Titans NRLW team and 2022 Draw

[lonegull]

How good is destiny brill tackling technique also her passing from dummy half is as good as any nrl player

[DIEHARD]

Roosters v Titans: Baxter eyes return; Clark out
https://www.nrl.com/news/2022/03/01/...-set-to-start/

The Roosters and Titans meet for the first time in Sunday's triple-header at WIN Stadium and both teams need a win after opening round losses last weekend in Newcastle.

Ball control was an issue for both sides in their season openers and with a wet forecast predicted on Sunday, whoever can complete their sets will go a long way to winning the game.

Roosters coach John Strange has been forced to make a few changes following last Sunday's 20-4 loss to the Broncos but his key stars still remain.

Titans coach Jamie Feeney has also made some subtle changes to the team which lost 20-12 to the Dragons in their first NRLW match.

Roosters: Winger Claire Reed is a late withdrawal, causing a reshuffle with Yasmin Meakes shifting to the wing and Sarah Togatuki to the back row. Maori All Stars prop Mya Hill-Moana comes into the side for her NRLW debut.

A new-look halves pairing with Raecene McGregor promoted from the bench to take over at halfback. Jocelyn Kelleher switches to five-eighth and last week's No.7 Zahara Temara goes to the bench.

Skipper Corban Baxter has been named among the reserves after she was a late withdrawal in round one due to a positive COVID-19 test and remains a chance to be a late inclusion.

Hannah Southwell is available to play after receiving an official warning but no suspension for a dangerous contact charge on Broncos five-eighth Tarryn Aiken.

Titans: Maroons representative Brianna Clark comes out of the side with April Ngatupuna called in for her maiden NRLW game off the bench.

Jillaroos dual World Cup winning prop Steph Hancock will start in the front row while coach Jamie Feeney has called in Indigenous All Stars centre Jasmine Peters in a minor backline reshuffle.

With Peters in the centres, Lauren Dam shifts out to the wing in place of Jetaya Faifua.

Feeney has again named Kiwi Ferns star Georgia Hale on the interchange and Destiny Brill at hooker but they swapped places before kick-off in last Sunday’s 20-12 loss to St George Illawarra and may do so again.

Senior Review Official: Chris Butler
Last updated: 06:26 pm Saturday 5th March 2022

Key match-up
Hannah Southwell v Georgia Hale: The battle between the NSW Origin lock, Southwell, and the Kiwi veteran, Hale, promises to be one to keep an eye on.

Both players are renowned for their defensive grit, footy smarts and leadership, while they are also among the game's high achievers - Southwell being the RLPA's 2020 player of the year and becoming the first female player appointed to the RLPA board, while Hale is a former Warriors captain and the 2020 Veronica White Medallist for her off-field work.

Stat attack
Titans fullback Evania Pelite ran a game high 172 metres in 14 carries of the ball against the Dragons and will be a player the Roosters need to keep an eye on after also finishing with a line-break and five tackle breaks. In comparison, Roosters fullback Brydie Parker - deputing for Corban Baxter - carried the ball for 93 metres in 12 runs from the backfield against the Broncos.

[DIEHARD]

NRLW TV ratings beat AFLW
https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au
Women’s rugby league had a super impressive start last weekend in TV ratings.

The NRLW triple header in Newcastle flogged the AFLW in the combined Fox Sports and free-to-air figures, easily doubling their audience.

The three NRLW games had an average audience of 168,000 on Fox Sports and Channel 9 compared to the AFLW with an average of 70,000 on Fox Sports and 7 mate.

Independent commission says this is an encouraging sign for rugby league.

“I’m not surprised by the figures at all,” V’landys said. “Women’s rugby league is so much more entertaining. I’m not having a crack at the AFLW players because it’s the same with the men. Our game is better than theirs in all forms. Victorians will disagree with me but look at the TV figures.”

The NRL is now preparing to increase the number of teams from six to eight.

“I’ve always been a big supporter of the women’s rugby league,” V’landys said.

“In fact I’ve often questioned why we’ve been so slow in the past.

“This is a huge growth opportunity from grassroots to NRLW.

“The clubs are now really engaging in it and are applying to have a team, rather than having to be asked.”

