First look at scary new Broncos halves; Jillaroos’ firepower v Samoa’s dynamo — Talking Pts
The first week of the women’s Pacific Championships set the stage for an epic competition.
Kicking off the tournament, the Pacific Bowl side of the competition saw Sharks playmaker Chantay Kiria-Ratu steer Cook Islands Moana to a convincing 34-6 victory over the PNG Orchids. Meanwhile, the Kiwi Ferns put on a masterclass comeback to beat Fetu Samoa 22-20.
Now, Australia’s Jillaroos are ready to make their mark in their first game this Sunday.
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Here are the biggest talking points.
NEW BRONCOS HALVES TO STEER POWERFUL JILLAROOS
The Jillaroos’ 17 has been announced to face Fetu Samoa this Sunday, with all players fit and raring to go at this stage.
With Ali Brigginshaw captaining the side from five-eighth and Jesse Southwell announced to debut at halfback, this game will give the first taste of the halves pairing set to take control of the Broncos’ premiership defence next season, with Southwell having moved from Newcastle and Gayle Broughton gone from Brisbane to the Warriors.
Despite being so young, Southwell already has four seasons of NRLW and two premierships to her credit, and stamped her class with a starring role in NSW’s State of Origin series win this year. Her Jillaroos elevation is confirmation that she’s entered the elite bracket — with a huge runway in front of her at representative level.
“Jesse Southwell, she’s 20 years old. She’s just an amazing athlete and I’m like, ‘You’ve got like another 20 years, darl, left in this jersey’,” Jillaroos co-captain Kezie Apps said.
“It’s so cool to see these young girls coming through and playing at the level that they are at such a young age.”
Southwell and Brigginshaw have a frightening arsenal of outside backs at their disposal.
The Jillaroos were so flush for centre options that Julia Robinson and Jess Sergis were shifted out to the wing, despite Robinson having earned a Dally M Centre of the Year nod. Isabelle Kelly and Tiana Penitani Gray are the centres, with two-time Dally M Award winner Tamika Upton at fullback after a freakish season for the premiership-winning Broncos.
The average run metres per game: Robinson 223m, Kelly 193m, Penitani Gray 151m, Upton 136m and Sergis 126m.
Total: 829m. Bang.
Nine of the NRLW’s top 10 players for total post-contact metres last season are in this Jillaroos side, with forwards Jessika Elliston, Olivia Kernick, Yasmin Clydsdale, Ellie Johnston and Rima Butler also featuring prominently. It is a damaging ball-running team that will be hard for Samoa to handle, and Johnston and Butler will be aiming to impress on debut.
A staggering nine of the Jillaroos’ starting 13 are from the grand final teams, Roosters and Broncos, highlighting their extreme dominance throughout the 2025 season.
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New Jillaroos halfback Jesse Southwell has signed with the Brisbane Broncos for next season, and starts her pairing with Ali Brigginshaw in Australian colours.Source: Supplied
APPS BACK AFTER ROUGH TIGERS TROT, NO END IN SIGHT
One of the players not from a grand final club: Apps, who copped the wooden spoon at Wests Tigers after a campaign of just one win. She was never a risk of missing the Jillaroos squad, but perhaps a little more grateful to be back.
“Obviously our season hasn’t been the best year this year, and the last couple of seasons have been really tough,” Apps said.
“But I can’t fault our girls’ efforts and what they put in week-in, week-out. But still, so stoked just to be here in these colours. Obviously it’s the pinnacle of our sport, every year this is where you want to be, so just super grateful I was picked again to represent Australia.”
A personal victory was playing every game, having featured in just three the previous season due to a knee (PCL) injury.
“Every game that I got through unscathed was a win for me,” she said.
“This year I really took a step back in the working space so I could concentrate on focusing on my body and all my recovery, making sure I’m getting good nights’ sleep. So I think that really helped me this season and being able to go through the whole season injury free.”
Apps is 34 but holds one of the NRLW’s longest contracts, through to the end of 2029. The veteran forward of 18 Tests and 13 Origins feels she’s nowhere near the finish line, despite her rep teammates gradually getting younger.
“I don’t know (how long I’ll play). It’s so hard because every year my body just feels great,” she said.
“I don’t know if I’m training smarter or just obviously the more professional our environment gets with NRLW; you’re in great hands, who look after you, who make you feel good, prepare you well for every game.
