Knights target parity for NRLW stars

Newcastle CEO Phil Gardner wants to see parity for NRLW players and hopes his club can be a leader in the game for supporting female athletes and their part-time commitments.

The Knights unveiled the seven local members who will make up their inaugural NRLW squad on Thursday, along with their new coach, former Tarsha Gale Cup mentor Casey Bromilow.

Bromilow replaces Blake Green after the retired Knights playmaker moved into a specialist halves role alongside Andrew Johns with Newcastle's NRL side.

With the club's Centre of Excellence due for opening in January next year and the strong level of sponsorship already on board, Gardner believes the Knights' women's side should be well looked after.

"One of our goals is to see parity right across male and female in our sport," Gardner said.

"The women are currently part-timers and are making huge sacrifices to play our sport.

"They're working, trying to build careers, jobs, homes and are trying to play football as well.

"It's much harder for the women than it is for the men. It's a real inspiration what they're doing."

Newcastle missed out on signing some key local talent for the postponed NRLW competition earlier this year including Hannah Southwell and Isabelle Kelly, who have committed to the Roosters.

However, the signings of homegrown talent Jayme Fressard, Caitlan Johnston and Bobbi Law ensure there is some local NRLW experience in the squad.

The Knights will field a Tarsha Gale Cup side in 2022 while they'll also have a Harvey Norman NSW Premiership side for the first time to help set up the ultimate pathway for female talent in the Hunter.

"We're the largest developer of rugby league, both male and female, in the game," Gardner said.

"Our area is Gosford to the Queensland border. Everyone who aspires to play rugby league whether you're male or female, can come and play for the Knights."

Newcastle will host the opening week of the NRL Telstra Women's Premiership at McDonald Jones Stadium on February 27 with a triple-header that will include the Knights facing off against Parramatta.

Despite being the newcomers of the competition and struggling to build a squad early on, Bromilow was confident the squad assembled could "give the competition a good shake".

"The goal is always to win, we don't go into it to make up the numbers," he said.

"We have a number of players who are in the State of Origin squads and a number who are coming over from New Zealand who have played international football for the Kiwi Ferns.

"We want to develop as much as we can and make all of the players better."

The Knights will need to finalise their 24-player squad by late January.