Titans NRLW 2024

No apologies necessary as it's appropriate for a gender specific thread which persona is built around being fashionably late.
 
Brown return headlines six Titans selected for Maroons Game I team

Lauren Brown will return to the Origin arena in 2024 after missing last year's series to chase her dream of becoming a firefighter.

Headlining six Titans selected for the Queensland Maroons to feature in the upcoming Women's Origin opener in Brisbane, the 29-year-old is excited to be back for her fourth series after making the tough decision not to be available for selection in 2023 after being accepted into Queensland Fire and Rescue training.

The first year of a three-match series, Brown joins Titans teammates Evania Pelite, Emily Bass, Shannon Mato, Jess Elliston and Sienna Lofipo in the Maroons squad for Game I.

The Maroons will assemble on the Gold Coast on Friday for a short camp, before coming together again in Brisbane on Friday week to step up preparations for the March 16 opener at Suncorp Stadium.

“It's such a special event for our players,” Harvey Norman Queensland Maroons coach Tahnee Norris said of the Game I fixture.

“They don't get to play at Suncorp Stadium very often, so to play Game I of Origin in the first ever three-game series is exciting.”

Harvey Norman Queensland Maroons squad
Name Club

Skyla Adams Souths Logan Magpies
Tarryn Aiken Tweed Seagulls
Emily Bass Wynnum Manly Seagulls
Ali Brigginshaw Western Clydesdales
Destiny Brill Souths Logan Magpies
Lauren Brown Burleigh Bears
Shenae Ciesiolka Western Clydesdales
Jessika Elliston Tweed Seagulls
Sophie Holyman Burleigh Bears
Keilee Joseph Souths Logan Magpies
Sienna Lofipo Wynnum Manly Seagulls
Emma Manzelmann Mackay Cutters
Shannon Mato Brisbane Tigers
Evania Pelite Souths Logan Magpies

Tazmin Rapana Burleigh Bears
Julia Robinson Wynnum Manly Seagulls
Romy Teitzel Wynnum Manly Seagulls
Zahara Temara Burleigh Bears
Tamika Upton Central Queensland Capras
Makenzie Weale Norths Devils
 
Titans NRLW squad plus list of off contract and players with club options (CO).
Chantay Kiria-Ratu2024CO
Dannii Perese20242025
Destiny Mino-Sinapati2024CO
Emily Bass2024
Evania Pelite2024
Georgia Hale202420252026
Hailee-Jay Ormond-Maunsell2024
Ivana Lolesio20242025
Jaime Chapman20242025
Jessika Elliston2024202520262027
Karina BrownCO
Laikha Clarke2024
Lauren Brown20242025
Lily Kolc2024
Malaela Sua2024
Matekino Gray2024
Niall Williams-Guthrie2024
Rilee Jorgensen202420252026
Shannon Mato2024202520262027
Shaylee Bent2024
Sienna Lofipo2024CO
Taliah Fuimaono2024PO
Zara CanfieldCO
2024 gains: Ivana Lolesio (rugby union).

2024 losses: TBC.

Development players (2024): Estanoa Faitala.

Off contract players (2023): Brittany Breayley-Nati, Brooke Saddler, Kaitlyn Phillips, Karina Brown (club option), Sienna Laing, Sophie Buller, Stephanie Hancock, Zara Canfield (club option).
 
WE HAVE LIFT-OFF AT THE CAULDRON

Brisbane is on track for a world record-breaking crowd at Thursday’s Women’s State of Origin opener with numbers set to smash the benchmark set last year.

According to the NRL, ticket sales have projected a crowd of around 25,000 for game one at Suncorp Stadium, which is about half the capacity of ground.

If accurate, those numbers will beat the record for a stand-alone women’s rugby league match set last year for game two in Townsville, which drew 18,275 fans for the final of a two-game series.

Those projections alleviate early concern about the ticket sales of game one which had both states worried.

Those concerns grew out of a belief the NRL had made an error by not including Women’s State of Origin as part of a four-day ticket package for Magic Round attendees, which sells out every year.

Packages were sold as a three-day event, with fans to purchase separate tickets for the women’s game.

Magic Round kicks off in Brisbane on Friday, but women’s Origin is the unofficial start, also filling the valuable Thursday night timeslot for broadcasters.

The atmosphere is typically hostile for an Origin match at Suncorp and Queensland women’s coach Tahnee Norris expects no different even if it’s half full.

“Hopefully everyone is pushed into the same areas, the noise there will be insane and the girls will absolutely love it. They’ve all got so many friends and family going anyway, so they’ll be so excited,” she said, adding a record crowd would be further proof the women deserve a three-game series. “That’s insane, that’s so good. the girls will be so happy that’s happening,” she said of the predicted crowd.

