The One New Zealand Warriors will face the Gold Coast Titans in the second edition of the NRLW’s Magic Round in August next year.
After being launched in Newcastle this year, the women’s football festival weekend moves to Geohex Park in the New South Wales country city of Wagga Wagga.
The Warriors have been drawn to take on the Titans in the second of three games on Sunday, August 2.
The Warriors lost 10-20 to Gold Coast in their round four regular season encounter at Go Media Stadium this year but rebounded a week later with a strong performance to beat the Cowboys 12-6 in the inaugural NRLW Magic Round at a drenched McDonald Jones Stadium in Newcastle.
On the first day, the Titans drew 14-14 with the Bulldogs en route to finishing sixth to make the finals while the Warriors ended up in eighth spot in their return to the competition.
Match: Cowboys v Warriors
Round 5 -
home Team
Cowboys
4th Position
away Team
Warriors
10th Position
Venue: McDonald Jones Stadium, Newcastle
They’ll take a potent lineup into the 2026 campaign boosted by an impressive signing spree which has seen the Warriors secure standoff Gayle Broughton, centre Mele Hufanga and prop Annetta Nuuausala from Brisbane’s premiership-winning side as well as Black Ferns super star Stacey Waaka who was in the Broncos’ 2024 NRLW squad.
Broughton was unavailable for the Kiwi Ferns’ just-finished Pacific Championships campaign but Hufanga joined 2025 Warriors Apii Nicholls, Tysha Ikenasio, Patricia Maliepo, Shakira Baker and Ivana Lauitiiti in the New Zealand squad.
Nuuausala captained Fetu Sāmoa while four Warriors players helped the Cook Islands Moana to their Pacific Bowl title success – Kaiyah Atai, Ashlee Matapo, Lavinia Kitai and Lydia Turua-Quedley. Emmanita Paki was in Tonga’s side.
