The Canberra Raiders are pleased to announce three more players for their inaugural NRLW season.
Chanté Temara, Tommaya Kelly-Sines and Felice Quinlan will join the green machine in 2023 as NRLW coach Darrin Borthwick continues to build his roster.
Temara joins the club after playing with the Broncos in 2020 and being in the Roosters squad in 2021 and 2022.
The 21-year-old was part of the Broncos squad that won the 2020 NRLW Premiership and was also in the first Queensland under 18s team to play against New South Wales in 2019.
Temara was also named in the wider Queensland Maroons squad in the lead up to the 2022 Women’s Origin match.
Chanté is the younger sister of Zahara, who recently signed with the club and was announced earlier this month.
Temara said she can’t wait to relocate to Canberra and be part of the inaugural Raiders NRLW team.
“I’m really looking forward to being part of the first Raiders women’s team and to see what we can do,” Temara said.
“I’ve heard a lot of good things about the Raiders from other people. Darrin really sold it to me because he gave me a lot of confidence as a player.”
Kelly-Sines is an Indigenous All Stars representative, with appearances in the 2019 and 2022 matches, including scoring the match-winning try last year.
She also played in the Parramatta Eels inaugural NRLW team in 2021 and was part of the NSW City squad that won the 2019 Women’s National Championships.
Prior to playing rugby league, the 28-year-old was a New South Wales and Australian Indoor Netball representative.
Kelly-Sines said she’s looking forward to returning to the NRLW competition with the Raiders.
“I’m really excited. I’ve never been down to these ways before. I think it’s the start that I needed so I’m really looking forward to it,” Kelly-Sines said.
“It’s good to have a club down this way for the girls here. I know a lot of them travel up to Sydney to play.
“To give the local girls down here a crack at NRLW is so exciting and I hope now that the pathways are here, all the girls will come along and we get more local girls coming in as well so I’m excited for that.”
Quinlan joins the Raiders on her first NRLW contract, after impressing at the Burleigh Bears in the BMD Premiership.
The centre has scored 13 tries in 10 games for the Bears in her two seasons playing at the club.
The 24-year-old has a background in netball, touch and sevens and is the younger sister of fellow Raiders NRLW signing, Ash.
“It is really exciting to be a part of the first ever Raiders NRLW team and I’m just so excited to get down there and play,” Quinlan said.
“This is something that I’ve hoped for about two years now, I didn’t think I’d get the opportunity so soon but I can’t wait.
“Being able to be a foundation player is pretty special and something rare.”
Borthwick is excited for the trio to be part of the club’s inaugural season.
“Chanté has been in and around the NRLW space for a few years and she is playing some good footy up at Burleigh at the moment so I think we are getting her at the right time,” Borthwick said.
“I’m really looking forward to her coming down here to the Raiders and doing a job for us that she’s been doing for the past few years.
“I think for Tommaya, she’s obviously played NRLW and she’s been in some really good form with our feeder club Mounties.
“To reward her with a contract, I know what I get with Tommaya and I’m looking forward to seeing what she does in the green jersey.
“Felice has been in some really good form up at Burleigh and she caught my eye nice and early with that form and she’s been rewarded with a contract as well.
“I know she can’t wait to get down here and discover the next chapter in her footy journey.”
