NRLW

[PhilGould]

Gains:

Re-signed: Yasmin Clydsdale (2025), Tamika Upton (2027)

Losses: Bobbi Law (Dragons), Emma Manzelmann (Cowboys), Romy Teitzel (Broncos)

Unsigned: Tamsin Barber, Millie Boyle, Tiana Davison, Kirra Dibb, Jessica Gentle, Olivia Higgins, Caitlan Johnston, Simone Karpani, Caitlin Moran, Nicole Nathan, Emmanita Paki, Shanice Parker, Tayla Predebon, Kayla Romaniuk, Kyra Simon, Hannah Southwell, Jesse Southwell, Autumn-Rain Stephens Daly, Kiana Takairangi, Makenzie Weale, Jakiya Whitifeld

 

[PhilGould]

Players still can't officially put pen to paper yet but starting to hear about player movements at other clubs, and now the Telegraph is reporting Millie Boyle is set to join the Roosters. When they announced it was going from two marquee player spots per club to one I knew we'd be in danger of losing someone but shocked it's Boyle given everything off the field with her. All that said we could still have 3 elite middle forwards even if she goes.

Interested to see what it means for Tamika Upton. She should be able to walk into a marquee spot and probably the biggest contract in the comp at any club she wants, but her and Millie came to town as a package deal. She had been named as the big target for the ARU a few months back as well. Based on social media she has stayed living in Newcastle ever since the season ended which theoretically is a good sign, but the Boyle news shows it doesn't really matter once the money starts being offered.

I'd consider Romy Teitzel & Emma Manzelmann as good as gone too, they were always going to be long odds to stay once NQ got a team. Makenzie Weale is playing for the same team as them in the QLD state comp too so she might be following.

1.
2.
3. Shanice Parker
4. Bobbi Law
5.
6. Caitlin Moran / Kirra Dibb
7. Jesse Southwell
8. Tayla Predebon
9. Olivia Higgins
10. Caitlan Johnston
11. Yasmin Clydsdale
12.
13. Hannah Southwell

Still has the makings of a very good team even if you only count the locals, if they can retain Upton on top of that they'd probably be premiership favourites.

 

[Apey]

Would suck to lose Boyle but yeah we can't really expect to keep everyone. Hopefully Upton stays but not confident on that either knowing our luck.

 

[perverse]

Players still can't officially put pen to paper yet but starting to hear about player movements at other clubs, and now the Telegraph is reporting Millie Boyle is set to join the Roosters. When they announced it was going from two marquee player spots per club to one I knew we'd be in danger of losing someone but shocked it's Boyle given everything off the field with her. All that said we could still have 3 elite middle forwards even if she goes.

No-one escapes Uncle Nicks chequebook golf game.

 

[Seage]

I never even thought it possible we could lose Millie Boyle. Somehow we find a way.

 

[perverse]

I never even thought it possible we could lose Millie Boyle. Somehow we find a way.

You'll see the roosters miss out on someone they want maybe once or twice a decade - and only ever to another "glamour club".

 

[PhilGould]

Just the nature of the game. 10 marquee player spots across the comp and we have 3 players who’d be at the top of the list for every club. Unfortunate timing for the huge expansion right after we won the comp with everyone on 1-year deals. The women in particular should be maximising their earnings on every contract they sign.

Disappointing but would’ve been more disappointing to lose Jesse Southwell IMO. Still should have one of the best props in the game and Predebon isn’t far behind either.

 

[Apey]

Yeah can't complain too much, at least we won a comp here. Still crossing fingers for Upton to stay.

 

[aqua_duck]

I'm curious if the roosters will be able to retain all their stars given only 1 marquee player allocation, they have Corbyn Baxter, Isabelle Kelly, Jess Sergis, Raecene Mcgregor and now apparently Millie Boyle all of whom could easily be marquee signings

 

[PhilGould]

McGregor is reportedly off to the Dragons. Kelly & Sergis are big names but not sure any team would be keen to spend their 1 marquee spot on an outside back. Maybe the Tigers would to get Sergis back because she’s one of their juniors.

 

[Burwood]

Deep down inside I’d love to see Newcastle rort the salary cap to keep all the girls together. If caught, it would make for a very interesting debate in the media and with pundits when the majority don’t receive too much money- I think the players and club would get a lot more sympathy compared to the boys.

 

[aqua_duck]

McGregor is reportedly off to the Dragons. Kelly & Sergis are big names but not sure any team would be keen to spend their 1 marquee spot on an outside back. Maybe the Tigers would to get Sergis back because she’s one of their juniors.

