Canberra Raiders Women

Last updated

Canberra Raiders Women
Club information
Full nameCanberra Raiders
Rugby League Club
Nickname(s)The Green Machine
Colours  Lime Green
  White
  Navy
Founded30 March 1981;44 years ago (1981-03-30) in Queanbeyan NSW
Website raiders.com.au
Current details
Ground(s)
CEO Don Furner Jr
Chairman Dennis Richardson
Coach Darrin Borthwick
Captain Simaima Taufa
Zahara Temara
Competition NRL Women's Premiership
Kit left arm white hoop.png
Kit left arm.svg
Kit body bluecollar 2.png
Kit body.svg
Kit right arm white hoop.png
Kit right arm.svg
Kit shorts blue stripes.png
Kit shorts.svg
Kit socks whitetop.png
Kit socks long.svg
Home colours
Kit left arm lightgreenborder.png
Kit left arm.svg
Kit body navyandwhitechest.png
Kit body.svg
Kit right arm lightgreenborder.png
Kit right arm.svg
Kit shorts.svg
Kit socks navytop.png
Kit socks long.svg
Away colours
Rugby football current event.png Current season
Records
Most capped27Sophie Holyman and Chanté Temara
Highest try scorer19Madison Bartlett
Highest points scorer146Zahara Temara

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. [1]
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.

Contents

Seasons

SeasonRegular seasonFinalsRef
PWDLFAPtsPos
2023 9504173206105th [2]
2024 930619421667th [3]

Head-to-head records

OpponentFirst MeetingPWDLPFPAWin %Share
Cronulla colours.svg Sharks 23 Jul 20233003321080.00%22.86%
Eastern Suburbs colours.svg Roosters 29 Jul 20232101444850.00%47.83%
Wests Tigers colours.svg Tigers 6 Aug 202333007750100.00%60.63%
St. George Illawarra colours.svg Dragons 12 Aug 20233201718866.67%44.65%
Parramatta colours.svg Eels 20 Aug 20233102568633.33%39.44%
Brisbane colours.svg Broncos 27 Aug 20233003581120.00%34.12%
Newcastle colours.svg Knights 2 Sep 2023300332640.00%33.33%
North Queensland colours.svg Cowboys 10 Sep 20233102526633.33%44.07%
Gold Coast Titans colours.svg Titans 17 Sep 20232101224250.00%34.38%
Auckland colours.svg Warriors 16 Aug 202511002016100.00%55.56%
Canterbury colours.svg Bulldogs 16 Aug 202511005624100.00%70.00%
Totals23 Jul 2023271101652070440.74%42.48%

Notes

Current squad

The team is coached by Darrin Borthwick.

Jersey numbers in the table reflect the team list announced for Round 9.
Table last updated on 31 August 2025.

