The Canberra Raiders are pleased to announce the re-signing of Cheyelle Robins-Reti and Emma Barnes for the 2024 and 2025 NRLW seasons.
Robins-Reti and Barnes both made their NRLW debuts in the club’s inaugural season last year and were two of the standouts across the season.
Coming from a New Zealand rugby background, Robins-Reti featured in all nine games for the Raiders in 2023. She received the NRLW Rookie of the Year award at the 2023 Raiders Presentation Night and made her Kiwi Ferns debut in October last year.
Robins-Reti also recently played with Matatū in the Super Rugby Aupiki competition.
Raiders NRLW coach Darrin Borthwick is excited to have Robins-Reti return to the Raiders for the next two seasons and for her to continue learning the game after her impressive debut season.
“Chey received one of our major awards at the 2023 Presentation Night, she had a terrific season,” Borthwick said.
“You put it into context, it was her first year of Rugby League and she’s another player that I think will come back here better. She finished the year playing for the Kiwis and deservedly so.
“I can’t wait to get her back and to know we’ve secured her for a couple more years as well is a good bit of stability for her so now she can just concentrate on her game. I’m excited to get Chey back.”
Robins-Reti says she can’t wait to get back to Canberra and continue on from her first NRLW season.
“I’m very excited to get back and get on the grind with the girls. Last year I had a lot of fun learning the code and being able to grow with freedom thanks to Bortho,” Robins-Reti said.
“After last year I thought we did really well coming into the competition as a new team, despite not making it to the final rounds. We slowly built throughout the competition and still have heaps to grow, which is exciting.
“I think the majority of the girls are coming back from last year so I’m really excited to see our full potential be shown, especially against the big teams in the competition.”
Barnes was selected to fill the final spot in Borthwick’s Top 24 squad last year after she impressed at the 2023 National Championships, being named in the Team of the Tournament coming off the bench for the Queensland Rubys.
The 19-year-old was then named on the bench in the club’s first ever NRLW game against the Sharks, scoring a try in her debut.
Despite breaking her jaw midway through the competition, Barnes managed to play five matches in her first NRLW season.
Borthwick is pleased to have Barnes back in the squad and to see what she can bring to the team over the next two seasons.
“It’s a bit of an ironic one with Emma being the last to be contracted in 2023 and to figure prominently in our team each week and be a big part in how well we went,” Borthwick said.
“She still is only a young girl, so to know that we’ve secured her again is terrific. I was pretty excited to get Emma’s extension done and I’m glad she’s chosen this club to remain at for a few more years.”
Barnes is excited to return to Canberra after a year of NRLW experience under her belt.
“I knew that if I was given the chance to re-sign I would take it without a doubt, I love this club and this team,” Barnes said.
“I’m so grateful for what they did for me last year and I can’t wait for the next couple years ahead.”
