Michaela Brake will play for the Warriors in the NRLW. Photo / Photosport
Michaela Brake will play for the Warriors in the NRLW. Photo / Photosport
Opinion by Alice Soper
Alice Soper is a sports columnist for the Herald on Sunday. A former provincial rugby player and current club coach, she has a particular interest in telling stories of the emerging world of women's sports.
The Warriors women’s team returns to the NRLW after five years, starting their fourth season.
The team includes former Black Ferns and sevens stars, highlighting rugby league’s growing appeal.
The NRLW’s popularity has surged, with increased wages and viewership, positioning the Warriors as contenders.
When the Warriors women’s team take the field next weekend in the NRLW, they have a chance to seize the public’s attention and become the biggest thing in New Zealand women’s sports.
It’s been five years since the Warriors played in this competition and a lot has changedin the sporting landscape since this team last ran out at Mt Smart Stadium – for the women and the game at large. There’s been a lot that’s changed for the women in the team, too.
When the NRWL first launched, it was hot on the heels of the 2017 Women’s Rugby League World Cup. The Kiwi Ferns had recently been defeated by the Aussie Jillaroos, 23-16, and the Warriors were quick to express their interest to take part in the inaugural season. Eighteen of the first women to wear the Warriors jersey were past or current Kiwi Ferns. Fast forward to 2025, and just six have made the cut.
Their New Zealand teammates are sprinkled across the competition. Six based at the Canberra Raiders, four at the Brisbane Broncos, three with the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs and Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks. Of the 12 teams, only the Parramatta Eels are without a capped Kiwi Fern. This shows not having a home team hasn’t stopped our homegrown talent from chasing opportunity. It has helped to establish this competition into the drawcard it is today.
Georgia Hale on the charge in the Warriors most recent NRLW campaign. Photo / Photosport
This growth in popularity has seen the steady trickle of converts from rugby union and sevens to rugby league. Among the debutants for this year’s Warriors are former Black Fern Patricia Maliepo and Black Ferns sevens stars Micheala Brake, Tysha Ikenasio and Shakira Baker. The latter is joined by Hurricanes Poua teammates Payton Takimoana and Kalyn Takitimu-Cook. It’s hard to keep up with all the XVs converts running out in the NRLW this year – I lose track after 20.
When you look at the wages on offer, it’s easy to see why. This season the minimum wage per player is $41,800. A far cry from the $3000 paid in the inaugural season and double what Super Rugby Aupiki players currently earn. This minimum wage will increase again next year and in 2027, at which point it will overtake the lowest retainer the Black Ferns currently offer.
Wages are one thing, but crowds are another. While New Zealand Rugby has failed to capitalise on the momentum created by the last Rugby World Cup, rugby league has been steadily increasing their fan base. The Women’s State of Origin launched at the same time as the NRWL. Rebranding the Women’s Interstate Challenge, it has grown from one match to a three-match series. The audience attendance has grown alongside the action, increasing by more than 280% since its first match in 2018. Meanwhile, NRLW had a TV viewership of 8 million last season.
Back home in New Zealand, there has been a growing love affair with the 13-player game. A ticket to a Warriors match is now the hottest thing in town. Culminating in a record sellout of all 10 home games last season. While they may have missed some of the momentum in the intermediary years during which their women’s team has been sidelined, they are reintroducing them at a perfect time. If they allocate the same energy to their women’s side as they have their men’s, this team could be the biggest in New Zealand women’s sports.
It was a different sporting world that last saw the New Zealand Warriors women play. One that was yet to grasp the full potential of our women’s sports audiences. One that undervalued the talent of our athletes. One that was yet to take rugby league seriously. They re-enter the competition now as genuine contenders. Not just for a championship but for establishing a loyal fan base that will carry women in league to a whole other level. All the key elements are now in place, so it’s just a matter of faith.
