In their first season back in the NRLW, the One New Zealand Warriors will face the other 11 clubs in the competition’s own Magic Round. The concept has been in place in the NRL since 2019, and now the Australian Rugby League Commission announced that it will be extended to include the NRLW in 2025.
The inaugural NRLW Magic Round will take place at McDonald Jones Stadium in Newcastle, with six games split across two days. Details such as the round’s timing and matches will not be revealed until Thursday, when the entire NRLW draw is unveiled. Participation in the Magic Round adds to the allure of joining the One New Zealand Warriors as the club expands its roster in preparation for its return as one of two new clubs next year.
The Warriors were one of the four founding NRLW clubs in 2018, and they competed in the competition for the first three seasons before being forced out by Covid after 2020. A three-year arrangement with the New South Wales Government will see the NRLW Magic Round held in regional New South Wales between 2025 and 2027.”
Magic Round has been one of the great success stories for the game and it is wonderful to be able to replicate the carnival and fun for the NRLW premiership,” said Peter V’landys, chairman of the ARLC. “The commission is committed to women’s rugby league, and the NRLW Magic Round is a vital step forward in the game’s development. “All 12 teams will play across two days in Newcastle, with all the innovation and excitement of Magic Round but now with our best female players.” The 2026 and 2027 NRLW Magic Rounds would be held in various regions.
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