2026 NRLW Signings Tracker: Knights snare Shipton; Raiders continue retention drive

The Knights have signed teenage representative hooker Tori Shipton on a two-year contract for the 2027 and 2028 NRLW seasons.  

Shipton's star continues to rise, progressing rapidly through the grades in 2025, including NSW Under 19 Origin and Australian Prime Ministers XIII Women’s representative selection.

An NRLW debut for the Dragons capping off a remarkable year for the 18-year-old.

“Tori signing is exciting for our club,” Jeffries said “She is tenacious, tough and possesses explosive speed, which fits exactly what we were looking for to complement our squad.

“Our recruitment has been strategic, including a clear lens on what our squad needs moving forward.

“Tori’s experience for an 18-year-old is very impressive, with significant upside and a large ceiling for continued growth, making her a key signing for the Newcastle Knights.”

The Raiders have continued their retention drive with back Isabella Waterman  re-signing until the end of the 2027 NRLW season.

The Fiji Bulikula representative joined the Raiders for the 2025 season, playing seven games on the wing in the NRLW competition, as well as two games for Mounties in the Harvey Norman NSW Women’s Premiership.

This comes after the re-signing of emerging forward Jordyn Preston on a two-year extension. 

Canberra have also announced the re-signing of promising hooker Emma Barnes who has inked a one-year deal for the 2026 campaign. 

Preston arrived at the Raiders last year and played all 11 games in the side's NRL season. 

She will now spend at least two more years in the nation's capital and coach Darrin Borthwick hopes she develops into a leader in the forward pack. 

"It is very rewarding for Jordy, she came here on a one year deal I guess to get out of her comfort zone," Borthwick said. "She was terrific for us, she filled a couple of positions earlier on in the season but she got better and better as the season went on and fully deserves her contract extension.

"She’s a well-liked member of the team, someone that I think relishes in the Canberra environment. I’m looking forward to having her back and hopefully continuing on the season that she had.

"She will certainly put a lot of pressure on the group and that’s what we want ultimately, everyone putting a bit of pressure on each other positionally. That gets the best out of everyone."

In Preston and Barnes, the Raiders hope to have found two forwards they can build around long-term. 

Barnes moved to Canberra for the side's inaugural campaign in 2023 and has played 24 games in the past three years. 

The 21-year-old played a crucial role off the bench last season and she's eager to help the side push for a finals berth this year. 

"This will be my fourth year as a Raider and I am very grateful that I get to have another season at this club," Barnes said.

"I still have a lot of learning and a lot of growing to do, so I really want to push myself this year.

"Being with this team since the start in 2023 has been an absolute rollercoaster, but there’s nowhere else I want to be.

"I love this club and I am excited to see what 2026 has for us as a group on and off the field."

The Raiders have also promoted emerging centre Madyson Tooth from their development list to the Top 24 squad. 

The 23-year-old impressed in the Harvey Norman Premiership last year and will push for an NRLW debut in 2026. 

"Maddy was very unlucky last year not to get an opportunity to play NRLW. Whenever she went back to Mounties she performed really, really well. It was an easy decision in the end to elevate her into our Top 24," Borthwick said.

"She’s a tough country girl and someone that has come through our system, so I’m really happy for Maddy and I can’t wait until the day she does get her opportunity."

In other signing news this off-season, star halfback Jesse Southwell joins premiers Brisbane, who have farewelled prop Annetta-Claudia Nu’uausala, centre Mele Hufanga and five-eighth Gayle Broughton, all off to the Warriors.

The Knights moved quickly to replace Southwell, snapping up former Cowboy Kirra Dibb on a three-year deal. 

A member of the Knights' NRLW premiership-winning team in 2022, Dibb brings 45 games of experience to the table.

Another player heading back to her former club in 2026 is Taliah Fuimaono, who returns to St George Illawarra boasting 29 NRLW appearances, six Tests, five Origin caps and four Indigenous All Stars selections.

Fuimaono made her NRLW debut for the Red V in Round 1, 2021 and chalked up 13 games across two seasons before joining the Titans for three years.

Premiers Brisbane have extended the contract of rising star Reegan Hicks through to the end of 2027.

Hicks, 19, joined the Broncos on a development contract in 2024 before earning an upgrade to the Top 24 squad ahead of the 2025 season.

Hicks made her NRLW debut in Round 2 against the Titans and went on to feature in four matches throughout the 2025 premiership-winning campaign. 

The back-rower co-captained the Queensland Under 19s State of Origin side in 2025 and crossed for a try against New South Wales.

Another young gun, prop Eta Sikahele, has been promoted to the Titans' top 24 squad for the next two years following her standout season with the Burleigh Bears.

Taking up a development spot in 2025, the 18-year-old is a proud product of the club’s development pathways having been a Titan since age 16.

Building on a breakout campaign with the Burleigh Bears in the Harvey Norman Under-19s, Sikahele went on to make her debut in the BMD Premiership, featuring in nine games and ending the season with 167 run metres in the grand final.

