Australian Women’s National Championship

[Dunbar]

I see that the Women’s National Championship is underway in Australia.  A quick scan of the team lists show that some of the players are affiliated to NRLW squads but I cannot see any of the star names from these sides listed.

Can anyone give a quick overview of the Women’s National Championship and where it fits into the women's pyramid in Australia.  Thanks.

[unapologetic pedant]

There are a couple of threads somewhere on here where previous tournaments were discussed contemporaneously. From memory -

The first incarnations in 2018/19 featured 6 teams - NSW City and Country, QLD City and Country, ADF, and Combined Affiliated States. No restrictions on selection.

Since then, annual and multiple adjustments to format and selection criteria. Split between open-age and under-19s, separate teams for Vic, WA, NT, SA, Indigenous, last year a team from NZ.

Effectively now a talent Identification exercise.

This year - 12 teams, no under-19s, NZ return, PNG and Fiji added (funded by Fed gov), tournament brought forward from May to March, NSW Country players chosen from early-season Country Championships. Not sure about NSW City and the QLD squads. This is the pertinent criterion -

"Players cannot have played more than 2 NRLW games and they cannot hold a current NRLW contract or development player contract"

[Futtocks]

4 hours ago, unapologetic pedant said:

There are a couple of threads somewhere on here where previous tournaments were discussed contemporaneously. From memory -

The first incarnations in 2018/19 featured 6 teams - NSW City and Country, QLD City and Country, ADF, and Combined Affiliated States. No restrictions on selection.

Since then, annual and multiple adjustments to format and selection criteria. Split between open-age and under-19s, separate teams for Vic, WA, NT, SA, Indigenous, last year a team from NZ.

Effectively now a talent Identification exercise.

This year - 12 teams, no under-19s, NZ return, PNG and Fiji added (funded by Fed gov), tournament brought forward from May to March, NSW Country players chosen from early-season Country Championships. Not sure about NSW City and the QLD squads. This is the pertinent criterion -

"Players cannot have played more than 2 NRLW games and they cannot hold a current NRLW contract or development player contract"

There are also guest players, looking to get noticed. There's a Canadian and an American playing this year, at least. Maybe more.

I need to catch up on watching the games.

[unapologetic pedant]

1 minute ago, Futtocks said:

There are also guest players, looking to get noticed. There's a Canadian and an American playing this year, at least. Maybe more.

I need to catch up on watching the games.

Give a quick steer regarding those two on the basis of what I've seen -

Marcaya Bailous has barely played League. Just the London 9s, AFAIK. Raw talent. Error-prone. Positionally naive. Bit of a loose cannon. 

Megan Pakulis is a different matter. Already a genuine League talent. Not really a discovery for the Combine. Played for Canada Ravens in the 2017 and 2022 RLWCs. NRLW? Still only 27, so who knows?

[Farmduck]

4 hours ago, unapologetic pedant said:

 

"Players cannot have played more than 2 NRLW games and they cannot hold a current NRLW contract or development player contract"

So basically it's a series of trial games for NRLW contracts. Good idea. Tough format though - 4 rounds of 80-minute games played over 5 days.

[unapologetic pedant]

1 hour ago, Farmduck said:

So basically it's a series of trial games for NRLW contracts. Good idea. Tough format though - 4 rounds of 80-minute games played over 5 days.

Halves are 20 minutes.

[unapologetic pedant]

On 25/03/2024 at 18:53, Futtocks said:

I need to catch up on watching the games.

Standout on paper was NSW City v QLD Sapphires. Reality was decidedly ordinary. Nothing like the standard of previous years, opens or 19s.

Weather didn't help. Bit dark over Bill's mother's the whole week in the Sunshine State.

[BroncoFan]

I watched most of the games, my main interest was to see how Megan Pakulis got on.

I was pleased with her performances although she did look fatigued by day 3 and 4 pro because she played for different teams.

I hope she gets an NRLW contract but if not I believe she would go to WSL where she would be one of the top players.

[unapologetic pedant]

Fiji were the most attractive team. Dynamic with multiple offloads. Good to see refs not calling upright completions prematurely.

Really depressing that whenever I detect an instinct to pass out of the tackle, I immediately assume the players must have a RU background. Unthinkable 30 years ago. Illustrates how we've lost our way since the introduction of the 10m offside rule. 

Last week also underlined the folly of changing from scrum to PTB after the ball crosses the touch-line. A feature of RL at this level is greater willingness of wingers to take chances on the outside. NRL coaches and media might call it naive, but it's great to watch. When the defender prevails, takes her opponent over and out, should mean her team can put on a scrum play from the restart. Instead, we now get a pedestrian one-out hit-up from a static midfield PTB.