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Sport Nation
Is the NRLW in trouble?
Charles Goodsir • September 1st, 2025 1:21 pm
The NRLW enters its 10th and penultimate round when the top-of-the-table Sydney Roosters host the 10th placed Canberra Raiders at Allianz Stadium on Friday night.
The Roosters are currently undefeated and are the runaway favourite to win this year's title. In Round 9, they completed a 30-0 thrashing of the North Queensland Cowboys and have extended their average winning margin by 22 points.
The team in second place, the Brisbane Broncos, have only lost one game for the season which came in Round 3 against the Roosters. The Broncos have scored 28 more points than the Roosters and have an average winning margin of 25 points.
The Broncos registered a 44-0 win over the Bulldogs in Round 9. It is the fourth time Brisbane have scored over 40 points this season.
The Cronulla Sharks and Cowboys round out the top four with six wins for the season.
SEN’s Greg Alexander holds grave concerns for the NRLW competition and believes the Roosters and Broncos are hoarding the best talent.
Furthermore, he is concerned that the NRLW Grand Final will become a de facto State of Origin contest due to the heavy NSW and Queensland representation in the Roosters and Broncos sides respectively.
“Is the NRLW working?” Alexander said on SEN 1170 Breakfast.
“The Roosters and Broncos are absolutely stacked.
“Can we share the good players around? It’s not as if there are hundreds of good players around the country.
“There are the State of Origin players and then I think there’s a drop in standard.
“The Broncos and the Roosters is virtually NSW vs Queensland.”
“I have spoken to people who watch every single game,” SEN’s Andrew Voss added.
“This includes commentators like Matt Russell, Jo Barrett and Tarsha Gale.
“My question to them is, have we expanded too quickly with the NRLW? Have we got the depth?
“The overwhelming answer from them is no. The problem isn’t necessarily the depth but it’s that a couple of teams are absolutely stacked.
“If the talent was spread across the competition a little more evenly, the competition would be stronger.
“It’s definitely a debate.”
Broncos fullback Tamika Upton leads the NRLW in tries (13), try assists (13) and line break assists. Upton is tied first for line breaks with 14 alongside Roosters captain Isabelle Kelly.
Upton's Broncos teammate Julia Robinson leads the league in running metres, tackle breaks and post contact metres.
The Broncos will travel to Hamilton in New Zealand to take on the Warriors on Sunday.
