Expansion is a tricky business, especially in a sport like rugby league which has such a natural aversion to things that are new and different and takes such comfort in its own nostalgia.
This inherent fear of change, a failure to trust the game itself to be enough, hamstrung the growth of the sport for years. Instead of building a new future, the league too often tries to recreate a past that is already gone.
That's what makes the success of this year's NRLW season something of a miracle. It's been a breath of fresh air for a game that too often refuses to open its lungs.
After the inaugural season in 2018, league's natural caution proved to be an asset. Rather than rapidly adding new teams for the sake of it, they stuck with the original four teams for almost four years in an effort to ensure the talent pool would not be drained too quickly.
Adding three new sides was probably possible a bit before it happened but, now it has happened, the genie is out of the bottle.
The first NRLW season of 2022 was clearly the best in the competition's history — the standard of play was higher, teams improved more over the course of the season because they had more time to train and play together and even players who have been established for years have either hit new peaks or experienced comeback campaigns.
At its best, progress moves downhill. As it happens, it happens faster. Women's rugby league is gathering speed and it's already easy to envision what the second 2022 season will look like — and the further expansion to come in 2023 and 2024.
The waiting has been done and it's time to make hay while the sun shines.
But before all that, there's one more game to play this time around. This season will live forever as the first time a team other than the Broncos claimed the title, with either the Dragons or the Roosters to etch their name on the premiership trophy.
So before we go forward, let's look back at the season that was with the 2022 Campo's Corner NRLW team of the year.
Campo's Corner 2022 NRLW Team of the Year
1. Emma Tonegato (Dragons)
Brisbane's Tamika Upton and Parramatta's Botille Vette-Welch both enjoyed strong seasons, but who else could it be? The former Olympic gold medallist hadn't played rugby league since 2013 before returning to the sport this season but she's been in terrific form for the Dragons at the back.
In six games, Tonegato showcased her skills as a runner and as a passer — she's equal second in the league for tries (four), fourth for tackle busts (25) and equal first for line break assists (six) and was a deserving co-winner of the NRLW Dally M with Millie Boyle.
2. Hagiga Mosby (Broncos)
Mosby's speed and finishing abilities stood out from the moment she made her debut in round 2 of the season, while her defensive decision-making and ability to work from yardage improved as the season went on. Missed out on selection for Brisbane's finals loss to the Roosters but will soon be one of the elite wingers in the game.
3. Isabelle Kelly (Roosters)
Kelly has been part of the top level of women's rugby league for so long it's easy to forget she's still only 25. A return to the Roosters after a season with the Dragons proved to be just what the doctor ordered for Kelly, who's put together her best NRLW season ever – close to the line, she's been as dangerous as ever, but her work out of her own end has been exceptional. Her 926 metres gained is the third-best total in the competition.
4. Jasmine Peters (Titans)
Another rookie who made every post a winner in her maiden campaign, Peters crossed for four tries in five games and just sneaks into this side ahead of St George Illawarra's Page McGregor. A natural tackle-buster, once her work rate improves she can become one of the NRLW's most dangerous outside backs.
5. Madison Bartlett (Dragons)
Wingers have a lot more jobs than they used to, but the most important one is still scoring tries and Bartlett has taken full use of St George Illawarra's good form to land five of them, the most of any player in the competition despite missing a game to suspension. She's currently level with Tamika Upton as the most prolific try scorer in the competition's history with seven.
6. Taliah Fuimaono (Dragons)
St George Illawarra came into the season with two rookies in the halves and both have since become stars. For Fuimaono, it's her creativity and sharp running game that have made her one of the most dangerous playmakers in the league and she's grown in confidence as the season went on.
7. Rachael Pearson (Dragons)
Another first-year player who has become a star over time, Pearson's long-kicking game is one of St George Illawarra's greatest weapons and her style makes her a perfect match for Fuimaono. She makes this team just ahead of her opposite number in the grand final, Raecene McGregor.
The Hay product is a late starter for the NRLW at 26 but she's quickly become one of the game's premier halfbacks and is in the box seat to debut for New South Wales later this year.
"I was just happy to get one game, just to debut, because you're not guaranteed anything," Pearson said.
