Hale backs English players to make impact after NRLW return

A homesick Georgia Hale says NRLW and Super League clubs could work together on forming a partnership that would revolutionise women's rugby league in both hemispheres. 

Hale recently returned to Australia from the UK after a brief stint for Leeds Rhinos in the women's Super League competition with England stars Fran Goldthorp and Georgia Roche set to follow her to the NRLW for the first time.

After experiencing the game in the northern hemisphere for the first time following the World Cup in November, Hale believes Super League clubs should form affiliations with NRLW clubs and share in the distribution of players.

Goldthorp and Roche will also be joined by Hollie-Mae Dodd, who has signed with the Raiders in the NRLW this year, as the first English trio to ever sign with clubs down under.

"The Super League is good, it’s just grown very quickly," Hale told NRL.com.

"It’s done the opposite to the NRLW and grown fast which has made it hard to maintain high-quality games. You’ll get a real arm-wrestle one week and then you’ll get blowouts naturally with the Super League and Challenge Cup draw.

"I think it would be an awesome thing if we could see NRLW and Super League clubs work together at some stage. If the RFL are uncomfortable with losing more girls to the NRLW they’re going to have to do something about it.

"They could see it as a problem or an opportunity. I think it’s an awesome opportunity for the girls who have signed to head over to Australia and I think it’s the first of many that will want to head over to the NRLW eventually.

"They'll benefit from the experience of learning to leave home and live in a beautiful place and at clubs that will give them so much support.

"In return there are players in the NRLW who may want to experience the Super League here, so I think it would be a great opportunity if there was some sort of affiliation between clubs.

"The girls here watch NRLW, they watch State of Origin… they watch everything. There’s a comparison so they have a bit of an idea of what they’re going into."

The Kiwi Ferns utility said she had always been in conversations with the Titans about returning to the NRLW this year despite moving to the UK after her partner, former Titan Sam Lisone, joined the Rhinos in the off-season.

After the NRLW contracting window opened, Titans coach Karyn Murphy got back in touch with Hale about returning to the club.

"I’ve enjoyed my time at Leeds but sometimes rugby league can be a vehicle to get you to your next place and I’m missing home and the comforts of that," Hale said.

"Sam’s intentions are to stay at Leeds for a couple more years so any opportunity to go home I saw as a chance to jump at because I’ll return to Leeds after the NRLW season.

"With the growth of the women’s game, girls can stand on their own two feet and it’s cool that Sam and I are chasing the same dream but we’re doing it our own way.

"We’re so far from home and I’ve built a really good relationship with the Titans so there was always that conversation in the background of wanting to go home."

Hale said she was beyond excited to link with New Zealand sevens star Niall Williams at the Titans this season. 

"The fact she’s making a code jump and is a class player I’m really looking forward to working with her," Hale said.

"She’s been in some really big environments so she’ll be able to pass off some knowledge and you can see how hard she’s worked in the background that she'll bring plenty of professionalism."

Hale's Titans will clash with Goldthorp's Cowboys in the opening round of the NRL Telstra Women's Premiership on July 22.