NRLW star Kezie Apps says eight, not 10 teams, should feature in next year's competition as the league considers fast-tracking its expansion.
While the NRL announced in March it would go with eight teams in 2023 and 10 teams in 2024, AAP revealed the immediate jump from six to 10 in 2023 is now believed to be close to certain.
But NSW State of Origin captain Apps and coach Kylie Hilder insist it is too soon for that much of an expansion, with even eight teams to test the women's code pathways.
"I agree with eight teams next year, that would be great for the game," Apps told AAP.
"Obviously, I'd love to see the game go more rounds, rather just playing each other once, but that's just the baby steps.
"So more teams, more opportunities for girls to come in and to play in NRLW and hopefully being included obviously in the CBA next year as well."
Hilder was more forceful in her assessment, noting concerns about adding four extra teams with the women's competition still in its infancy.
She said getting the season played at the right time and establishing the NSW Women's Premiership as a genuine second-tier competition should be priorities.
"Two teams, great, four teams, I'm concerned, and that's mainly because I work in grassroots in the development side of things and we've got some work to do at that level," she told AAP.
"It'll get to the stage it'll be like the men's game where our state competition will feed into our NRL clubs, and that's the way it should be.
"But we can't expect those same girls to still be playing our state comps because we're just going to burn those girls out and they won't be around for too long.
"So the competition needs to be situated at the right time, it needs to be longer, but increasing teams by four is a big jump."
Hilder maintained the NRLW season could operate in its own window, pointing to the sell-out grand final where two NSW-based teams squared off in Queensland.
Meanwhile, Apps called for higher pay and a genuine path to professionalism as women negotiate their first collective bargaining agreement with the NRL.
"We're in that awkward position right now where we actually are working as well as playing, so (we need) to be able to take time off work that benefits you to do that," she told AAP.
"Some girls are obviously earning more at their work and then taking time off work to earn less from NRLW which gets a bit tricky, and then they have to take leave without pay because they've already used up all their leave.
"I'm very fortunate where I work, but I can't speak on behalf of all the girls and they have all different circumstances and they all live in different places and study and have families and things like that they have to juggle."
