NRLW Warriors Women team celebrate, One New Zealand Warriors Women v Parramatta Eels Women. Photo: Brett Phibbs/www.photosport.nz
With the return season now in the bag, the Warriors women are plotting their path to a premiership.
The side made an admirable comeback to competition in 2025, picking up four wins and finishing just three points outside the top six.
While the year was more about finding their feet than it was the results, coach Ron Griffiths said they now have the blueprint to build on.
"We have laid foundations to give us a great springboard to head into next season and we'll have a real clear plan about how we're going to start and where we want to finish. We've got some players that we come in that'll come in with some experience that we believe will hold us in good stead."
With 75 percent of the squad not having played NRLW in the year before season star, Griffiths said the more minutes they played, the more settled they became.
"It was evident from round one to how we finished the improvement in individuals and also as a team."
While the season's success isn't being measured by the scoreboards, Griffiths admits he felt they were worthy of a playoff position.
"We did think that we could sneak into the semis regardless of the inexperience. I think it was just some timing issues in terms of an injury to our half back, suspensions obviously hurt us but they are our doing. But no, we were confident that we could play semifinal football."
Michaela Brake of the Warriors celebrates her try with team, One New Zealand Warriors Women v Parramatta Eels Women. Photo: Brett Phibbs / www.photosport.nz
Despite not playing post-season football, Griffiths said the club was far from disappointed.
"Even though we thought we could do it, this year was about understanding who we are, making sure that we could put a framework in place that's going to last well beyond the time I'm here and then change the landscape of female rugby league in New Zealand."
The season had plenty of highlights but for Griffiths his standout memory came in the opening round.
"The moment the team ran out of the tunnel. As a child, I vividly remember when Dean Bell did it and young girls would have seen that moment and want to go and chase that. This is an opportunity to influence generational change."
Griffiths said there were plenty of unanticipated hurdles during the year, the biggest being underestimating the impact of the constant travel.
"As the head of the programme, I got that wrong. I should have done more research around what that could look like and the effect it would've on the team."
However, the team remained united throughout adversity.
"They're a wonderful group. One thing that we were chasing was a team that was connected and our staff and club got that right. We wanted a group that kept turning up for each other regardless of the scenario, I'd run out of superlatives talking about how good they actually are to coach and where they're going to get to."