J#PlayerAgePosition(s)NRLW SeasonsNRLW StatsOriginTestsAll
Stars
Debut2018-2320242025MTGPts
1Elise Simpson18 Fullback 2025 Canberra colours.svg U Canberra colours.svg 774016
2Mackenzie Wiki23 Wing, Centre 2023 Canberra colours.svg 7 Canberra colours.svg 7 Canberra colours.svg 8227028 Cook Islands YGWG.png 3 New Zealand Kiwis colours.svg 1
3Leianne Tufuga23 Centre, Wing 2021 Eastern Suburbs colours.svg 12 Wests Tigers colours.svg 9 Wests Tigers colours.svg 7 Canberra colours.svg 93711044 Canterbury colours.svg 1 New Zealand Kiwis colours.svg 6
4 Cheyelle Robins-Reti 28 Centre, Fullback 2023 Canberra colours.svg 9 Canberra colours.svg 9 Canberra colours.svg 8265020 New Zealand Kiwis colours.svg 1
5Isabella Waterman25 Wing, Fullback 2024 Newcastle colours.svg 1 Canberra colours.svg 56208
6Sereana Naitokatoka24 Five-eighth, Hooker 2021 Parramatta colours.svg 4 Cronulla colours.svg 9 Canberra colours.svg 6 Canberra colours.svg 7263012 Fijibaticolours.PNG 4
7 Zahara Temara 28 Halfback, Five-eighth 2018 Eastern Suburbs colours.svg 24 Canberra colours.svg 9 Canberra colours.svg 9 Canberra colours.svg 8506107241 Queensland colours.svg 8 Australian colours.svg 5 Queanbeyan United Colours.png 1 Tino Rangatiratanga Maori sovereignty movement flag.svg 5
8Chloe Saunders26 Prop, Lock 2023 Cronulla colours.svg 9 Cronulla colours.svg 9 Canberra colours.svg 9274016
9 Chanté Temara 24 Hooker 2020 Brisbane colours.svg 2 Eastern Suburbs colours.svg 1 Canberra colours.svg 9 Canberra colours.svg 9 Canberra colours.svg 930104Tino Rangatiratanga Maori sovereignty movement flag.svg 2
10 Sophie Holyman 27 Prop, Lock 2022 Brisbane colours.svg 5 Canberra colours.svg 9 Canberra colours.svg 9 Canberra colours.svg 9324016 Queensland colours.svg 7
11Jordyn Preston22 Second-row, Centre 2024 St. George Illawarra colours.svg 2 Canberra colours.svg 9114016
12Tatiana Finau21 Second-row 2024 Canberra colours.svg 1 Canberra colours.svg 67000
13 Simaima Taufa 31 Lock, Prop 2018 Eastern Suburbs colours.svg 10 Parramatta colours.svg 12 Canberra colours.svg 9 Canberra colours.svg 8 Canberra colours.svg 94815060 New South Wales colours.svg 12 Australian colours.svg 18 Queanbeyan United Colours.png 2
14Emma Barnes21 Hooker 2023 Canberra colours.svg 5 Canberra colours.svg 9 Canberra colours.svg 8223012
15 Grace Kemp 24 Prop, Lock 2023 Canberra colours.svg 9 Canberra colours.svg 9 Canberra colours.svg 7253012 New South Wales colours.svg 3 Australian Aboriginal Flag.svg 2
16Lili Boyle20 Hooker, Lock 2025 Manly Sea Eagles colours.svg R Canberra colours.svg 66000
17Marley Cardwell20 Prop 2025 Wellington colours.svg R Canberra colours.svg 11000
18Georgia Thomas27 Five-eighth, Halfback 2025 St. George colours.svg R Canberra colours.svg 33000
19Amelia Pasikala21 Prop 2023 Eastern Suburbs colours.svg 7 Canberra colours.svg 4 Canberra colours.svg 2133012 New Zealand Kiwis colours.svg 2
20Kerehitina Matua25 Second-row, Prop 2023 Canberra colours.svg 9 Canberra colours.svg 7 Canberra colours.svg 420208 Cook Islands YGWG.png 5Tino Rangatiratanga Maori sovereignty movement flag.svg 4
21Relna Wuruki-Hosea19 Wing, Centre 2024 Canberra colours.svg 3 Canberra colours.svg 25104
22Madyson Tooth23 Centre 0000
Hollie-Mae Dodd 22 Second-row, Lock 2023 Canberra colours.svg 7 Canberra colours.svg 8 Canberra colours.svg 5204016 England colours.svg 11
Jaida Faleono19 Prop 2024 Canberra colours.svg 33000
DVUta Uatisone Poka18 Second-row 0000
IS Madison Bartlett 30 Wing 2019 Auckland colours.svg 5 St. George Illawarra colours.svg 6 Gold Coast Titans colours.svg 5 Canberra colours.svg 9 Canberra colours.svg 9 Canberra colours.svg 640300120 New Zealand Kiwis colours.svg 6
ISClaudia Finau19 Prop Canberra colours.svg DH0000
ISUa Ravu28 Lock 2023 Canberra colours.svg 2 Canberra colours.svg DH2000 Papua New Guinea colours.svg 9
ISMonalisa Soliola21 Second-row, Lock 2022 St. George Illawarra colours.svg 5 Canberra colours.svg 8 Canberra colours.svg 7 Canberra colours.svg 5255020 Canterbury colours.svg 3

Notes:

The Canberra Raiders announced player signings in several instalments from December 2024. [9] [10] [11] [12] [13] [14] [15] [16] [4] [6]

Club records

Player records

Lists and tables last updated: 31 August 2025.

