11 Jul 2025

Pakulis to become first North American to play in NRLW

Canadian coach Mike Castle presented Ravens captain Megan Pakulis with her debut NRLW jersey for Gold Coast Titans eight years after presenting her first rugby league jersey at the 2017 World Cup.

Pakulis will become the first North American to play in the NRLW after being named to debut against Brisbane Broncos in Sunday’s derby clash at Cbus Super Stadium on the Gold Coast.

The Canadian forward already holds a place in the record books after becoming the nation’s first ever tryscorer when she crossed in the 11th minute of their first match against New Zealand during RLWC2017 in Australia.

After being named in the team of the tournament at the next World Cup in England in 2022, Pakulis again impressed at the 2023 NRL Combine in Las Vegas and was one of two female athletes selected to travel to Australia in the hope of winning an NRLW contract.

Megan Pakulis RLWC22 Getty (1)Megan Pakulis in action for Canada. Photo: Getty Images

Pakulis and USA representative MarCaya Bailous played at the 2024 Australian National Championships as guest players and toured NRLW clubs.

Despite some NRLW interest, Pakulis joined York in the Women’s Super League and helped the Valkyrie to premiership success.

With Jillaroos prop Shannon Mato unavailable this season due to pregnancy, Gold Coast coach Karyn Murphy reached out to Pakulis and she joined the Titans for the start of pre-season training.

“I first met Meg in 2017 in the lead up to the World Cup, she was playing for a rugby union club in Toronto and she was one of a few girls who put their hand up to have a crack at it,” Castle said.

“She scored the first try and played every minute of every game at the World Cup so you could tell that rugby league suited her.”

Castle said Pakulis was a pioneer of women’s rugby league in Canada and would be an inspiration for other North American athletes to aim for the NRL or NRLW.

 

 

“She has done things like been one of the founders of the first women’s rugby league club in Canada (Ontario Ospreys) so she has worked really hard on and off the field, and deserves this chance.

“After playing for two days at the Nines in Vegas [helping Ospreys to victory], she was still able to perform really well at the Combine and be selected as one of the two winners.

“She didn’t find an opportunity in the NRLW last year, but she took it upon herself to go to England and performed really well, and worked really hard.

“Hopefully she will prove to other Canadians and North Americans, more broadly, that there is a pathway here in the NRL and NRLW.”  

Pakulis and Castle are set to reunite at the end-of-season World Series in Toronto as Canada seek to secure the final women's berth at the 2026 World Cup. 

The Ravens face Fiji in the semi-final on October 21 with the winner to take on the winner of the other semi-final between Ireland and Nigeria in the final on October 26.