Green energy: Temara sisters putting steel in Raiders' spine

The Temara sisters have come full circle since playing together at the Burleigh Bears nearly a decade ago.  

Zahara and Chante became teammates there in 2018, despite the four-year age difference, and won a QRL BMD Premiership together beating Wynnum-Manly Seagulls in the 2023 grand final. 

Despite having been at different clubs in the NRLW's early years, they reunited in Canberra when the Raiders entered the competition in 2023. 

And in 2026 they have helped the Green Machine to their first NRLW finals series.

Their pursuit of another premiership starts at Campbelltown Sports Stadium on Friday night when they face Wests Tigers in the first elimination final.  

Considering hooker Chante is second in the NRLW for receipts behind Roosters rake Keeley Nizza, and Zahara is third in the league for line break involvement, they are showing the value they bring to the key positions of No.9 and No.7. 

Call it sisterly intuition or just good footy skills, the Temaras are calling most of the shots. 

“I’ve played with her a long, long time stretching back to local grades and even in Queensland with the Burleigh Bears,” Zahara told NRL.com. 

“She was actually my fullback if you can believe that.” 

Considering Zahara, 29, has played for the Maroons, the Maori All Stars and the Jillaroos, Chante couldn’t ask for a better mentor in an older sibling. 

Chante, 25, is also holding her own having played for the Maori and been a member of the Australian PM's XIII in 2024. 

For her part, Zahara is marking 2026 as the year her little sister came out from her shadow. 

“I’ve been really impressed with her. I felt like I could have altered her development a bit as I was so demanding of her," she said.

“I hoped I hadn’t taken her vision away, so I’ve been really pleased to see her confidence this year in taking the line on and engaging markers, that sort of thing.

“She leads the forwards around well. Defensively she’s always been good but she’s really gone up a level this year.  

“I think working with (props) Simaima Taufa and Grace Kemp has really helped her in her tactics and role as a hooker. 

“Our coach (Darrin Borthwick) has been a part of that as he used to be a hooker as well. 

“Her mongrel and her heart have been huge for us this year.” 

Knowing each other well obviously helps the Raiders attack but does football interfere with the sisterhood?  

“It does and it doesn’t,” Zahara said.  

“We do spend a lot of time together away from footy but when we’re together at training we obviously talk a lot about footy.  

“She chats about what she wants from me, and I let her know what I want from her. 

“Other times we just banter about anything and everything.”