NRLW vs. AFLW ratings
NRLW Fox Sports and Nine
Dragons v Titans 133,000
Roosters v Broncos 169,000
Knights v Eels 204,000
Average 168,000
AFLW Fox Sports and 7 mate
St Kilda v Suns 32,000
Magpies v Bulldogs 104,000
Eagles v Lions 75,000
Average 70,000
*figures don’t include live streaming

[Boonarga]

100% improvement in commitment so far today. A bit lost in the red zone though. It's like the men from 2 and 3 years ago without the 'kick it to Don' option.
Enjoying these games.

[JunctionBlock]

Great game and (hopefully win). Don't want to jinx them like the commentators.

[Hail Sezer]

Congratulations to the women - first ever NRLW win.

Looked a completely different team to last week. Still plenty of improvement in the side too.

[lonegull]

Great first win today they will gain some confidence out if that one

[DIEHARD]

Thoroughly impressed. The ladies did our club proud.

I really noticed that my wife's eyes were watching the game a lot more than she would for a men's game. A lot of power in the draw of the women's game.

The NRLW really needs to be longer. I do like it that it starts before the NRL season, because it gives them a platform to stand on their own for a few weeks. And everyone is hungry for footy.

[DIEHARD]

Post Match Conference
Jamie Feeney and Brittany Breayley-Nati chat to the media after their Round 2 NRLW match against the Sydney Roosters

https://www.nrl.com/watch/matches/ho...-coast-titans/

[DIEHARD]

History made as Titans notch first NRLW win
https://www.nrl.com/news/2022/03/06/...irst-nrlw-win/

Gold Coast have secured their first win in the NRL Telstra Women's Premiership with a 26-16 victory over the Roosters at WIN Stadium on Sunday.

Outstanding performances from captain Brittany Breayley-Nati, Evania Pelite and Destiny Brill set up the win for the Titans, who were in control for most of the contest despite the scoreboard suggesting otherwise.

The Titans raced to a 10-0 early with debutante Jasmine Peters crossing in the fourth minute before veteran Karina Brown grabbed the first NRLW try of her career following a deft grubber via Grace Griffin in-goal.

The Roosters needed to be next to hit back and did through second-gamer Leianne Tufuga, who finished off a last pass from Jess Sergis out wide.

Errors continued to creep into the Roosters' game, however, with a nasty one from the kick-off allowing the Titans to pounce on field position and score their third of the afternoon through Tazmin Gray.

Two missed opportunities from Lauren Dam brought relief for the Roosters but John Strange's side struggled to hold the ball for a consecutive week to apply any real pressure on the opposition.

A darting effort from Brittany Breayley-Nati looked to have sealed the win for the Titans but back-to-back tries to Sarah Togatuki and Olivia Kernick got the Roosters within reach late.

Breayley-Nati had the last laugh, however, to finish off a Steph Hancock offload to go over on fulltime.

Match Snapshot

• The Titans improved with their completions in the first half compared to last week, getting through over 75 percent of their sets compared to the Roosters' 57 percent.
• Karina Brown scored her first try in the NRLW since making her debut in 2018, along with Roosters forward Sarah Togatuki.
• Jasmine Peters was the sixth player to score a try on debut this season with an effort in the fourth minute for her side.
• The Roosters made five line breaks to four despite the result.
• Mya Hill-Moana was placed on report in the 64th minute for dangerous contact on Shannon Mato.
• Roosters fullback Brydie Parker (136 metres) led the way for her side.
• Titans forward Tazmin Gray finished the match with a try, 116 metres and four tackle busts.
• Brittany Breayley-Nati scored the first double of her NRLW career.

Play of the Game
Two superstars collided on Sunday with Evania Pelite getting one over Jessica Sergis with a strong piece of play to repel a Roosters raid.

The Tricolours were on the attack late in the first half with Isabelle Kelly putting Sergis into a gap before the centre was collected by a courageous effort from Pelite at the back.

What they said
"We have still got a bit to work on but the girls are excited. It is a big day - the first ever victory for our NRLW Titans female team. They have sung the song, they enjoyed it and it was loud. They have been practicing it for a while and now they have got to sing it. The club has been really supportive. The girls understand the privileged position they are in, being the first team and to get that first victory is historical." - Titans coach Jamie Feeney on the significance of the win.

"It's disappointing. I didn't see too much different to last week's game. We just put ourselves under pressure and had to defend a lot because of our own errors. We just made it easy for them. It was a pretty simple game plan that they had and they stuck to it and we just shot ourselves in the foot over and over again. We have got a lot of hard work to do." - Roosters coach John Strange on back-to-back losses to the NRLW's Queensland teams.

