Ward Among Five More NRLW

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Allo

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Ward Among Five More NRLW

Tue 11 Jun 2019, 02:02 PM

The Brisbane Broncos have added five more elite players to their NRLW squad for the 2019 season.

Centres Meg Ward and Amber Pilley as well as lock Rona Peters all return after starring in the Broncos’ 2018 Premiership victory, while exciting talents Tarryn Aiken and Amber Hall will be given their first taste of NRLW.

Aiken is a skilful and speedy young half from Tweed Heads who played for South East Queensland at the recent National Championships played, as well as being a former Australian Touch Football representative.

Hall is a blockbusting and creative front or back rower who has represented the Kiwi Ferns

Ward, Pilley and Peters were last week named in the Queensland squad for the Women’s State Of Origin to be played at North Sydney Oval on June 21.

Tough-as-teak Ward said re-signing with the Broncos had capped off a huge week, after she had fought her way back to fitness in the wake of surgery to repair a ruptured and slipped disc in her back at the end of last year.

“I’m stoked and really excited – there’s no other club I’d rather play for and really grateful that I got this opportunity” said Ward.

“It was a challenging injury for me but I think anyone who plays contact sport faces injuries through their careers so that was just my challenge … I’ve bounced back and played five or six games now and had no issues.

“So I’m just ready to get back out there and put on the Broncos colours and play footy again.

“It only feels like yesterday (that we won the grand final), I think every morning you wake up and pinch yourself that we were fortunate enough to get the win on the day.

“To be a part of that group last year was really special and I’m really looking forward to taking off from where we left off.

“A lot of people saw last year how strong women’s football is and got really excited about what’s to come, so I think that we’ll get some new fans this year jump on board.”


The Broncos have now announced nine of their 22-player squad for 2019, after last week’s news that Captain and halfback Ali Brigginshaw, fullback Chelsea Baker, and props Heather Ballinger and Steph Hancock had all re-committed to the Club.

All those four have also been named in the Queensland squad for the Women’s State Of Origin later this month.

Expect more player signing announcements over the coming weeks, ahead of the Broncos beginning their NRLW pre-season in August, and the competition kick-off in the second week of September.

Broncos 2019 NRLW Squad

Tarryn Aiken

Chelsea Baker

Heather Ballinger

Ali Brigginshaw

Amber Hall

Steph Hancock

Rona Peters

Amber Pilley

Meg Ward

Source: https://www.broncos.com.au/news/2019/06/11/ward-among-five-more-nrlw/
 
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Sounds like we're going to have another pretty formidable squad.

Let's go back-to-back.
 
Sounds like we're going to have another pretty formidable squad.

Let's go back-to-back.

I worked a rough squad out under the new cap in the first signing thread and we’ll keep about 85% of last year’s squad if they want to come back. Breayley, Robinson, Arakua and Fotu-Moala are must resigns imo. That’s the bulk of the starting 13 sorted then.

Btw been thinking it may be beneficial so it doesn’t get lost amongst all the other threads if the staff wanted to combine it all into a megathread or another sub-forum seeing as the season is still months away. Can host live game threads and the like there too. Be it either in BB talk or just the general rugby league talk
 
Adding here as no one else seems to really care so I won’t make a new thread

Brander Joins Broncos In Huge NRLW Signing

broncos.com.au
Thu 13 Jun 2019, 08:31 AM

The Brisbane Broncos have delivered a NRLW recruitment coup with Jillaroo star Annette Brander signing on for the 2019 season.

Brander, who carries an NRL Marquee Contract, played for St George Dragons in the inaugural NRLW competition last season but has chosen to return to her home state with the defending premiers in 2019.

Named last week in the Queensland squad for the Women’s State Of Origin to be played at North Sydney Oval on June 21, Brander brings footwork, skill and toughness as well as vast experience at the top level.


The Caboolture product made her debut for Queensland in 2014, the same year she debuted for the Jillaroos as part of the team's first Auckland Nines appearance – and she has been part of Australian national squad ever since.

“I’m super excited to be part of the Broncos this year – I’m a local girl so it’s really exciting,” said Brander.

“I had a good opportunity with the Dragons last year and I’m grateful for that but I’m a Brisbane girl ... so it was the right decision to stay in my lifestyle and have a really good balance.

“I’ve got a lot of really good mates in the Broncos teams so I’m excited to be able to play with them – the Broncos are a team I’ve followed for a while so I’m looking forward to being a part of it.

Brander becomes the 10th player to be named a Bronco for the 2019 NRLW season, with the 22-player squad quickly falling into place.

