The Canterbury Bulldogs could not have begun their NRLW journey in better style, scoring five tries to two in an upset 26-12 win over two-time premiers Newcastle.
And playing before their home fans at Sydney’s Accor Stadium on Friday night made their entry into the NRLW a complete celebration.
Doubles to rugby convert Moana Courtenay at centre and five-eighth Ash Quinlan underpinned the victory, but the quality and control of Bulldogs co-captains Angelina Teakaraanga-Katoa at prop and Tayla Preston at halfback was another key factor.
The wheels on fullback Andie Robinson also helped – she and Teakaraanga-Katoa both cleared 200 metres.
Canterbury have drawn their players from six different clubs, plus a couple of rugby recruits and some home-grown talent from their pathways competitions.
They had six players on debut on Friday night, but a big plus was the fact Quinlan and Preston were not a new halves combination, having partnered each other in the 2022 NRLW grand final in Parramatta colours.
“We’re just so proud. We wanted to create history, but we also wanted to make sure it was effort on effort today no matter the result,” Preston said.
“We just wanted to start and build the sisterhood.”
Coach Brayden Wiliame, a former Fiji international and NRL player with Manly and St George Illawarra, couldn’t fault the team effort.
“Just that resilience we showed throughout the game … that first half was bloody hard,” he said.
“It was a good-quality game, and for us to come over the top is just a credit to the brand of footy we’re building.”
Newcastle were without two members of their spine – fullback Tamika Upton (Broncos) and Jillaroos hooker Olivia Higgins (suspension).
They have also lost Origin players Hannah Southwell (Dragons) and Caitlan Johnston-Green (Sharks).
“Obviously personnel have moved on, but I think it was too many errors tonight that cost us a lot of field position and we had to defend a lot,” Knights coach Ben Jeffries said.
“In the end it was just an avalanche of possession on our try line and we caved in a couple of times.
“I still thought our defence was courageous at times, but I believe the seven weeks we’ve done in pre-season will keep us in good stead. It’s only round one; there’s no panic.”
Centre Shanice Parker showed plenty of courage to play, having lost her grandmother during the week.
“She got back on a flight to play his week – it’s what this jersey means to her,” Jeffries said.
The Bulldogs grabbed a 10-6 halftime lead thanks to a four-minute scoring burst just before the break.
Fullback Andie Robinson featured significantly in both Courtenay’s 29th-minute try and Quinlan’s in the 33rd by making large inroads upfield.
The Knights had held a slim 6-0 lead for most of an arm-wrestle first half.
Reuben returns as Eels sink Sharks
The last time Parramatta’s Rueben Cherrington ran on the field for an NRLW opening match she was sidelined for eight months with an ankle injury.
Consequently the star hooker was extra motivated for the 2025 season opener against Cronulla and happily came through unscathed, helping her team hold on for a 18-16 win on Thursday night.
The victory has set the bar for the Eels’ season, after just missing out on finals when fifth in the 2024 competition.
It was Cherrington’s first game back since her 2024 round-one nightmare, but she said eight months on the sideline had fueled her motivation.
The 24-year-old played 54 minutes, and ran 95 metres, including four dummy-half runs.
“That mindset of just wanting to come back better, the choice wasn’t mine to get taken out,” she told AAP.
“It was just being able to take it, and get past that nervy kind of feeling.
“Just rip in now, and get the job done every single time.”
Cherrington was joined in rehab by sister Kennedy, who sustained a season-ending knee injury just weeks later.
“I was sad for her when she joined me in rehab,” she said.
“But I was like, ‘did you miss me that much you wanted to come join me?
“Funny little banter between us, but she was a big rock for me. She’s been through multiple injuries, so she knows what it’s like.”
Kennedy Cherrington is expected to return in a month after sustaining a separate knee injury during the State of Origin series.
Parramatta’s 2025 lineup featured five debutants including Paige Travis (England) and Black Fern Martha Mataele.
Cherrington said she was impressed by the efforts of Tess McWilliams and Ryvrr-Lee Alo, who were both on debut for the Eels’ top side, after playing for NSW in the State of Origin under-19s.
“It’s not easy debuting in the middle,” Cherrington said.
“The work ethic is crazy, so for them to just get this opportunity and to step into the NRLW, it’s just amazing that the depth in power is there.
Rueben Cherrington is tackled by Manilita Takapautolo. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
“They just showed up, got the job done, and the results of our game showed that.”
It wasn’t a case of round one deja-vu for Cherrington, but the score was exactly flipped from the teams’ 2024 meeting, where the Sharks defeated Parramatta 18-16.
Steve Georgallis’ crew will next face new additions the New Zealand Warriors, who return to the league after a four-year hiatus.
