LeagueNews.co | Cooper McEnroe
Andrew Abdo, the NRL boss, believes it is premature to determine if the NRLW has become unbalanced, despite the competition entering finals with two dominant frontrunners.
Brisbane veteran Ali Brigginshaw proposed increasing squad sizes as a strategy to maintain competitiveness among all 12 teams during the season. This suggestion comes just before a finals series where the Broncos and Sydney Roosters are anticipated to meet in the grand final.
The Roosters and Broncos finished significantly ahead of the other four finalists-Newcastle, North Queensland, Cronulla, and Gold Coast-following the league's first regular season after expansion from 10 to 12 teams.
Entering the finals with an impressive 17-game winning streak, the Roosters remain undefeated since August 2024. They dealt the Broncos their only loss in a close match, winning 30-26 in round three.
Both teams have secured a spot in the preliminary finals, having earned first-week byes in a newly structured six-team, three-week finals series, inching closer to a third grand final matchup.
While the Roosters boast a roster filled with representative talent, they will be missing Maroons and Jillaroos half Tarryn Aiken during the finals. Meanwhile, the already strong Broncos welcomed star fullback Tamika Upton this season; she currently leads the league with 18 tries in 11 games.
Newcastle, coming in third, is seen as a $26 outsider by most bookmakers. Reports have also surfaced this season about NSW halfback and Newcastle native Jesse Southwell possibly moving to Brisbane.
Despite these discussions, NRL CEO Abdo emphasized that it's too early to declare the competition too top-heavy following the addition of the Bulldogs and Warriors this season.