 
Dragons have signed Breayley, Nati, Feterika AND Fotu-Moala

No back-to-back with those four gone
 
I think this is going to be a nature of this competition. It is a bit like the IPL, you aren't developing players, they're not yours, they go back to their club but for a month you need to make some good calls and have a good set up.

The high rotation of players from year to year will continue because girls leave, have families or retire and you just need to be smart with your team and who you want and don't want to have.
 
Dragons have signed Breayley, Nati, Feterika AND Fotu-Moala

No back-to-back with those four gone

I can live with losing Nati, Feterika and Fotu-Moala but Breayley is a huge blow.

She was pivotal in our success last year. Her speed out of dummy half allowed us to play a high uptempo game which the opposition just couldn't defend against.
 
I can live with losing Nati, Feterika and Fotu-Moala but Breayley is a huge blow.

She was pivotal in our success last year. Her speed out of dummy half allowed us to play a high uptempo game which the opposition just couldn't defend against.
I am actually more pissed off about this then any recent men's team squad losses/non signings. I mean ffs, we have 10x the money of the dragons, there is no monetary salary cap in the women's game. Why the **** couldn't we just offer her more than the dragons did. We finally get a chance to actually flex our financial muscle before the nrl finds a way to shut down that loop hole too to make it "fair" so the roosters can win and we fucking don't. Really pisses me off, even if its the women's league it gave us a chance to say "**** you, we are bigger than you", and we **** it up...
 
I am actually more pissed off about this then any recent men's team squad losses/non signings. I mean ffs, we have 10x the money of the dragons, there is no monetary salary cap in the women's game. Why the **** couldn't we just offer her more than the dragons did. We finally get a chance to actually flex our financial muscle before the nrl finds a way to shut down that loop hole too to make it "fair" so the roosters can win and we fucking don't. Really pisses me off, even if its the women's league it gave us a chance to say "**** you, we are bigger than you", and we **** it up...

Because this is the whole clubs mantra for years. Who gives a **** about on field performance it's all about financial performance.
 
Conspiracy theory hat: The NRL wants to share success around to each club. The Dragons winning the premiership and being more competitive will see the competition grow so they got those 4 players to agree to going to the Dragons. Not that the NRL care about the women's comp at all, just that they can get some Lefty mileage in the media.
 
More signings today

Robinson 😍 stays on and is racing to recover from her busted leg, Lenarduzzi re-signs too, Elliston who debuted in Origin off the bench has signed, Lavinia Gould (she wore headgear and played 14 last season) is back again and Rosemary Vaimili-Toalepai, who played wing in the U18’s Qld side.

Tallisha Harden meanwhile signs with the Roosters, along with Hannah Southwell from the Dragons. Kelly, Sims, Maynard, Foliaki, Brown, Taufa, Stowers, Corban McGregor, Temara (plus others) all sign on with the Roosters again

 
What about Cody House?

I'm no expert on women's league, just take an interest in it - nothing suss haha.

We have 7 spots left, and Kody hasn't really put herself forward in her notable appearances for Qld and NRLW last season. She played in the National Championships and didn't make the QLD squad this season that seemingly rewarded form with Elliston, Stitt, Mooka, Hoepper and Turner all getting debuts or squad selection whereas House, Storch and Temara were excluded (Revell-Blair went back to play 18's). No idea how she's going for Brothers. Played centre in the playoff for the Country side for the National Champs

Losing Harden, Fotu-Moala and Feterika has opened up some spots potentially, and she's local so I don't see her going anywhere else with no guaranteed spot. Just depends if we offer her a contract I suppose.
 
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Aruka to the dragons as well... At first I though wtf are the broncos doing but the nrl have their fingerprints all over this... The nrl should try visiting brisbane sometime and talking to people about what sport they follow these days. Continously "evening" the competition by holding back the most popular team in the nrl because its not fair for those tiny sydney clubs is going to create a lot of issues for them soon....
Either that or all these players hate the new coach (?). There's no way we lose 5 players to money, not just because of the clubs wealth but also because they get paid so little already anyway so a pay rise would be nothing for an organisation the size of the broncos. Not even our club would be that stupid....
 
Jillaroo Gray and Olympic star Turner join Broncos

The Brisbane Broncos have added Jillaroo star Tazmin Gray and Olympic rugby sevens gold medallist Amy Turner to the club’s NRLW squad for the 2019 season.

Talented young back Taylor Mapusua, part of last year’s Premiership-winning Broncos squad, has also been re-signed

Queenslander Gray enjoyed a stellar season in 2018, leading the Sydney Roosters to a spot in the inaugural NRLW Grand Final and being selected for the Jillaroos in the end-of-season Test win over New Zealand.

