Canberra Raiders NRLW recruits Simaima Taufa, Zahara Temara and Monalisa Soliola building a new Green Machine

The body still feels good, and the 28-year-old international is still by far and away one of the NRLW's premier middle forwards - so when Don Furner came calling, she was always going to listen.

The Canberra Raiders chief executive called Taufa while she was in York with the Australian team, en route to another World Cup triumph last year. A new version of the Green Machine was being built, and they wanted Taufa in the engine room.

It was just the opportunity the three-time grand finalist was looking for. She wanted to get out of Sydney, and this move was about "finally putting myself first".

"The opportunity was to come to Canberra and the amount of influence I could have in this region, and to look at life outside of footy when that time does come," Taufa said.

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"Canberra is an amazing organisation. What they've been able to set in place, doing it the right way, and taking the time to allow all the processes to happen and the pathways to be completely clear for the girls is unreal.

"For me, it was putting myself first and making sure I get the opportunity to play alongside one of my best mates, Zahara Temara, and the girls coming through.

"To work with such great coaches, and to be able to work in an organisation where we have such an influence to the town, that's what got it for me. It's a family club, it's a club I want to be a part of. I want to continue to inspire and build that legacy and leave it in a better place than how I found it."

Canberra is one of four new clubs in the competition this year - but Test-capped playmaker Temara says the success of Newcastle shows the Raiders can be a contender from day one.

The Knights finished last in the first of two seasons played in 2022, before winning the premiership in a remarkable turnaround.

"One-hundred per cent. We've got the support network and we've got the people," Temara said.

"Daz [coach Darrin Borthwick] signed good people first, and that all helps with culture, especially in the women's game, you need that to perform well. You've got to love the person next to you. We'll have that."

Rounding out Canberra's first three signings is Monalisa Soliola, the rising star who went from her first game for St John's Eagles in Sydney's west to the St George Illawarra Dragons in the space of 12 months.

"I remember when I first started, I always heard the names, but transitioning from another sport to this sport, I heard the names and I was like, 'I don't really know who that is'," Soliola said.

"All of a sudden, they became the people I wanted to be like. Playing next to them now, it doesn't feel real, it just feels unbelievable. When we get into training and everything, I feel like it's a dream come true, getting to play next to people I once looked up to."

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