NRLW

Moana young gun Chantay Kiria-Ratu will return to the international stage a household name after leading a breakout season in the Gold Coast and is set to be reunited alongside Sharks star Kiana Takairangi and Raiders powerhouse prop Kerehitina Matua.

With five players named to make their Moana debut, the Cook Islands are set to unveil plenty of fresh faces and new talent as they look to make a statement on the international stage after missing last year's World Cup finals.

Albert, whose NRLW campaign for Parramatta was limited to just 25 minutes due to a calf injury, will be joined by Raiders hooker Ua Ravu and the Cowboys quintet of Essay Banu, Jessikah Reeves, Sareka Mooka, Sera Koroi and Shellie Long.

The 27-year-old prop has led the way for Papua New Guinea players in the NRLW after moving to Australia in 2020 to join Souths Logan Magpies in the Queensland Cup and before being signed by St George Illawarra.

Elsie happily made this announcement after successfully finalizing the contract with the Eels.

The hard running prop-forward is happy to join the Parramatta Eels women’s team for the two seasons. She expressed her excitement and is looking forward for season 2023.

Elsie thanked the NRLW Dragons for giving her the opportunity to play and represent them. She said the Dragons is a great club. It developed her as a person and as a footballer both on and off the field which she will forever be grateful for.

The current NRLW competition has been using technology-embedded balls created by UK-based company Sportable, the brainchild of three South African rugby fanatics who have spent the past six years refining the technology.

NRL.com spoke to Sportable's chief technology officer Pete Husemeyer from London as well as NRL Executive General Manager – Elite Football Graham Annesley about the trials, the implications of the technology and how close the NRL is to implementing the software.

How does it work?

Aiton, who is only the third Orchids international to earn an NRLW contract after Amelia Kuk and Elsie Albert, has created a scholarship program to help promising PNG players further their careers in Australia.

Albert, the Orchids captain and St George Illawarra prop, was the first beneficiary after Aiton organised for her to come to Brisbane in 2020 to play for Souths Logan Magpies.