footy this year. They are a genuine smokey and will be better than last year, with the outstanding Keilee Joseph joining the Eels,\u201d Gale continued.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd the Warriors will be the biggest improvers. The defending champs, (Broncos), may drop out of the top four, and this year\u2019s Tigers will climb off the bottom of the ladder.\u201d<\/p>\n
Former Australian captain and Qld coach, Tahnee Norris, also sees New Zealand as a threat to the Roosters in the run for the title.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Warriors will go really close. I think they\u2019ve done a really good job with their team, but it\u2019s out of the top three between the Warriors, Broncos and Roosters for sure,\u201d Norris opined.<\/p>\n
Brigginshaw steps down as captain | 08:39<\/p>\n
Player to watch<\/p>\n
Norris says the New Zealand roster will feature heavily in the players to watch this season, with some obvious standouts:<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m really looking forward to seeing some quality signings from the Warriors and how that all comes together, especially how Patricia Maliepo and Gayle Broughton combine together. I think that\u2019s going to be a pretty good attacking weapon that they\u2019ve got going there,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Gale believes it\u2019s the Gold Coast Titans that have a young star on their hands.<\/p>\n
\u201cI would say look out for Indie Bostock and her move under Karen Murphy, because I know Karen Murphy really, really well, and what she brings for these young player,\u201d she said<\/p>\n
\u201cI know Chantay Kiria-Ratu is no longer with the Titans, but she came through the Titans system under somebody like Karen Murphy, and I just know that Karen will be really good at bringing the best out of Indie. <\/p>\n
\u201cIt will also be interesting to see how quickly Teagan Levi adjusts to NRLW. We know the Sevens stars bring with them a supreme level of fitness.\u201d<\/p>\n
Gale will also be watching the Warriors star rugby recruit Stacey Waaka.<\/p>\n
\u201cStacey Waaka is excellent. Great to have her back in the NRLW! She will be a try scoring machine. If they put Waaka playing outside Mele Hufanga that will be a huge threat.\u201d <\/p>\n
Titans recruit Indie Bostock is being a tipped to enjoy a breakout season at her new club.Source: Supplied<\/p>\n
Dally M Player of the year<\/p>\n
Tarsha Gale believes the Broncos star signing will take home the big honour this year.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s Jesse Southwell\u2019s time,\u201d Gale said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe sky is the limit with Southwell this season, with the likes of Ali Brigginshaw there to guide her game even further.\u201d<\/p>\n
While Norris predicts a familiar face for the award to be standing on the podium. <\/p>\n
\u201cTamika Upton is always a good choice if she can stay fit for the whole year and injury free. I think she\u2019ll go really close,\u201d Norris said.<\/p>\n
\u201cHowever, it\u2019ll be interesting to see how that Warriors program is, but there\u2019s a couple of key players in there that might put their hand up and be close to getting the award as well.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Superstar player movements to rival teams set up this premiership race to be more intriguing than ever before.…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":506469,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[111,139,69,213],"class_list":["post-506468","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-sports","tag-new-zealand","tag-newzealand","tag-nz","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/506468","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=506468"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/506468\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/506469"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=506468"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=506468"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=506468"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}