Canberra Raiders Women

The Canberra Raiders Women is an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the national capital city of Canberra, Australian Capital Territory. They compete in the National Rugby League Women's Premiership (NRLW), Australasia's premier rugby league competition for female players. The Raiders were admitted to the NRLW in June 2022 to commence in the 2023 NRL Women's season.^[1]
The Raiders' home ground is Canberra Stadium (GIO Stadium) in Bruce, Australian Capital Territory. The official symbol for the Canberra Raiders Women is the same as the men’s team, which is the Viking.

The draw for the 2026 season was announced on 14 November 2025.^[4][5][6]

Notes

• Share % is the percentage of points For over the sum of points For and Against.
• Clubs listed in the order than the Raiders Women first played them.
• Last updated: 14 September 2025

All players that have captained the Canberra Raiders women's team in the NRLW.

The team is coached by Darrin Borthwick.

Table last updated on 11 December 2025.

Notes:

• The following players were signed on a Development contract for 2025.^[7]
  • Lili Boyle
  • Milly Caldwell
  • Madyson Tooth
  • Uta Utaisone Poka
• Claudia Finau missed the 2025 season due to an ACL injury.^[8]
• Shakiah Tungai decided to sit out the 2025 NRLW season.^[9] Isabella Waterman was brought into the squad to replace Tungai.^[10]
• In mid-July 2025, the Raiders announced that Ua Ravu would miss the 2025 season due to an ACL injury.^[11]
• Lili Boyle was elevated into the squad to replace Ravu.^[12]

The Canberra Raiders announced player signings in several instalments from December 2025.^{[13][14][15][16]}

Lists and tables last updated: 6 September 2025.

Most Points for the Raiders (20+)

Most Points in a Season (16+)

The oldest and youngest players to represent the Canberra Raiders women's team in the NRLW.

Biggest winning margins

Biggest losing margins

Most consecutive wins

• 4 — (29 July 2023 — 20 August 2023)

Most consecutive losses

• 6 — (5 July 2025 — 10 August 2025)

First game

Women’s rugby league was introduced to Canberra in 1991 through the efforts of local citizens. From an early February expression of interest in forming a team in the Canberra Times, a committee was formed, contact and affiliation with the ACT Rugby League was instigated and twenty minute, seven-a-side exhibition matches were held in March 1991.^{[17][18][19][20][21]} A four team competition commenced in late May 1991, initially with nine-a-side but this became ten-a-side later in the season.^[22][23] Two club teams were sent to an eight-team women's rugby league tournament in the Illawarra in mid-July, with East Canberra winning it.^[24][23] On 28 July 1991, an exhibition match was played at half-time of an NSWRL men's match between the Canberra Raiders and Brisbane Broncos.^[23]

A combined ACT women's team toured the North Island of New Zealand in April 1992, winning three of the four matches they played against club sides.^[25] An ACT representative team was selected to play Illawarra in late August 1992.^[26]

Canberra club teams competed in subsequent National Championships between 1992 and 1994, with several of these competitions hosted in the Australian Capital Territory.^[27][28][29]
The National Championships switched to representative teams in 1995 and Canberra or Australian Capital Territory teams competed in several if not all years until 2003.

Canberra hosted the second-ever women’s rugby league test match in July 1995, against New Zealand.^[30] Six members of the Australian team were from Canberra clubs.^[31]

The following year, Canberra hosted a tour match and the First Test in Great Britain’s tour.^[32][33]

The region again hosted the 2002 Great Britain tourists, with a tour match at Seiffert Oval, Queanbeyan.^[34] The Third and deciding Test match of this series was played ahead of a Canberra Raiders match at Bruce Stadium.^[35]

After a break of fifteen years, Canberra next hosted a women’s rugby league Test Match in 2017.^[36]

In 2018, an idea to name the future women's team as the Canberra Valkyries was explored.^[37][38]

In November 2021, the Canberra Raiders announced their intent to apply for an NRLW licence.^[39][40] In April 2022 the club submitted their application to enter the 2023 NRL Women’s Premiership. In June 2022 the NRL announced that the Raiders were one of four clubs accepted into the NRLW for the 2023 season.^[1]

The following players have appeared in NRL Women's Premiership matches for the Raiders. Inaugural coach Darrin Borthwick was assigned number one. Inaugural joint captains Simaima Taufa and Zahara Temara were assigned numbers two and three.^[41]

Table last updated: 14 September 2025.

Notes:

• International Debut dates in bold indicate that the player made her first international appearance prior to playing for the Canberra Raiders NRLW team.
• Janelle Williams was a development member of the Raiders NRLW squad in 2023 prior to making her debut for Samoa in October 2023.^[45]
• Leianne Tufuga previously played for Samoa, in 2020.
• Mackenzie Wiki previously played for Cook Islands, in 2022.
• Cheyelle Robins-Reti was 18th player for New Zealand on 3 November 2024, but did not take the field.

Past and current players that have played for Queensland and New South Wales in the State of Origin.

Past and current players that have been selected to play in the Prime Minister's XIII.

Past and current players that have played for the Indigenous All-Stars or for the Māori All-Stars.

The Canberra Raiders run a women's team in the Tarsha Gale Cup and have an arrangement with Mount Pritchard Mounties for the NSWRL Women's Premiership.

For Under 18 players from 2018 to 2020. Since 2021, the Cup is for Under 19 players.

The Cup is for Under 17 players. The Raiders entered in 2025.

Members of Mounties' 2023 premiership-winning team that subsequently were included in the Raider's extended NRLW squad were: Alanna Dummett, Tommaya Kelly-Sines, Petesa Lio, Aaliyah Lomas, Kerehitina Matua, Mackenzie Wiki, Janelle Williams, and captain Simaima Taufa.^[55]

• Official website