New era for the women's game will 'showcase the strength' of western region

The inaugural Peter McDonald Premiership women's competition (PMPW) has been announced, and it marks the first time female tackle matches will be played in line with the men during winter.

Five clubs will contest the first edition of the PMPW, with the first match to be played on Sunday, May 25.

"It's wonderful," Kathy Lang, PMP board member and one of the organisers of the PMPW, said.

"This will improve the pathways, and it will also probably work towards a full competition for the women in the winter space, as well.

"Moving forward to 2026, hopefully, all or most of the PMP clubs can field a team."

Mudgee Dragons, Dubbo CYMS, Orange CYMS and WWRL sides Wiradjuri Goannas and Castlereagh Cougars will contest the inaugural edition of the PMPW.

Mudgee will host Orange CYMS in the historic first fixture this coming weekend, and 10 games will be played before a four-week finals series.

The PMPW grand final will be held on the same day as the PMP grand finals on Sunday, September 7.

Women's matches have previously only been played under the Western Women's Rugby League banner in spring and summer.

As the WWRL has grown, calls for a longer season and more opportunities in the winter months have grown louder.

Brooke Mallison, the NSW Rugby League's League & Club Support Coordinator for the PMP, also organised the PMPW and said the WWRL deserves a huge amount of credit for getting the women's game to where it currently is.

The Western Rams senior women's representative side has won the past two NSW Country Championships, while the under-17s Lisa Fiaola Cup team won the regional title in 2023 and 2024 before being knocked out in the semis this year.

"The Western Women's (WWRL) has done an amazing job, absolutely amazing, with that short competition, but now we're moving to provide more opportunities for women," Mallison said.

"The PMP is known as the major premiership competition out here, so to have the women playing in it is unreal."

The women's league tag competition will continue, meaning players can stick purely to that format or test themselves in both.

Players from clubs who don't have a tackle team can also request a move to another, but remain playing league tag with their original side.

Matchdays around the region will continue to start with league tag, while the shortened PMPW matches will be played before the first-grade games.

The PMPW was originally designed to be nine-a-side, but that could change given the strong interest.

Mallison said this year is about providing opportunity, so if clubs agree to play 11 or 13-a-side matches, that would be approved.

"We'd like to see the women playing, full stop. It doesn't matter where, when or how," Mallison said.

"We just want to see the women's game up there. It was proven (in last Thursday's women's State of Origin match) that the women's game is phenomenal at the moment, so to now introduce this, it shows we're heading in the right direction.

"We're really going to be able to showcase the strength and the calibre of the players out in our area."

The WWRL will again go ahead in the spring of 2025, but discussions will be held next year as to whether it continues or is disbanded to put all the focus on the development of the PMPW.