- 2023 NRL Telstra Women’s Premiership Draw announced with 3 scheduled regular-season games at CommBank Stadium;
- Round 1: Parramatta Eels v Wests Tigers at CommBank Stadium, Sunday 23 July;
- Round 3: Parramatta Eels v Newcastle Knights at CommBank Stadium, Sunday 6 August;
- Round 5: Wests Tigers v St George Illawarra Dragons, Saturday 19 August.
For the full NRL Telstra Women’s Premiership draw, please click here.
The Parramatta Eels will play two NRLW matches at CommBank Stadium in season 2023 – including a Round 1 stand-alone blockbuster against premiership debutantes Wests Tigers on Sunday 23 July (12noon kick-off).
The Dean Widders-coached Parra Eels women will also play a Round 3 match against the Newcastle Knights on Sunday 6 August at CommBank Stadium (12noon kick-off) as a double-header with the Eels’ NRL game against St George Illawarra Dragons.
The Wests Tigers, in their inaugural NRLW season, will play one home match at CommBank Stadium in Round 5 against St George Illawarra Dragons on Saturday 19 August (12:50pm kick-off) as a double-header before the Tigers’ NRL side takes on Wayne Bennett’s Dolphins at 3pm. The Tigers’ squad will feature Australia and NSW captain Kezie Apps and will be coached by Brett Kimmorley.
The biggest NRL Telstra Women’s Premiership ever will feature nine rounds, double headers and, for the first time, matches in primetime.
The NRL on Thursday released the schedule for the 2023 NRLW season, which will include new teams Wests Tigers, Canberra Raiders, Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks and North Queensland Cowboys.
The competition will kick off on Saturday 22 July with a new Queensland derby clash between Gold Coast Titans and competition newcomers North Queensland Cowboys at Cbus Super Stadium, followed by Premiers Newcastle Knights taking on St George Illawarra Dragons at McDonald Jones Stadium.
Round One will also feature standalone matches at Sunshine Coast Stadium (Brisbane Broncos against Sydney Roosters in the first ever NRLW primetime fixture) and the CommBank Stadium fixture (Parramatta Eels against Wests Tigers). New teams Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks and Canberra Raiders will face off in the final clash of the first round, as part of a Sharks Club double header at PointsBet Stadium.
The new Premiership will feature nine standalone double headers in all Club markets (Townsville, Gold Coast, Brisbane, Newcastle, Sydney and Canberra), as well as 18 Club double headers (NRLW matches before NRL fixtures). All Club fans will have the opportunity to show their support for the women’s teams at home with every team to host a Club double header.
The schedule will also include fixtures at classic rugby league suburban stadiums and state-of-the-art new facilities, including Sunshine Coast Stadium, WIN Stadium, Queensland Country Bank Stadium, GIO Stadium, PointsBet Stadium, Totally Workwear Stadium (Langlands Park), CommBank Stadium, Campbelltown Stadium, Industree Group Stadium and Belmore Sports Ground, creating greater opportunity to connect with fans and key market areas.
Round Two will feature the south-east Queensland derby between Brisbane Broncos and Gold Coast Titans, ahead of the Broncos’ Thursday night NRL match against Sydney Roosters at the Gabba, marking the first time a football code has played a women’s and men’s double header at the ground.
Round Three will feature an all-Queensland double header at QCBS Stadium, Townsville, involving North Queensland Cowboys and Brisbane Broncos in both the men’s and women’s competition, as well as the Grand Final rematch between Parramatta Eels and Newcastle Knights at CommBank Stadium, ahead of the Eels’ NRL clash with St George Illawarra Dragons.
The final two rounds will feature primetime Thursday night matches for the first time ever – with NRLW kicking off the weekend of footy when the Sharks and the Dragons facing off on in Round 8, followed by Wests Tigers against 2022 Premiers Newcastle Knights the following Thursday in Round 9.
The NRL Telstra Women’s Premiership Grand Final will be played on Sunday 1 October before the men’s decider.
The draw has been completed through detailed consultation with Clubs, the RLPA and partners to manage the complexity of a number of constraints this year, including the loss of stadiums due to the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
“This year’s NRL Telstra Women’s Premiership will be super charged with four new teams, nine regular-season rounds, followed by semi-finals and a Grand Final,” NRL CEO Andrew Abdo said.
“In 2023, there will be new rivalries and new timeslots with every match being broadcast on free-to-air TV nationally with primetime coverage for the first time ever.
“The schedule will include a balance of standalone double headers, Club double headers and standalone fixtures at new venues, aimed at maximising the opportunity for fans to experience the Premiership live or on broadcast across a range of markets,” Abdo said.
Every match of the season will be available for fans to watch on the Nine Network, Fox Sports and Kayo Sports.