Most Games for the Raiders

Most Tries for the Raiders

Most Points for the Raiders (20+)

Player2025 ClubMTGFGPoints
Zahara Temara Canberra colours.svg 264642146
Madison Bartlett Canberra colours.svg 24190076
Shakiah Tungai 1683038
Simaima Taufa Canberra colours.svg 2680032
Mackenzie Wiki Canberra colours.svg 2270028
Cheyelle Robins-Reti Canberra colours.svg 2650020

Most Points in a Season (16+)

PlayerSeasonMTGFGPoints
Zahara Temara 20249225058
Zahara Temara 20239121147
Zahara Temara 20257118141
Madison Bartlett 2024980032
Madison Bartlett 2023970028
Shakiah Tungai 2024742020
Shakiah Tungai 2023941018
Elise Simpson2025740016
Madison Bartlett 2025640016
Cheyelle Robins-Reti 2023940016
Simaima Taufa 2024840016

Margins and streaks

Biggest winning margins

MarginScoreOpponentVenueDate
325624 Canterbury colours.svg Canterbury Bulldogs Belmore Sports Ground 23 Aug 2025
223412 North Queensland colours.svg North Queensland Cowboys Cbus Super Stadium 10 Sep 2023

Biggest losing margins

MarginScoreOpponentVenueDate
50656 Cronulla colours.svg Cronulla Sharks GIO Stadium 12 Jul 2025
341246 Parramatta colours.svg Parramatta Eels GIO Stadium 12 Jul 2025
32840 Brisbane colours.svg Brisbane Broncos Totally Workwear Stadium 27 Aug 2023

Most consecutive wins


Most consecutive losses

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. [17] [18] [19] [20] [21] A four team competition commenced in late May 1991, initially with nine-a-side but this became ten-a-side later in the season. [22] [23] 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. [24] [23] 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. [23]

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. [25] An ACT representative team was selected to play Illawarra in late August 1992. [26]

Canberra club teams competed in subsequent National Championships between 1992 and 1994, with several of these competitions hosted in the Australian Capital Territory. [27] [28] [29]
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. [30] Six members of the Australian team were from Canberra clubs. [31]

The following year, Canberra hosted a tour match and the First Test in Great Britain’s tour. [32] [33]

The region again hosted the 2002 Great Britain tourists, with a tour match at Seiffert Oval, Queanbeyan. [34] The Third and deciding Test match of this series was played ahead of a Canberra Raiders match at Bruce Stadium. [35]

After a break of fifteen years, Canberra next hosted a women’s rugby league Test Match in 2017. [36]

In 2018, an idea to name the future women's team as the Canberra Valkyries was explored. [37] [38]

In November 2021, the Canberra Raiders announced their intent to apply for an NRLW licence. [39] [40] 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. [1]

Players

The following players have appeared in NRL Women's Premiership matches for the Raiders. Inaugural coach Darrin Borthwick was assigned number one. Inaugural joint captains Simaima Taufa and Zahara Temara were assigned numbers two and three. [41]

Table last updated: 31 August 2025.