What's next
Triple headers are done for both sides with the Roosters to host Newcastle at the SCG in a double header alongside their male counterparts next Saturday.

The Titans will travel to Sydney for a third week to take on the Eels as part of Sunday's triple header at CommBank Stadium.

[Hail Sezer]

3 Titans in the NRLW Team of the Week:

Brittany Breayley-Nati, Tazmin Gray and Destiny Brill

[indoallstars]

Thoroughly impressed. The ladies did our club proud.

I really noticed that my wife's eyes were watching the game a lot more than she would for a men's game. A lot of power in the draw of the women's game.

The NRLW really needs to be longer. I do like it that it starts before the NRL season, because it gives them a platform to stand on their own for a few weeks. And everyone is hungry for footy.

Interesting you say this, my girlfriend was also the same generally she tunes out in footy games and plays with her phone, when the women are playing she is glued to the screen.

I'm personally becoming a bigger and bigger fans of the women's game, it's not as structured footy, you got some wrecking balls in there, it reminds me a lot of the time before nowadays when there was less focus on being an "athlete" and more focus being a footy player. Everyone putting in 100%

[DIEHARD]

[DIEHARD]

Teenager becomes a Titan as Maunsell named in NRLW side
https://www.titans.com.au/news/2022/...-in-nrlw-side/

Teenager Hailee-Jay Maunsell will make her NRLW debut in the Titans round three clash against the Eels.

The youngest member of the Titans side will play on the wing, with the Titans to potentially have the oldest and youngest players in the competition with Steph Hancock celebrating her 40th birthday this week.

Shannon Mato drops out of the side after impressing in the first two rounds, with the prop suffering a knee injury that will keep her out for the remainder of the season.

Jessika Elliston moves into the front row, with Laikha Clarke named on the bench and in line to make her Titans debut.

After defeating the Roosters in round two, the Titans will be looking at back-to-back wins when they take on the Eels at CommBank Stadium in Sydney on Sunday.

The team returns to the Gold Coast next week for a local derby clash against the Brisbane Broncos with $20 from every ticket sold ($10 from Titans and $10 from Village Roadshow Theme Parks) to go towards flood recovery.

[DIEHARD]

Eels v Titans: Daniels named; Mato, Dam out
https://www.nrl.com/news/2022/03/08/eels-v-titans2/

Parramatta and the Gold Coast square off in round three of the NRL Telstra Women's Premiership in an historic occasion for the Eels at CommBank Stadium.

The Eels went down to St George Illawarra last week but won't need any extra motivation on Sunday with a big crowd expected for the side's first-ever home game in Parramatta heartland.

The Titans bounced back from a first-round defeat to beat the Roosters in emphatic style and will will be out to spoil the party in Sydney's west.

Jamie Feeney's side improved their discipline with ball in hand and will go close to a result if they can do the same again on Sunday.

The clash features plenty of international star power with the battle of the fullbacks Botille Vette-Welsh and Evania Pelite worth the price of admission alone.

The Rundown

Team news

Eels: Dean Widders has named an unchanged side with Therese Aiton remaining in the reserves following her late withdrawal last week. Eels centre Jocephy Daniels left the field with a chest issue while Rikeya Horne is battling a foot injury but both have been included in the backline. Five-eighth Sereana Naitokatoka escaped with a warning following a grapple tackle on Madison Bartlett in round two and will take her place in the side alongside Maddie Studdon.

Titans: Shannon Mato is out after picking up a knee injury last week with Jessika Elliston promoted to start at prop. Lauren Dam is also out after a disappointing afternoon with her hands last week, replaced by New Zealand-born young gun Hailee-Jay Maunsell. It won't be the only debut for the club on Sunday with promising young forward Laikha Clarke set for her maiden appearance off the bench.

Key match-up

Kennedy Cherrington v Steph Hancock: A rising star against a respected veteran, two players at different stages of their career will go head-to-head in a match-up that promises to bring plenty of fireworks. Cherrington is known to get under the skin of her opponents and Hancock isn't one to take a backward step. Hancock is the fittest she's been in the NRLW and with Shannon Mato missing this week she'll be looking to lead the way for the side again on Sunday.

Stat attack

Both these sides lead the way for most dummy half runs to start the season. The Titans have made 48 to Parramatta's 40, well clear of next best Newcastle (26) and Dragons on 21.