“So I don’t know. My body’s feeling so good, so I’m just going until I don’t enjoy it anymore or my body gives way. I still pinch myself that I’m still at this level with all these young girls coming through.”
Jillaroos co-captain Kezie Apps and coach Jess Skinner at the announcement of the team.Source: News Corp Australia
INCREASED COMPETITION FOR DOMINANT AUSSIES
In both 2023 and 2024, the Jillaroos took out victories over New Zealand in the Pacific Cup final, having been stacked with NRLW star power.
Although this year’s squad is again loaded with some of the best in the game, the New Zealand and Samoa sides showed in round one that they are prepared to give the reigning champions a real fight.
Jillaroos coach Jess Skinner said that her side would in no way be taking their opponents lightly, especially given the ferocity of their opening encounter.
“It was exciting and entertaining and a great look for the women’s game,” Skinner said.
Both sides are stacked full of first grade talent. Ricky Henry’s Kiwi Ferns team against Samoa was made up entirely of NRLW players, while Samoa has a strong Broncos flavour through Annetta-Claudia Nu’uausala, Destiny Brill and Shalom Sauaso.
And Samoa will only get stronger. Titans lock Sienna Lofipo made the decision to represent Samoa over Australia despite earning Jillaroos selection, following in the footsteps of NRL players like Payne Haas, Jeremiah Nanai and now Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow;
though 20-year-old Lofipo is out of this Sunday’s clash due to a concussion from the NZ game.
It will be the Jillaroos’ first game against Samoa since 2011 and Skinner is expecting a stern test.
“We’re going up against a really tough team,” Skinner said. “They (the Jillaroos) look at every challenge as if they’re the underdogs. They definitely won’t be taking it lightly.”
Annetta-Claudia Nu’uausala of Fetu Samoa performs the Siva Tau before playing the Kiwi Ferns.Source: Getty Images
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR STARS IN SAMOA’S NEAR-WIN
Brisbane’s Dally M Rookie of the Year Sauaso starred in Fetu Samoa’s opening match, scoring a try against New Zealand less than a minute after coming off the bench.
The 18-year-old made a name for herself on the premiership-winning Broncos side during her 2025 debut, earning herself a Test debut with the Samoan side and making an immediate impact. She powered through four defenders to open the scoring, and ran for 200m and made 17 tackle busts as she tormented the Kiwi defence.
This Broncos flavour proved near-lethal for Samoa, the team falling just two points shy of breaking the Kiwi Ferns’ record of never losing to a team outside of the Jillaroos across 31 Tests.
Fetu Samoa were promoted to the Pacific Cup this year following their win in the Bowl tournament last year.
They dominated the first 35 minutes against New Zealand, heading into half-time up 20-0, however the skill and experience of the Kiwi Ferns was untimely too much in a remarkable comeback.
Despite the loss, the game proved Sauaso is a force to be reckoned with and Samoa not a side to be slept on.
“It was a great battle, it was a great game of women’s rugby league,” Apps said.
“I thought Samoa obviously had New Zealand there and then New Zealand, as they do, they fight back to the very end.”
Mele Hufanga of the Kiwi Ferns charges forward against Fetu Samoa.Source: Getty Images
KARYN MURPHY MEDALLIST POWERS KIWI FERNS COMEBACK
It has been a huge year for recent Broncos premiership winner Mele Hufanga, who earned her Kiwi Ferns call-up after she took home the Karyn Murphy Medal as best and fairest in the NRLW grand final.
The Kiwi Ferns had one of their toughest and closest games ever to open the Pacific Championships, with Samoa minutes away from beating them for the first time.
That was until Hufanga intercepted a kick to run 90m to score, taking New Zealand to their winning 22-20 lead with eight minutes remaining and sealing a miracle victory from 20 points down.
Hufanga has cemented herself as a powerful player to watch during the tournament, marking New Zealand as a difficult competitor for the Jillaroos. They play in Round 3, on November 3.
Given Hufanga’s recent signing with the Warriors, her continued high-level performance further elevates the newly-returned New Zealand side’s chances for next NRLW season, while she’s a big loss for the Broncos.
Nu’uausala is also headed back to the Warriors next season alongside Hufanga and Broughton.
