The Wests Tigers are pleased to announce that both Emily Bass and Portia Bourke have committed their futures to the Club.
The announcement comes as the Wests Tigers continue to build its NRLW squad for the 2026 season under newly appointed Head Coach, Craig Sandercock.
In her first season at Concord, Emily Bass was a model of consistency throughout 2025, where across 11 appearances, she averaged 100 run metres, notched 16 tackle breaks, 10 offloads, scored 3 tries with 3 try assists.
Bass – a Queensland State of Origin representative – has been rewarded for those performances with a new contract that will see the 27-year-old outside back remain with the Club for the 2026 and 2027 NRLW seasons.
Hailing from Queensland, Portia Bourke’s rugby league journey began in 2020 with Valleys Diehards, before stints with Easts Tigers and Norths Devils in the BMD Premiership, along with a season at the South Sydney Rabbitohs in the Harvey Norman Premiership.
Bourke was signed by the Wests Tigers as an injury replacement player mid-way through the 2025 NRLW season, where the versatile second-rower made her NRLW debut in Round 7. Impressing in her four starting appearances, Bourke averaged 82 run metres per game, with the 25-year-old inking a one-year deal where she will again run out for the Club in 2026.
Wests Tigers NRLW Head Coach, Craig Sandercock said the retention of key players had been a high priority since joining the Club.
“Our first priority was to identify and lock in both the established players and emerging talent within our existing program as we build our squad for next season and beyond,” Sandercock said.
“Emily obviously brings a lot of experience and she was a reliable, consistent presence for the squad, while Portia took her opportunity with both hands at the back end of the season and showed her ability at NRLW level.
“They brought the sort of qualities we’re looking for both on and off the field in 2025, and I’m looking forward to working with them,” Sandercock concluded.
The Wests Tigers will make further 2026 NRLW squad announcements in the coming weeks.
