# 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. 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.

## Seasons

| Season | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Finals | Ref |
| Season | P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | Pos | Finals | Ref |
| 2023 | 9 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 173 | 206 | 10 | 5th | — | |
| 2024 | 9 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 194 | 216 | 6 | 7th | — | |

## Head-to-head records

| Opponent | First Meeting | P | W | D | L | PF | PA | Win % | Share |
| Sharks | 23 Jul 2023 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 26 | 52 | 0.00% | 33.33% |
| Roosters | 29 Jul 2023 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 44 | 48 | 50.00% | 47.83% |
| Tigers | 6 Aug 2023 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 60 | 34 | 100.00% | 63.83% |
| Dragons | 12 Aug 2023 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 57 | 52 | 100.00% | 52.29% |
| Eels | 20 Aug 2023 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 44 | 40 | 50.00% | 52.38% |
| Broncos | 27 Aug 2023 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 30 | 68 | 0.00% | 30.61% |
| Knights | 2 Sep 2023 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 32 | 46 | 0.00% | 41.03% |
| Cowboys | 10 Sep 2023 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 52 | 40 | 50.00% | 56.52% |
| Titans | 17 Sep 2023 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 22 | 42 | 50.00% | 34.38% |
| Totals | 23 Jul 2023 | 18 | 8 | 0 | 10 | 367 | 422 | 44.44% | 46.51% |
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: 23 September 2024

## Current squad

The team is coached by Darrin Borthwick.
Jersey numbers in the table indicate that the player is contracted to play for the Raiders in 2025.
Table last updated on 3 March 2025.
Notes:
* The following players were signed on a Development contract for 2024:
** Claudia Finau
** Ua Ravu
** Ella Ryan
** Elise Smith
The Canberra Raiders announced player signings in several instalments from December 2024.

## Club records
### Player records

Lists and tables last updated: 23 September 2024.
Most Games for the Raiders
* 6 players have played in all 18 matches.
Most Tries for the Raiders
* Madison Bartlett — 15, Shakiah Tungai — 8, Simaima Taufa — 6, Cheyelle Robins-Reti — 4, Mackenzie Wiki — 4, Monalisa Soliola — 4.
Most Points for the Raiders (20+)
| Player | M | T | G | FG | Points |
| Zahara Temara | 18 | 3 | 46 | 1 | 105 |
| Madison Bartlett | 18 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 60 |
| Shakiah Tungai | 16 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 38 |
| Simaima Taufa | 17 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 24 |
Most Points in a Season (16+)
| Player | Season | M | T | G | FG | Points |
| Zahara Temara | 2024 | 9 | 2 | 25 | 0 | 58 |
| Zahara Temara | 2023 | 9 | 1 | 21 | 1 | 47 |
| Madison Bartlett | 2024 | 9 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 32 |
| Madison Bartlett | 2023 | 9 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 28 |
| Shakiah Tungai | 2024 | 7 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 20 |
| Shakiah Tungai | 2023 | 9 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 18 |
| Cheyelle Robins-Reti | 2023 | 9 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 16 |
| Simaima Taufa | 2024 | 8 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 16 |

### Margins and streaks

Biggest winning margins
| Margin | Score | Opponent | Venue | Date |
| 22 | 34—12 | North Queensland Cowboys | Cbus Super Stadium | 10 Sep 2023 |
Biggest losing margins
| Margin | Score | Opponent | Venue | Date |
| 32 | 8—40 | Brisbane Broncos | Totally Workwear Stadium | 27 Aug 2023 |
Most consecutive wins
* 4 — (29 July 2023 — 20 August 2023)
Most consecutive losses
* 5 — (3 August 2024 — 2 September 2024)

## History

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. A four team competition commenced in late May 1991, initially with nine-a-side but this became ten-a-side later in the season. 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. 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.
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. An ACT representative team was selected to play Illawarra in late August 1992.
Canberra club teams competed in subsequent National Championships between 1992 and 1994, with several of these competitions hosted in the Australian Capital Territory.
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. Six members of the Australian team were from Canberra clubs.
The following year, Canberra hosted a tour match and the First Test in Great Britain’s tour.
The region again hosted the 2002 Great Britain tourists, with a tour match at Seiffert Oval, Queanbeyan. The Third and deciding Test match of this series was played ahead of a Canberra Raiders match at Bruce Stadium.
After a break of fifteen years, Canberra next hosted a women’s rugby league Test Match in 2017.
In 2018, an idea to name the future women's team as the Canberra Valkyries was explored.
In November 2021, the Canberra Raiders announced their intent to apply for an NRLW licence. 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.

## Players

The following players have appeared in NRL Women's Premiership matches for the Raiders. Table last updated: 23 September 2024.

## Feeder team seasons

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.

### Tarsha Gale Cup

For Under 18 players from 2018 to 2020. Since 2021, the Cup is for Under 19 players.
| Season | Regular Season | Regular Season | Regular Season | Regular Season | Regular Season | Regular Season | Regular Season | Regular Season | Regular Season | Finals | Finals |
| Season | P | W | D | L | B | F | A | Pts | Pos | Top | Placing |
| 2018 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 1 | 154 | 440 | 4 | 10th | 8 | — |
| 2019 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 106 | 276 | 3 | 9th | 8 | — |
| 2020 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 118 | 96 | 6 | 5th | 8 | — |
| 2021 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 128 | 168 | 7 | 7th | 6 | — |
| 2022 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 102 | 218 | 6 | 10th | 6 | — |
| 2023 | 8 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 158 | 176 | 11 | 6th | 6 | Elimination Finalist |
| 2024 | 8 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 182 | 134 | 10 | 7th | 6 | — |

### NSWRL Women's Premiership

| Season | Regular Season | Regular Season | Regular Season | Regular Season | Regular Season | Regular Season | Regular Season | Regular Season | Regular Season | Finals | Finals | Ref |
| Season | P | W | D | L | B | F | A | Pts | Pos | Top | Placing | Ref |
| 2023 | 10 | 6 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 254 | 142 | 14 | 4th | 6 | Premiers | |
| 2024 | 11 | 7 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 185 | 204 | 15 | 3rd | 4 | Semi-Finalist | |
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.