Defending Prime Ministers Sydney Roosters will begin their title defense against the Eels on August 20 after the 2022 NRL Telstra Women’s Premiership draw was released on Friday.
The packed schedule, which will run alongside the final rounds of the NRL Telstra Premiership and final series, will include prime-time Sunday night football, two club double-headers and a stand-alone triple header at Central Coast Stadium.
New-look rosters take on Parramatta, whom they defeated by field goal in March, before clashing with the Broncos in a round two semifinal rematch at Redcliffe’s Moreton Daily Stadium, which will host the 2021 NRLW Grand Final.
The Tricolors have lost several players from last season’s Premiership campaign, including captain Corban Baxter (pregnancy) and Newcastle-bound forwards Hannah Southwell, Yasmin Clydsdale and Olivia Higgins.
In return, they recruited Sam Bremner, Titans couple Destiny Brill, Shaniah Power and former knight Jayme Fressard, while Chante Temara, Zahara’s younger sister, also signed with the club after a broken hand earlier this year.
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In arguably the opening round match, Brisbane travels to McDonald Jones Stadium to face the Knights, who will be supported by former Broncos stars Millie Boyle and Tamika Upton.
Newcastle, which has undergone the league’s biggest team overhaul since the end of the season in March, will host the Broncos for their clashes with the Titans, Eels, Roosters and Dragons.
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St George Illawarra and Gold Coast open their campaigns at the WIN Stadium on 21 August in their own semi-final rematch.
The Dragons, who were second last season, will meet the Eels in round two before taking on the Roosters in a grand final rematch at Leichhardt Oval on September 4.
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The Titans, under new coach Karyn Murphy, will face the Broncos in the Queensland derby in round three at the Moreton Daily Stadium.
In other major attractions;
- The Titans and Knights will be part of a double-header with the men’s teams at Cbus Super Stadium on August 28
- The date and time of all three rounds of the four matches are yet to be confirmed to align with the men’s final matches
- A standalone NRLW triple header will take place at Central Coast Stadium on September 18 to conclude the regular season
The NRL Telstra Women’s Premiership 2022 will be its fifth season since its inception in 2018.
Current champions the Roosters have eliminated the 2021 competition after the postponement due to last year’s COVID-19 pandemic. Previous winners before that have been the Broncos, who have won three consecutive titles.
NRLW clubs locked up 22 of their 24 player squads and the remaining two players must be signed by August 1. The selections start in mid-July with the preparation of the season.
To see the full 2022 NRLW draw, Click here.
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