The Wests Tigers have announced their NSW Women’s Premiership squad for 2026, with an abundance of young, local talent given the opportunity to continue their development as the Club continues to strengthen its women’s pathway program.
Robbie Taylor – who has held a variety of development roles across the women’s game – previously served as an Assistant Coach for the Wests Tigers NSW Women’s Premiership side in 2019. He returns to the Club following a successful stint with the Newcastle Knights, where he secured the 2025 NSW Women’s Premiership Minor Premiership and a Grand Final appearance.
Taylor said it was exciting to return to the Tigers and help guide the next generation of players.
“I was involved a couple of years ago through our development programs, and there’s always been so much talent across the region. Our job is to nurture that and bring those local players through the Pathway,” Taylor said.
The Women’s Premiership program is a key step between the Wests Tigers Pathways junior representative teams and the NRLW side, giving emerging players the opportunity to develop the skills and experience required to compete at the next level.
“When the NSW Women’s Premiership started, the women’s game was still building.”
“Now the professionalism around the NRLW has really lifted the standard. Players want to be part of that, and the Pathway programs play a big role in helping them get there.”
Taylor will also work closely with Wests Tigers Female Pathways Coordinator, David Fauonuku and NRLW Head Coach, Craig Sandercock, ensuring players who progress through the Club’s system are prepared for future NRLW opportunities.
For the first time, the Tigers hosted an open trial and combine in Camden in early February, giving aspiring players a chance to showcase their abilities and be considered for selection.
Taylor said the response was impressive.
“We had a really strong response with players wanting to be involved,” Taylor added.
“It was about giving them an opportunity to come in, show their skills and then see how they performed in the trial game environment.”
The Tigers brought the trialists together for two training sessions, where the players were tested not only on their physical capabilities but also on their football IQ, movement patterns, and overall game understanding.
This allowed for a highly competitive trial match, where many prospective players delivered strong performances.
The Tigers NSW Premiership squad now features a blend of playing experience, bringing a wealth of professionalism into the group.
While the season’s preparation is only just beginning, the program's focus remains clear – preparing the next generation of Wests Tigers for when their opportunity arises.
“My role is to help get these players ready to play NRLW,” Taylor said.
“It’s about developing them physically and mentally so that if an opportunity ever comes, they’re ready to take it.”
Head of Female Pathways, David Fauonuku is excited about what this means for those who are already in the Wests Tigers Pathways system.
With the squad now confirmed, the focus turns to the season ahead and building a strong Pathway for women’s rugby league at Wests Tigers.
Tarsha Gale and Lisa Fiaola players will also be pushing for selection in the squad at the conclusion of the junior representative season.
Fauonuku said the open trial and February combine have been important steps in strengthening the overall women’s Pathway, not just the immediate Premiership squad.
“Bringing the players together for testing and a trial game gave us a really clear picture of where our squad is at, physically, mentally, and in terms of their footy IQ,” Fauonuku said.
“We’ve now got a mix of players who’ve had exposure to other systems, which creates a healthy environment with plenty of depth.”
Fauonuku is clear that the focus is on alignment and support across the women’s program.
“Our mantra now is building from within,” he explained.
“We want a strong NSW Women’s Premiership squad that can step up when needed for the NRLW, but also one that helps drive standards across the whole female space at the Club.”
He says the work done through the combine has already added genuine depth to the women’s squad, helping to future-proof the Tigers’ system.
“The combine has allowed us to identify quality players who are ready to push through,” Fauonuku said.
“There’ll be players from Tarsha Gale and Lisa Fiaola really pressing for spots, which is exactly what we want. It means we’re not just building for this season; we’re building for the seasons to come.”
A key feature of the 2026 squad is the inclusion of development players within the NSW Women’s Premiership side.
Fauonuku explains that while NRLW development players often train with limited expectation of immediate game time, the Women’s Premiership development players are being prepared to both train and potentially play at this level.
“For our Premiership development players, it’s about learning how to handle open-age footy,” he said.
“A lot of them are coming out of age-based competitions where they’re playing girls their own age. Now they’re stepping into an environment where they might be playing women who are five or six years older, with a lot more experience.”
This step is seen as critical in readying players for future NRLW opportunities.
“We want them to understand the pace, the physicality, and the standards of senior football before they eventually get to NRLW,” Fauonuku added.
“So when that chance does come, they are prepared because they’ve already been exposed to that level through the Premiership.”
There are several players expected to move from the Clubs Tarsha Gale and Lisa Fiaola Cup side into the NSW Women’s Premiership squad.
The Wests Tigers season kicks off on Saturday, 13 June against the Roosters at Lidcombe Oval.
The NSW Women’s Premiership regular season will be 11 rounds, concluding on Saturday 29 August, for the teams draw, please click here.
Wests Tigers - NSW Women’s Premiership squad
Abbey Krzanic
Ally Bullman
Bianca Bennetts
Breeze E'e
Emaison Beck
Folau Vaki
Tia-Jordyn Vasilovski
Jade Pond
Katalina Vave
Kiara Barnes
Lexus Christie-Talau
Maleah Mayol
Litia Taufa-Laukau Fusi
Logan Flanagan
Maddie Binding
Malia Tui'fua
Manirewa Howell
Montana Mclean
Phoenix Lamese
Rayven Jodeci Boyce
Season Blackburn-Kingi
Shekinah Edwards
Shelby Muir
Sofaia Vaki
Tehillah Rose Vaeluaga
Trinity Crosby