“I was excited anyway, so to hear that, that’s great.

Early numbers also suggest game two in Newcastle on June 6 has the potential to sell out, while ticket sales for Townsville on June 27 are slower but not unexpected for a game that could be a dead-rubber or decider.
 
You cannot publicly suggest that women are weaker than men Bodsie :) although there would be quite a few old farts who would totally agree.
 
2024 NRLW Signings Tracker: Titans add experienced trio; Raiders complete roster

The Titans have extended the contracts of Brittany Breayley-Nati and Karina Brown to secure their services for the upcoming NRLW campaign, while also picking up former Kiwi Ferns front-rower Ngatokotoru Arakua

Both inaugural members of the Titans who were part of last year's grand final loss, Breayley-Nati and Brown add experience to Karyn Murphy's group as they seek to go one better in 2024.

"Every team needs experience and what more could you ask for with the likes of Britto and Karina as part of our team who have achieved so much in our game," Murphy said.

"Their leadership was instrumental last season with so many young and upcoming players and their guidance and rugby league IQ will be welcomed once again to help us go one better in 2024."

Meanwhile Arakua, who has previously played for the Broncos, Dragons and Knights but sat out the 2022 and 2023 NRL Telstra Women's Premiership seasons, will also join the Gold Coast alongside rugby sevens convert Georgia Sim.
 
Gold Coast forward Shaylee Bent has revealed that she was relieved at her partner David Fifita's decision to turn his back on a $3.3 million deal with the Roosters and recommit to the Titans. Earlier this month Fifita shocked the NRL world by backflipping on his decision to leave the Titans at the end of the season.
Fifita initially agreed to join the Roosters from next season, signing a four-year deal and even turned down a rival offer from Penrith in the process. However, the highly sought-after star had second thoughts and ultimately pulled the pin on the deal during his ten-day cooling-off period and decided to re-sign with the Titans for a further two seasons.
Pictured David Fifita left and Shaylee Bent right

Shaylee Bent says she was relieved at her partner's David Fifita's decision to backflip on his decision to join the Roosters and stay at the Titans. Image: Getty
While the Titans were relieved at their star player's decision to stay, no one was arguably more thrilled than his partner. After four seasons with the Dragons, Bent signed with the Titans ahead of the 2023 NRLW season.
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A major factor in her decision to head up to the Gold Coast was her relationship with Fifita, which began in 2022. The pair had a long-distance relationship for a year before she uprooted her life to head up to Queensland.
Speaking at the NRL's Indigenous Round launch, Bent said she was grateful that they wouldn't have to split their time between Sydney and the Goldy once again. "I honestly was so pleased," Bent admitted.
" I've moved from Penrith to the Gold Coast — I'd been back and forth from the Dragons. To finally have a year when I'm on the Gold Coast full time and I don't have to do long distance coming back and forth is so pleasing for me."
GOLD COAST, AUSTRALIA - APRIL 20: David Fifita of the Titans celebrates a try during the round seven NRL match between Gold Coast Titans and Manly Sea Eagles at Cbus Super Stadium, on April 20, 2024, in Gold Coast, Australia. (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)

David Fifita will remain a Titan for at least the next two years.
Bent is off contract at the end of the upcoming NRLW season - which kicks off on July 25 - however has stated her intent to stay on the Gold Coast. "I'm so thankful that we're both at the Titans this year and hopefully, for me next year as well because my life is up there now," Bent said.
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"I'm really happy where I am at the Titans and I love my team. The success we had last year — making it to the grand final after coming dead last the year before. So, we're building something big and I want to be there [for that].
"It's the same with David, [the Gold Coast] is our home now. We love the community, we love the fans, we love the club and we love our teams. We've built a life up there so we're really happy. "
RELATED:

Trent Robinson glad David Fifita backflipped

Trent Robinson says he is glad the Fifita circus is finally over and insists he is relieved that he didn't come to Sydney if his heart wasn't in it. "I'm glad there was a 10-day cooling-off period. I think it is a good thing if someone doesn't want to be there," Roosters coach Robinson said.
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"Circumstances come up. I don't know what happened. I don't want them coming down for four years and not wanting to be there either."
Robinson did, however, admit he was disappointed that he would not get the chance to work with Fifita anymore. "When that happens, you know it wasn't right. It was the better position for us to be in, him not coming," he said. "I was excited by the challenge (of coaching Fifita) but not any more."

with AAP
 
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Hey T, perhaps this younger (love their mums generation) might have worked in our favour eh? Starting to see the quote "wanted to be closer to family" a bit more often than in the past.
Happy that Shalee wants to stay as well.
 
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