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Voss: Why NRLW Magic Round is ‘a huge roll of the dice’
Nicholas Quinlan • August 1st, 2025 1:25 pm
SEN’s Andrew Voss thinks that the NRLW is taking a gamble by having its version of Magic Round so soon after the league was formed.
The concept, which was borrowed from the UK Super League’s Magic Weekend in 2019, has become a popular event on the NRL calendar, with fans from all 17 clubs making the trip to Brisbane for the event.
Its popularity has now seen the NRL decide to replicate the festival in the NRLW for the first time, which will take place in Newcastle this weekend, with all six games played at McDonald Jones Stadium.
Magic Round is now the latest sign of how the women’s competition has come on leaps and bounds, having tripled in size since its inception to now have 12 teams in the league and averages a TV audience of 143,000 as of last year.
But for Voss, he fears that the NRLW is not established enough for the concept to succeed.
“I’m not here to be a cheerleader for it, I hope it goes well, but that’s hope,” Voss said on SEN 1170 Breakfast.
“I can’t guarantee it.
“I think the NRLW Magic Round is a huge roll of the dice by the NRL, so early to go with six games over two days in Newcastle.
“The NRLW didn’t need a Magic Round. It doesn’t need a Magic Round. They should have just stuck with that.
“The NRL is long-established, and then they had a Magic Round. The NRLW…it’s too early to bring in.
“There are stars in the NRLW that have become household names. But across 12 teams, there is not enough for the person who doesn’t actually have a team there.
“I think Newcastle play on Sunday if you want to get along to the Knights. But in Newcastle, who are you going to watch?
"Like, you can rattle 10, 12 names, but we're not talking right across the board, so it’s a tough sell.
“It’s too big of a gamble, but I hope I am wrong.”
Fill-in co-host Matt Russell also raised concerns, believing that the location may also work against it.
“Is the location right?” Russell pondered.
“You know how much the Hunter (region) supports Rugby League. We’ve seen great crowds for Women’s Origin there.
“Can they get out and support two days of neutral Rugby League on many occasions?”
The festival of Rugby League will kick off with the Gold Coast Titans playing the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs on Saturday, with kick-off at 12:15pm AEST.
