TEAMS: NRL Telstra Womens Premiership - 2021 Round 1

Sunday sees the kickoff of the much-delayed NRL Telstra Women's Premiership 2021 season, with a triple-header of matches at McDonald Jones Stadium in Newcastle.

A quick primer ahead of the season:

• Brisbane, Sydney Roosters and St George Illawarra remain in the competition
• Warriors drop out
• Three new teams enter: Newcastle, Parramatta and Gold Coast
• Five rounds, a top four, one-week semi finals (1 v 4, 2 v 3)
• Grand Final is Sunday April 10, kickoff 2pm at Moreton Daily Stadium, Redcliffe
• Brisbane are the reigning and only NRLW premiers, having won the 2018, 2019 and 2020 premierships.

All times are listed in AEDT (NSW/VIC/ACT) unless otherwise noted.

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St George Illawarra Dragons v Gold Coast Titans
Sun February 27 2022, 12:00pm
at McDonald Jones Stadium, New Lambton

1. Emma Tonegato 2. Teagan Berry 3. Jaime Chapman 4. Page McGregor 5. Madison Bartlett 6. Taliah Fuimaono 7. Rachael Pearson 8. Elsie Albert 9. Keeley Davis 10. Kezie Apps 11. Talei Holmes 12. Shaylee Bent 13. Holli Wheeler 14. Quincy Dodd 15. Kody House 16. Tegan Dymock 17. Janelle Williams 18. Renee Targett

Squad update (24h before kickoff) - Keele Browne (19), Aliti Namoce (21), Alexandra Sulusi (22), Matilda Power (23) and Chantel Tugaga (24) all omitted from the 24-woman squad. Targett and Long remain on the long reserves list.

Late mail - 1-17. Targett is 18th player with 20. Shellie Long dropping out.

1. Evania Pelite 2. Karina Brown 18. Lauren Dam 4. Tiana Raftstrand-Smith 5. Jetaya Faifua 6. Grace Griffin 7. Kimiora Breayley-Nati 8. Shannon Mato 9. Brittany Breayley-Nati 10. Brianna Clark 11. Zara Canfield 12. Tazmin Gray 13. Georgia Hale 13. Destiny Brill 15. Jessika Elliston 16. Stephanie Hancock 17. Shaniah Power 19. April Ngatupuna

Squad update (24h before kickoff) - Jasmine Powers (3) is out, with Lauren Dam moving into the centres. Cobie-Jane Morgan (21), Belinda Clarke (22), Karlie Hansen (23) and Lauren Moss (24) are the omitted reserves.

Late mail - 20. Hailey-Jay Ormond-Maunsell drops out with Ngatupuna 18th player.

Referees: Karra-Lee Nolan;Sideline Officials: Jake Sutherland, Kailey Beattie;Video Referees: Steve Chiddy;

Sydney Roosters v Brisbane Broncos
Sun February 27 2022, 1:50pm
at McDonald Jones Stadium

5. Brydie Parker 2. Leianne Tufuga 3. Jessica Sergis 4. Isabelle Kelly 24. Taylor-adeline Mapusua 6. Zahara Temara 7. Jocelyn Kelleher 8. Sarah Togatuki 9. Olivia Higgins 10. Tayla Predebon 11. Yasmin Meakes 12. Olivia Kernick 13. Hannah Southwell 14. Shawden Burton 15. Keilee Joseph 17. Simone Karpani 18. Raecene Mcgregor 19. Joeli Morris

Squad update (24h before kickoff) - Corban Baxter (1) and Samantha Economos (16) are out of the 17. Parker moves to fullback with Mapusua coming in on the wing. Raecene McGregor replaces Economos on the bench. Otesa Pule (21), Claire Reed (22) and Mya Hill-Moana (23) drop off the extended bench.

Late mail - 20. Lauretta Leao-Seve drops out of the squad with Morris remaining as 18th player.

1. Tamika Upton 2. Julia Robinson 3. Amy Turner 4. Shenae Ciesiolka 5. Emily Bass 6. Tarryn Aiken 7. Ali Brigginshaw 8. Millie Boyle 9. Lauren Brown 10. Chelsea Lenarduzzi 11. Tallisha Harden 12. Amber Hall 13. Nakita Sao 14. Jada Ferguson 15. Kaitlyn Phillips 16. Roxy Murdoch 17. Sara Sautia 18. Hayley Maddick  

Squad update (24h before kickoff) - Toni Hunt (19), Lavinia Gould (21), Lesa Kaleti Mataafa (22) and China Polata (23) are omitted.

Late mail - 1-17. Hagiga Mosby (20) drops out, with Maddick remaining as 18th player.

Referees: Belinda Sharpe;Sideline Officials: Clayton Wills, Tori Wilkie;Video Referees: Chris Butler;

Newcastle Knights v Parramatta Eels
Sun February 27 2022, 3:40pm
at McDonald Jones Stadium

1. Romy Teitzel 2. Katelyn Vaha'akolo 3. Jayme Fressard 4. Bobbi Law 5. Katie Green 6. Autumn-Rain Stephens-Daly 7. Tahlulah Tillett 8. Caitlan Johnston 9. Krystal Rota 10. Annetta Nuuausala 11. Rangimarie Edwards-Bruce 12. Georgia Page 13. Charntay Poko 14. Emma Manzelmann 15. Charlotte Scanlan 16. Phoebe Desmond 17. Kirra Dibb 18. Maitua Feterika  

Squad update (24h before kickoff) - Ngatokotoru Arakua (20), Chantelle Graham (21), Kararaina Wira-Kohu (22) and Paige Parker (23) all omitted.

Late mail - 1-17. Kyra Simon (19) is the last player to drop out, with Feterika as 18th player.

1. Botille Vette-Welsh 2. Taina Naividi 3. Tiana Penitani 4. Jocephy Daniels 5. Rikeya Horne 6. Sereana Naitokatoka 7. Maddie Studdon 8. Kennedy Cherrington 9. Nita Maynard 10. Tommaya Kelly-Sines 20. Ellie Johnston 12. Jade Etherden 13. Simaima Taufa 14. Seli Mailangi 15. Filomina Hanisi 16. Therese Aiton 17. Abbi Church 18. Christine Pauli  

Squad update - 20. Tess Staines, 21. Emily Curtain, 22. Mareva Swann, 23. Jamie-Anne Wright 24. Katrina Phippen are the omitted players.

Late mail - 1-17. Fatafehi Hanisi (19) is the omitted player. Pauli remains as the 18th player. Second rower Ellie Johnston will wear jersey 20 after being originally named in jersey 11.

Referees: Kasey Badger;Sideline Officials: Kailey Beattie, Jake Sutherland;Video Referees: Steve Chiddy;