'I'm so proud': Bulldogs achieve dream NRLW debut in stellar win over the Knights

A historic debut in the NRLW could not have gone any better for the Bulldogs as they unveiled a sensational attacking display to defeat the Knights at Accor Stadium.

The epic battle saw the club's marquee signings lead the team into the battle in style, with both Moana Courtenay and Ashleigh Quinlan scoring a double.

With six debutants making their NRLW debuts, the experience of their two-time premiership winning rivals was not enough to rattle the Bulldogs' mentality.

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It was a battle to break the stalemate in the opening 10 minutes as both teams powered from end to end in hopes to snatch the first points of the match.

But it was the brilliance of Courtenay that opened the gates for the Bulldogs.

Courtenay pushed off two defenders before narrowly keeping her outside foot in the air as she darted over in the corner to score. But Tayla Preston was unable to convert.

Eager to leave a strong first impression back in the NRLW, Bulldogs gun Andie Robinson made a 65m break through the middle to set up the club's next try.

The star fullback was caught just shy of her rival's 20m line when a quick play of the ball opened the path for Ash Quinlan's fancy footwork to find the line.

Referee Ziggy Przeklasa-Adamski called for a review on Quinlan's grounding of the ball due three Knights defenders swarming the five-eighth in bid to hold her above the line.

But the trio's efforts were not enough to prevent four points being added to the Bulldogs' score as the Bunker deemed Quinlan's efforts to be successful.

"They dismantled Newcastle's defence... they were not ready," Allana Ferguson said in commentary on Nine.

"It's hard to believe that most of them haven't played any footy in nine months."

The Bulldogs were denied another four points to open the second half but co-captain Angelina Teakaraanga-Katoa rectified the error and charged under the posts to score.

Dropped balls and mistakes around the ruck continued to halt each glimpse of momentum for the Knights as the Bulldogs caused chaos for defenders.

In the 52nd Courtenay found her second try of the match before Botille Vette-Welsh looked to narrow the margin with a powering try for the Knights.

But Vette-Welsh's efforts were not enough to change the result as Quinlan claimed her second try to seal the scores at 26-12.

Watch the 2025 NRLW premiership live and free on Nine and 9Now.

Speaking post-match, Robinson admitted she was "proud" of what her club had achieved, before she reflected on her own feelings returning to the game.

Asked what fuelled her power to score, Robinson admitted it was her time away from the game due to an ACL injury that ignited a new found fire for the sport.

"It was a long time out [of the game for me]," she told Nine post-match.

"I think it put a little bit of extra fire in my belly. To be amongst the girls... it was really great to be back out there."