Woodbridge Cup stakeholders weigh in on NRLW expansion

After starting as a four-team competition in 2018, six teams now participate in the NRLW's current form with eight to feature next year.

2022 Western Rams women's coach Andrew Pull believes the NRLW will be hitting its straps at the right time.

"In two years the timing will be perfect because the game is continually growing," he said.

"(With) the enthusiasm and love that the players have got for it, you need those clubs to feed into.

"At ground level, it's amazing the enthusiasm the players have got for the game and they need to be rewarded with those opportunities."

Pull added that one of the biggest benefits to NRLW expansion will be seen at the community level with participation.

"I'm sure it will (increase participation) across the entire state because you've got more clubs to follow - kids always look up to sportspeople as idols and it'll certainly promote the game at grassroots level," he said.

The Western's Women's Rugby League has been a testament to that participation with the addition of under 13s this year taking the amount of grades from four to five.

2022 Woodbridge open's captain, Nikita Campbell, saw plenty of positives in the NRLW expansion.

"I absolutely love it - as a kid growing up playing footy I've had to always play with the boys and there was never really any female representative football involved," she said.

"I love that there's more female reps and teams nationally hope it continues to get even bigger," she said.

Campbell agreed that televised coverage has made a huge difference to the sports exposure at a grassroots level.

"Absolutely, I think having that more recognised, seeing it more often, certainly impacts how sport is for locals," she said.

Orange has had its own representation on the NRLW circuit with Kaitlyn Phillips starting at second-row for the Brisbane Broncos in the 2022 semi-final.