"It's all been an exciting blur, I can't believe how quickly it's gone. I doubted myself a little bit to start, during the pre-season I really felt I was stepping into another level of football and I didn't know if I should be here or not.
"But [coach Jamie Soward] backed me, he gave me that confidence, and I've had an alright year. We're in the grand final, so we must be doing something right."
8. Millie Boyle (Broncos)
The best forward in the women's game and maybe the best player full stop, Boyle is an irrepressible force in the middle of the field for Brisbane.
She led the league in run metres with 993 despite missing one game through COVID – if she'd played a full slate, she likely would have pipped Tonegato and won the women's Dally M outright.
At 23, her best years should still be in front of her but given how dominant she's become, it's difficult to imagine a better version of the Broncos enforcer.
9. Keeley Davis (Dragons)
It's been a banner year for hookers with Gold Coast skipper Brittany Breayley-Natai and Brisbane rake Lauren Brown both enjoying strong years, but the only choice is St George Illawarra's Keeley Davis, who should have been in the conversation for Dally M player of the year along with Tonegato and Boyle.
The 21-year old spent the season playing the opening stages of matches at dummy half before switching to lock and working in conjunction with interchange rake Quincy Dodd, and it's helped transform the Dragons into a devastating attacking unit.
All four members of the Dragons' spine have enjoyed tremendous seasons, due in no small part to Davis's influence from first receiver – for her part, Davis credits the influence of coach Jamie Soward in helping her hit form.
"I can overthink things a little bit. He just wanted me to play super simple and that's when I play my best footy. Just do the basics and the good footy comes off the back of that," Davis said.
"I'm loving lock, it's so different to hooker, but footy is all the same."
10. Elsie Albert (Dragons)
Steph Hancock, rugby league's ageless wonder, nearly snagged this spot after a tremendous season in her return from retirement, but we have to go with the Papua New Guinea Orchid, Elsie Albert.
Albert plays the game in classic PNG style – that's hard, uncompromising and furiously physical – and is the most improved player in the game this year.
With Kezie Apps missing much of the beginning of the season through injury, it was Albert who picked up the slack and emerged as a forward leader for the Dragons.
11. Amber Hall (Broncos)
Incredibly mobile for a backrower, Hall found a brilliant mix of graft and class in her game this year.
She doesn't shirk the work, churning through an average 144 metres per week, but also excels at isolating defenders close to the line and most, if not all, defenders in the NRLW are going to lose a one-on-one battle with Hall. She's been the best edge forward in the league in 2022, bar none.
12. Shaylee Bent (Dragons)
Bent had already played for New South Wales before this season but she's another of the Dragons' big improvers for 2022.
The former centre has always provided plenty of strike on the edge of the ruck, but her involvement has become more frequent this season and, like Hall, she offers the perfect combination of muscle and flash. Her 70-metre solo try against the Broncos is clearly the best individual score of the season.
13. Simaima Taufa (Eels)
Parramatta had a rollercoaster ride in their first season of NRLW but in skipper Simaima Taufa, they had a force they could always rely on. Taufa was all day, every day for the Eels – she played every minute of every game, averaged 128 run metres and finished each match with at least 30 tackles. Few players were more consistent over the course of the regular season than Taufa, who is second only to Boyle when it comes to forwards in the women's game.
Coach: Jamie Soward
The Dragons have the highest representation of any side in this team of the year, and it's due in no small part to Soward, who has done a wonderful job in his first season as coach.
The 216-game NRL veteran's direct style worked wonders at St George Illawarra, who were expected to struggle after a mass player exodus. Not only have the Red V uncovered new stars like Fuimaono and Pearson, veterans like Kezie Apps and Holli Wheeler have had their best seasons in years.
"He's fresh on taking on that head coach role but he's embraced it while putting his own spin on it. He was such a competitive player when he was running around and that's how he is when he coaches," Wheeler said.
"He prepares for a game as coach as he would when he was a player, he still has his superstitions and his game-day routine. His professional spin on it has really allowed us to take that approach.
"He's been firm with us when we've needed it and kept us in line when we needed it. One of the things he said to us at the start was, 'I don't coach female footballers, I coach footballers'.
"He completely supports us, and that shows in our individual games."