Titans coach Karyn Murphy said Sikahele’s progression to the top squad is a testament to her explosive physical presence on the field and the strength of the club’s development program.

"Eta is a very talented young player and it has been exciting to watch her flourish over the past three years in our academy," she said.

"She’s tall, powerful and an athletic ball playing middle who will bring incredible strength to our forward pack in 2026.

"She got a taste of an NRLW pre-season this year as an elevated academy player and didn't disappoint - being promoted to a development spot into 2025.

"Eta's desire to continually learn, grow and develop is a huge attribute of her game and she will be a welcomed addition to our top 24."

Official Signings Tracker Hub

Updated NRLW Telstra Premiership rosters for the 2026 season are below. 

Your club's NRLW contract list:

Broncos | Raiders | Bulldogs | Sharks

Titans | Knights | Cowboys | Eels

Dragons | Roosters | Warriors | Wests Tigers

Brisbane Broncos

2026 gains: Jesse Southwell (Knights), Lillian Yarrow (Cowboys)

2026 losses: Gayle Broughton (Warriors), Keilee Joseph (Eels), Mele Hufanga (Warriors), Annetta-Claudia Nu’uausala (Warriors), Montaya Hudson (Dragons), Lavinia Gould, Shaylee Joseph.

Canberra Raiders

2026 gains: Krystal Blackwell (Cowboys), Bobbi Law (Dragons), Sheridan Gallagher (Knights), Ellie Brander (Roosters)

2026 losses: Cheyelle Robins-Reti (Knights), Kerehitina Matua, Ua Ravu, Tatiana Finau, Claudia Finau, Georgia Thomas, Jaida Faleono (all released)

Canterbury Bulldogs

2026 gains: None

2026 losses: Shaniece Monschau (Wests Tigers), Holli Wheeler (Wests Tigers), Tegan Dymock (Sharks)

Cronulla Sharks

2026 gains: China Polata (Cowboys), Tegan Dymock (Bulldogs)

2026 losses: Brooke Anderson (Dragons), Nakia Davis-Welsh (Knights)

Gold Coast Titans

2026 gains: None

2026 losses: Shannon Mato (released), Taliah Fuimaono (Dragons), Jasmin Morrissey (Eels)

Newcastle Knights

2026 gains: Ella-Jaye Harrison-Leaunoa, Kirra Dibb (Cowboys), Nakia Davis-Welsh (Sharks), Cheyelle Robins-Reti (Raiders)

2026 losses: Jesse Southwell (Broncos), Leah Ollerton (Wests Tigers), Sheridan Gallagher (Raiders), Grace Kukutai, Viena Tinao

2027 gains: Tori Shipton (Dragons)

North Queensland Cowboys

2026 gains: None

2026 losses: Lillian Yarrow (Broncos), Krystal Blackwell (Raiders), Caitlin Tanner (released), Kirra Dibb (Knights), China Polata (Sharks), Tahlulah Tillett (retired), Najvada George (released)

Parramatta Eels

2026 gains: Keilee Joseph (Broncos), Jayde Herdegen (Roosters), Jasmin Morrissey (Titans)

2026 losses: Kiana Takairangi, Chelsea Makira, Yasmine Baker, Jessica Kennedy, Mia Middleton, Paige Travis, Tyla Amiatu, Ruby-Jean Kennard-Ellis, Madeline Jones, Rysh'e Fa'amausili

St George Illawarra Dragons

2026 gains: Brooke Anderson (Sharks), Lavinia Kitai (Warriors), Montana Clifford (Wests Tigers), Montaya Hudson (Broncos), Taliah Fuimaono (Titans), Chelsea Savill (Wests Tigers)

2026 losses: Raecene McGregor (Wests Tigers), Shenae Lendill (Wests Tigers), Bobbi Law (Raiders), Margot Vella

2027 losses: Tori Shipton (Knights)

Sydney Roosters

2026 gains: None

2026 losses: Jayde Herdegen (Eels), Ellie Brander (Raiders)

Warriors

2026 gains: Gayle Broughton (Broncos), Annetta-Claudia Nu’uausala (Broncos), Mele Hufanga (Broncos), Stacey Waaka (rugby union)

2026 losses: Lavinia Kitai (Dragons), Avery-Rose Carmont, Emily Curtain,  Makayla Eli, Kalyn Takitimu-Cook, Lydia Turua-Quedley, Paris Pickering (released)

Wests Tigers 

2026 gains: Raecene McGregor (Dragons), Shaniece Monschau (Bulldogs), Namoe Gesa (Brisbane Tigers), Leah Ollerton (Knights), Holli Wheeler (Bulldogs), Shenae Lendill (Dragons)

2026 losses: Tallara Bamblett (released), Claudia Brown (released), Aaliyah Bula (released), Montana Clifford (Dragons), Iemaima Etuale (released), Amelia Huakau (released), Tiresa Leasuasu (released), Salma Nour (released), Evie McGrath (released), Claudia Nielsen (released), Rebecca Pollard (released), Jessikah Reeves (released), Chelsea Savill (Dragons), Tiana-Lee Thorne (released)