OrderPlayerRaidersFirst Appearance
MTGFGPtsGameDateOpponent
2 Simaima Taufa 2680032123 Jul 2023 Cronulla colours.svg Sharks
3 Zahara Temara 264642146123 Jul 2023 Cronulla colours.svg Sharks
4 Madison Bartlett 24190076123 Jul 2023 Cronulla colours.svg Sharks
5 Hollie-Mae Dodd 2040016123 Jul 2023 Cronulla colours.svg Sharks
6 Sophie Holyman 2740016123 Jul 2023 Cronulla colours.svg Sharks
7Tommaya Kelly-Sines120000123 Jul 2023 Cronulla colours.svg Sharks
8 Apii Nicholls 171004123 Jul 2023 Cronulla colours.svg Sharks
9Ashleigh Quinlan1730012123 Jul 2023 Cronulla colours.svg Sharks
10 Cheyelle Robins-Reti 2650020123 Jul 2023 Cronulla colours.svg Sharks
11Monalisa Soliola2040016123 Jul 2023 Cronulla colours.svg Sharks
12 Chanté Temara 271004123 Jul 2023 Cronulla colours.svg Sharks
13 Shakiah Tungai 1683038123 Jul 2023 Cronulla colours.svg Sharks
14Mackenzie Wiki2270028123 Jul 2023 Cronulla colours.svg Sharks
15Kerehitina Matua202008123 Jul 2023 Cronulla colours.svg Sharks
16Tara Reinke70000123 Jul 2023 Cronulla colours.svg Sharks
17 Grace Kemp 2530012123 Jul 2023 Cronulla colours.svg Sharks
18Emma Barnes2230012123 Jul 2023 Cronulla colours.svg Sharks
19Alanna Dummett42008412 Aug 2023 St. George colours.svg Dragons
20Ua Ravu20000412 Aug 2023 St. George colours.svg Dragons
21Elise Smith30000520 Aug 2023 Parramatta colours.svg Eels
22Ahlivia Ingram20000520 Aug 2023 Parramatta colours.svg Eels
23 Jessica Gentle 21004627 Aug 2023 Brisbane colours.svg Broncos
24Petesa Lio20000627 Aug 2023 Brisbane colours.svg Broncos
25Ella Ryan10000627 Aug 2023 Brisbane colours.svg Broncos
26Sereana Naitokatoka1310041028 Jul 2024 Wests Tigers colours.svg Wests Tigers
27Relna Wuruki-Hosea510041424 Aug 2024 North Queensland colours.svg Cowboys
28Felice Quinlan510041424 Aug 2024 North Queensland colours.svg Cowboys
29Amelia Pasikala61004151 Sep 2024 Eastern Suburbs colours.svg Roosters
30Georgia Willey10000151 Sep 2024 Eastern Suburbs colours.svg Roosters
31Jaida Faleono30000167 Sep 2024 St. George colours.svg Dragons
32Tatiana Finau70000167 Sep 2024 St. George colours.svg Dragons
33Chloe Saunders92008195 Jul 2025 St. George colours.svg Dragons
34Georgia Thomas30000195 Jul 2025 St. George colours.svg Dragons
35Leianne Tufuga91004195 Jul 2025 St. George colours.svg Dragons
36Isabella Waterman52008195 Jul 2025 St. George colours.svg Dragons
37Jordyn Preston940016195 Jul 2025 St. George colours.svg Dragons
38Lili Boyle60000195 Jul 2025 St. George colours.svg Dragons
39Elise Simpson7400162119 Jul 2025 Parramatta colours.svg Eels
40Marley Cardwell100002123 Aug 2025 Canterbury colours.svg Bulldogs

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.

SeasonRegular SeasonFinalsRef
PWDLBFAPtsPosTopPlacing
201881071154440410th8
20199117010627639th8
2020630301189665th8
20218215112816877th6
202282061102218610th6
202384131158176116th6Elimination Finalist
202484041182134107th6
202584041154200109th8 [42]

Lisa Fiaola Cup

The Cup is for Under 17 players. The Raiders entered in 2025.

SeasonRegular SeasonFinalsRef
PWDLBFAPtsPosTopPlacing
202584041170148108th8Qualifying Finalist [42] [43]

NSWRL Women's Premiership

SeasonRegular SeasonFinalsRef
PWDLBFAPtsPosTopPlacing
2023106041254142144th6Premiers [44] [45]
2024117130185204153rd4Semi-Finalist [46]

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. [44]

References

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  2. Twemlow, Leo (17 September 2023). "Titans end finals dream for Raiders with clinical win". NRL. Retrieved 18 September 2023.
  3. Rosser, Corey (22 September 2024). "Temara brings up double century as Raiders hold out Titans". NRL. Retrieved 22 September 2024.
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  12. "Raiders sign Chloe Saunders". Raiders.com.au. 19 December 2024. Retrieved 31 January 2025.
  13. "2025 NRLW Signings Tracker". Raiders.com.au. 20 December 2024. Retrieved 1 February 2025.
  14. "Raiders sign Georgia Thomas". Raiders.com.au. 31 January 2025. Retrieved 31 January 2025.
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  19. Hannan, Bevan (13 March 1991). "Porrier back, a decade more menacing". The Canberra Times . Canberra: National Library of Australia. p. 40. Retrieved 31 December 2024.
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