KIERSTEN DUKE: Angelina Teakaraanga Katoa leading Bulldogs’ strong start, Indie Bostock on fire for Dragons

Two weeks into this year’s expanded NRLW season and already this competition is serving up everything that I had hoped for and more.

Strong starters, brilliant standouts and one jaw-dropping mistake.

While the usual star performing teams, the Roosters, Broncos and Sharks have established their place at the top of the ladder, this year’s underdogs have well and truly raised some eyebrows.

The Bulldogs have blown doubters away winning both rounds to announce themselves early on as a force to be reckoned with.

The Bulldogs’ NRL team drew 65,305 fans to the annual Easter Friday clash with South Sydney, setting the largest attendance for a stand-alone regular season meeting since 1908.

Canterbury officials are now aiming to create a new NRLW attendance record with their team having entered the expanded 12-team competition this season.

Under coach Brayden Wiliame, this team have shown structure and heart despite lacking NRLW history.

It was obvious from the team list that the Bulldogs would be strong in the middle of the park. Their challenge was getting their edges, who are mostly rugby converts, up to scratch.

Living up to expectations Angelina Teakaraanga Katoa has been dominant through the middle of the field, creating colossal impact with every run and tackle. She beamed a huge smile when she scored in the round one win over the Knights.

Teammate Alexis Tauaneai has also impressed and powered through to pick up a four-pointer of her own against the Tigers.

Alongside the new teams finding their feet, there have been a stack of spectacular individual debuts.

Teenager Indie Bostock has always wanted to be a rugby league star.

At the tender age of just 12-years-old she picked up a footy and found her calling.

In recent years, the 18-year-old helped lead the Illawarra Steelers to premierships in the Tarsha Gale Cup and Harvey Norman NSW Women’s Premiership in 2024.

She was a part of the under-19s Country side which took down City before scoring a try in NSW’s 46-4 win over Queensland in the under-19s Women’s State of Origin.

Expectations were high for this youngster, but as all superstars of the game do, Bostock absorbed the pressure and was flawless in her NRLW debut for the Dragons against the Raiders.

Bostock snared two tries and ran 185 metres, bursting onto the scene as a young gun to watch, in the 36-14 win.

Another hotly anticipated debut was that of Michaela Brake. While she is technically a rookie for the Warriors, Brake is far from it, bowling into the NRLW with a resume most would trip over themselves to possess.

Making the switch from rugby sevens where she starred for New Zealand, Brake brings lightning speed and great footy IQ as well as the ability to create fear in even the most accomplished defenders. This weapon of a human wasted no time, blistering through to score her first try in the first minute of the Warriors first win against the Eels on Sunday.

Unfortunately, not all debuts were what dreams are made of. Some made headlines for the wrong reasons.

Broncos forward Reegan Hicks is served a two-match ban following a dangerous spear tackle. The ugly move blemished her side’s 44- 8 victory over the Titans on Sunday.

At just 18 years of age, Hicks was widely considered a rookie to watch. But appalling decision making on her behalf saw the second-rower sent off in the 57th minute.

Lifting Sienna Lofipo and driving the Titans forward into the ground headfirst was not the move to make.

You could hear the grimace in the callers voice as a replay of the tackle was shown on the big screen. Thankfully Lofipo saw the ground coming and tucked her head because for a second, we all held our breaths in fear of things ending very badly.

As the NRLW expands so does the fan base. Excitement for the sport is at an all time high and I can’t wait to see how the rest of the season unfolds.