The backrower continued that form into 2019, performing strongly for Queensland in last months’ State Of Origin clash and scoring the Maroons’ only try with some nice footwork close to the line.

Turner brings a wealth of experience from rugby sevens, where she debuted for Australia in 2013 before going on to win a historic gold medal at the Rio Olympics.

The strong, fast and skilful utility has made a successful switch to rugby league, also being named in the Queensland team for the State of Origin at North Sydney Oval.

Gray said she was pleased to be returning home to play with a host of Queensland players she knows well, as well as being close to her family and children.

“I enjoyed my time at the Roosters, but I had to base my decisions around my family because they are what make me play my best football, as well as being able to play with some of the best players in the game,” said Gray.

“Most of my best memories have been made with these girls and it’s an honour to be able to play alongside them at the Broncos.

“I feel really confident in the team that we have and if we back each other then we can go out and produce some really good results.”

The Broncos have now announced 18 of their 22-player squad, with the final recruits to be revealed in coming days, ahead of the Broncos beginning their NRLW pre-season in August, and the competition kick-off in the second week of September.


Broncos 2019 NRLW Squad
Tarryn Aiken

Chelsea Baker

Heather Ballinger

Annette Brander

Ali Brigginshaw

Jessika Elliston

Lavinia Gould

Tazmin Gray

Amber Hall

Steph Hancock

Chelsea Lenarduzzi

Taylor Mapusua

Rona Peters

Amber Pilley

Julia Robinson

Amy Turner

Rosemary Vaimili Toalepai

Meg Ward
 
The Brisbane Broncos have added rising State of Origin star Millie Boyle to their NRLW squad for the 2019 season, alongside premiership winner Mariah Storch and young speedster Tamika Upton.

Boyle, a powerful prop forward who played in the winning New South Wales Origin team last month and is also a current Australian Rugby Union Wallaroo backrower, joins Australian Jillaroo forwards Annette Brander and Tazmin Gray, and Olympic rugby sevens gold medallist Amy Turner as the Broncos’ biggest new signings for 2019.

The quartet join established Broncos premiership stars Ali Brigginshaw, Chelsea Baker, Meg Ward, Julia Robinson, Heather Ballinger, Steph Hancock, Amber Pilley, Rona Peters, Chelsea Lenarduzzi, Lavinia Gould and Storch – who have all returned to defend the title.

Utility Storch re-signs after playing an important impact role in the premiership win with her hard running and tough defence, while former Australian touch football representative Upton brings speed, agility and a great passing game.

Boyle, 21, vice-captained the Wallaroos and was one of Australia’s best in Saturday’s 34-5 win over Japan in the season-opening Test in Newcastle. Earlier this year, she played a full season of Super Rugby at lock for Queensland, alongside Turner and Gould.

All three will be finished their rugby duties in time to begin preseason with the Broncos next month, leading into the NRLW competition kick-off in the second week of September.

“We’ll now get down to the hard work of the pre-season and making sure all the boxes are ticked both on and off the field leading into Round 1.”
Tain Drinkwater
CEO Broncos NRLW

Gold Coaster Boyle was a standout playing in the front row for South-East Queensland at the Harvey Norman National Women's Championships last month, prompting her debut selection for New South Wales, having played rugby league growing up with Bermagui-Cobargo Eels in country NSW.

She has a strong family connection to the game, with her father David Boyle having played 117 games for the Canberra Raiders and 56 for the Bradford Bulls in the English Super League, her uncle is stalwart Raiders centre Jason Croker, while her brother Morgan has played 30 NRL games for Manly and previous club Gold Coast Titans.

Broncos NRLW CEO Tain Drinkwater said the club’s 2019 squad had the perfect blend of experience, athleticism and excitement.

“We have kept the core of our successful team from last season and added a mix of top-level players in Annette Brander, Tazmin Gray, Millie Boyle and Amy Turner who bring great athleticism and skill to our squad,” said Drinkwater.

“Broncos fans should be really excited about the team who will run out in our colours in 2019 – we are very happy with the combination of talent, experience and attitude across the group.

Broncos 2019 NRLW Squad
Tarryn Aiken

Chelsea Baker

Heather Ballinger

Millie Boyle

Annette Brander

Ali Brigginshaw

Jessika Elliston

Lavinia Gould

Tazmin Gray

Amber Hall

Steph Hancock

Chelsea Lenarduzzi

Taylor Mapusua

Rona Peters

Amber Pilley

Julia Robinson

Mariah Storch

Amy Turner

Tamika Upton

Rosemary Vaimili Toalepai

Meg Ward


Great signing. Millie was awesome in Origin this season.
 

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