The NRLW's leading players have urged head office to prioritise a longer season and full-time professionalism over expansion, as the ARL Commission plan for a more monetised women's game.
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This year's season will kick off at a crucial time, with the NRL expected to begin with talks with broadcasters in 2025 for the next rights deal.
Thursday night's season opener between defending premiers Newcastle and Sydney Roosters will be in prime time, with all games broadcast on the Nine Network and Fox Sports.
But as things stand the NRLW is not monetised as part of the television rights deal, given to broadcasters at cost price.
That will likely change for the 2028 deal, with the NRL keen to drive up the value of the women's game and sell the league to broadcasters.
"Leading into the next rights cycle, the women's game is going to be incredibly strategic and important for us," NRL CEO Andrew Abdo said.
"It is a value driver. It is already driving really great results for the game and our partners.
"For us to be able to monetise that means we can put more money into the game. The players salaries and of course grassroots football."
Last year's NRLW season easily out-rated the AFLW, while an average 2.2 million people watched each women's Origin this year.
Broadcast dollars will allow for the next big leap in the women's game in 2028, with the minimum and average salary at 34,000 and $42,5000 for this year and annual rises locked in until 2027.
"I can't give you the timeline (on when all players will be fully professional)," Abdo said.
"But the more money we can generate, the more money we can put in the players' pockets.
"Then we can start to think about professionalism as the season extends out.
"But we've got to do it very carefully, and we've got to manage quality over quantity, and that's something that we're paying very close attention to.
"It would be very easy to expand the competition and mirror the men's game and have it running the whole season, but it's got to be sustainable."
Players believe the addition of Canterbury and the Warriors should put a pause on expansion, preferring a longer season of up to 22 rounds while staying at 12 teams from 2028.
"Obviously (being) full-time athletes is key," NSW skipper and Wests Tigers co-captain Kezie Apps told AAP.
"We don't have to have heaps more teams in there, but we could extend it to have double rounds.
"We could start earlier, then have Origin, and continue playing again. That would be amazing."
Queensland counterpart Ali Brigginshaw agrees.
"At least one-and-a-half-rounds is ideal with 12 teams, with a break through Origin," the three-time premiership-winning Brisbane captain said.
"We definitely need to get to professional, to not have the pressure of going to work and instead being able to put your best self forward as an athlete."
New Zealand co-captains Raecene McGregor and Georgia Hale are also behind the push.
"We don't want to expand too quick and go like the AFLW, where there are blowout games," St George Illawarra half McGregor said.
"We don't want people to turn the TV off because of that.
"It would be great to go to 22 games, home and away.
"Instead of introducing more teams, maybe just getting people familiar with the players who are playing."
Australian Associated Press
