‘Not good enough’: Legend shuts down major grand final move
Ruan Sims does not want to see the NRLW have a standalone grand final in the near future, as talks about the next steps for the competition’s growth begin.
The rise of the NRLW since its inception has been one that has overjoyed Sims, with more pathways available to young stars to pursue rugby league as a career.
The Broncos are the reigning premiers after winning the 2025 grand final. Getty Images
While full time status is not available to all in the competition yet, league officials are beginning to map out the next stage of growth for the women’s game.
Topics including expanding the number of teams in the competition, to the length of the season and also fitting in international fixtures have been raised by fans. A standalone grand final day has also sparked debate in recent weeks.
The league had a glimpse of what a standalone grand final would look like for the NRLW, with the 2021 grand final delayed due to the COVID pandemic and relocated to take place the following year in April in Redcliffe.
Sims did not overlook that the match was an incredible moment for the women’s game, but she does not feel it is sustainable to happen annually as of yet.
“I want it to stay as it is,” she said on Wide World of Sports’ NRLW Weekly.
“I love it [being held on NRL grand final day]. I’ve played there, they are playing when a lot of people are in there and the energy is there.
“There are merits to a standalone grand final ... but I would hate for the NRLW not to have to the same pomp and ceremony that we have on grand final day.”
Sims suggested a standalone premiership battle could take place the day before the men’s grand final, but it would need to have the women’s State Cup Champion take place as a curtain-raiser to ensure the fanfare is still the same as it is now.
Alternatively, Sims suggested it be held the weekend before the men’s final to obtain clean air, but it could get drowned out by the men’s preliminary finals.
She then made clear how she would order the next priorities to grow the NRLW.
“I want to (first) see the competition growing and this becoming a full time profession for women in the near future,” Sims, a former Jillaroos captain, said.
The Roosters will enter this year’s grand final undefeated. Getty Images
“Because then you will see the value of the likes of a Teagan Levi, who is a full-time athlete (playing rugby and rugby league). For her to come across and have the impact that she did just shows me what being a full time athlete allows you to do.
“We are also looking to extend this competition in the future, it is not going to stay at 12 teams with a short season. It is going to grow. ... there is a lot to look at.”
Game-day attendance will likely play a role in the decision to move the grand final to its own day, with the preliminary finals doing no favours in helping that happen.
Between both preliminary final fixtures, 10,617 were in the stands to support.
“That’s simply not good enough,” Nine’s Marlee Silva, co-host of NRLW Weekly, said.
“It is partly because it is asking a lot for people to go to multiple games. I think we should be stacking those games as double headers, but I know the girls don’t love that. I get it because you want the home ground advantage, but we also need to have the bigger question and work out what is better for the future.”
Silva’s hopes of seeing 20,000 people stacked in the stands was a goal Sims also shared, but the two disagreed on whether the topic is a step back for the NRLW.
Silva admitted talks about a standalone grand final felt like support of the women’s game was swinging away from what it has become. Sims felt otherwise.
“I don’t think this is a disrespect (to the girls),” Sims said.
“I don’t think it is a disrespect to start asking questions on how we can give things clean air and make things better for the women’s game. I don’t look at it that way, I think it is just looking at ways to give it some platform.
“If I’m looking at a newspaper there will be seven pages on the NRL and one slither on NRLW – that’s not good enough. There’s a lot that needs to be better.”
Sims used the dates of the women’s State of Origin as evidence that having a standalone series can work to give the athletes some deserved attention.
But both agreed the NRLW is not ready to action a standalone final any time soon.
Until then, Sims will be locking in to see the Broncos and Roosters battle, with the two teams set to face off for the NRLW premiership at 4pm on Sunday.