I think the reality is there are 10 teams including 4 expansion teams, ideally your marquee will be a spine player but there simply aren’t 10 spine players that are more impactful or simply better than Kelly and Sergis.
If the roosters land Millie I’d love for us to get Liv Kernick who is an ex knights junior from the central coast and is a really good edge forward which I think is an area of need for us more so than middle.

 

[mozza91]

Am I the only that thinks Boyle is abit overrated?
I thought Johnstone looked just as good when she played for us. Boyle made some pretty bad errors especially early in the GF.

 

[NoSchitSherlock]

Am I the only that thinks Boyle is abit overrated?
I thought Johnstone looked just as good when she played for us. Boyle made some pretty bad errors especially early in the GF.

I didn't think she was as impressive onfield as some others but apparently her leadership on and off is major.

 

[Knight Tales]

Club is wanting to lock up the Southwells and Tamika long term. I can see why they have allowed this to happen. Mille is surplus as Caitlan is a equal or better prospect. Obviously Millie has adopted the standards set by Ruan Sims and run with it. She deserves all the money she can get. Wonderful player Hope we see her back one day.

 

[aqua_duck]

Am I the only that thinks Boyle is abit overrated?
I thought Johnstone looked just as good when she played for us. Boyle made some pretty bad errors especially early in the GF.

Millie's motor and work rate is pretty much unrivalled in the women's game, the question is how much is that worth? IMO forwards and backs are much easier to find but players like Tamika Upton and Jesse Southwell are rare, like we've literally never seen a player like Southwell in the women's game before

 

[PhilGould]

If it means still having Upton & Southwell running behind Johnston, Southwell, Predebon, Clydsdale in the forwards then we’ve absolutely made the smart decision but I won’t talk down Boyle at all. Think she very much deserves her mantle as the best prop in the game, even if she’s not as dynamic as Johnston.

 

[HarVeeGee]

The gap between Millie and the next best middle in the women’s game is way bigger than the gap in the men’s game. Let’s not kid ourselves. Simaima Taufa and Kennedy Cherrington would be contenders for second best, both played amazing in the grand final, yet Millie still comfortably outplayed them both.

You could say the same about Tamika vs the next best fullback though. At the end of the day you can replace a lot more of what an elite prop brings than you can the impact of an elite fullback. You can’t make up for not having Tamika via the aggregate metres gained and tackles made of all your other fullbacks.

The women’s game will continue to evolve, but Tamika is the most valuable women’s player, by a lot I think - there’s no one close to her in terms of creating something out of nothing the second she gets even a little bit of space - with Jesse the player most likely to take that crown. We’re in a pretty great spot if we keep them both + most of our other forwards.

 

[aqua_duck]

The gap between Millie and the next best middle in the women’s game is way bigger than the gap in the men’s game. Let’s not kid ourselves. Simaima Taufa and Kennedy Cherrington would be contenders for second best, both played amazing in the grand final, yet Millie still comfortably outplayed them both.

You could say the same about Tamika vs the next best fullback though. At the end of the day you can replace a lot more of what an elite prop brings than you can the impact of an elite fullback. You can’t make up for not having Tamika via the aggregate metres gained and tackles made of all your other fullbacks.

The women’s game will continue to evolve, but Tamika is the most valuable women’s player, by a lot I think - there’s no one close to her in terms of creating something out of nothing the second she gets even a little bit of space - with Jesse the player most likely to take that crown. We’re in a pretty great spot if we keep them both + most of our other forwards.

100%, you’re not going to replace Millie like for like but Johnstone and Predabon are both young and will improve, Romaniuk was a great find at the back end of the season and Hannah Southwell is pretty much a new signing for us given she missed pretty much the entire season last year. I think none of those girls are like for like with Boyle but with the addition of Hannah and hopefully the improvement and development of those younger girls I think we can more or less replace 80% of the impact Millie brought to the team.

 

[The Axe of Druss]

I think the reality is there are 10 teams including 4 expansion teams, ideally your marquee will be a spine player but there simply aren’t 10 spine players that are more impactful or simply better than Kelly and Sergis.
If the roosters land Millie I’d love for us to get Liv Kernick who is an ex knights junior from the central coast and is a really good edge forward which I think is an area of need for us more so than middle.

Yep, 100%. With Teitzel all but going to the Gold Stars we look pretty light on for edge forwards