The race for the NRLW finals is heating up. Canberra became the latest side to secure a finals berth (their first ever) ahead of NRLW Round 9.

Now, attention turns to who else can cement their spot in the top six and who will fall short when it matters most. 

NRLW Round 9 delivers six competitive fixtures, including a fascinating contest in North Queensland and a heavyweight clash down in Parramatta.

With only two weeks of the regular season remaining, points and wins have never been more important than they are right now. 

For the latest analysis, news and betting tips for all of this weekend’s action, check out our NRLW Round 9 tips and predictions below. 

Gold Coast Titans Women vs Canberra Raiders Women Prediction 

Saturday, August 29, 12:45pm AEST – Cbus Super Stadium 

The Raiders are riding the rollercoaster all the way to their first-ever finals berth, and that momentum is no small thing. Canberra arrive with something to play for, but the Titans are heavy favourites at home and have the firepower to justify that tag.

The line of -8.5 is enticing at near-even money, but it's a big ask against a Raiders side that has found belief.

While the Raiders are one of the stories of the season, the Titans are genuine premiership threats packing some of the game’s biggest stars in Chapman and co. We’ll be taking the Titans, but don’t expect the Raiders to roll over easily. 

Betting tip: Gold Coast Titans Women. 

Sydney Roosters Women vs Cronulla Sharks Women Prediction

Saturday, August 29, 3:15pm AEST – Allianz Stadium

The Roosters have been the standout side of the 2026 NRLW season. Ruthless in attack, organised in defence, and showing the kind of depth that sets genuine contenders apart. 

Playmaker Tarryn Aiken has been the engine room of their attack, finishing last week with five try assists in a record-breaking 66-8 demolition of the Warriors, while winger Brydie Parker has been lethal in recent weeks with a hat-trick in that same game.

Cronulla, by contrast, have been one of the competition's more inconsistent outfits. Their 42-16 loss to the Eels last start exposed familiar issues: too many penalties, poor completion rates,

This is one of the most lopsided H2H markets you’ll see in any code this weekend with the Chooks paying 1.01 at the time of writing and for good reason. It’s nearly impossible not to tip them here. 

Betting tip: Sydney Roosters Women. 

North Queensland Cowboys Women vs Newcastle Knights Women Prediction

Saturday, August 29, 5:15pm AEST – Queensland Country Bank Stadium

This is easily the headline match of NRLW Round 9, meaning picking a winner could be a bit of a challenging task. 

The Cowboys and the Knights are very evenly matched on both the field in the H2H betting, with Newcastle the slight favourites at the time of writing.

North Queensland are at home and playing some of the best footy they have produced in years. Charlize Lloyd-Phillips has already etched her name into club history this season after she became the first player in Cowboys NRLW history to score a hat-trick last week.

Lloyd-Phillips is a genuine aerial weapon who has developed rapidly under coach Ricky Henry, and her form coming into NRLW Round 9 gives the Cowboys real strike power on their own patch. 

Meanwhile, the Knights showed real character last week, scoring 20 unanswered points to claw back from 26-6 down before ultimately falling to Raecene McGregor's 69th-minute field goal to lose 26-27 to the Tigers.

Centre Tenika Willison was one of their standouts, running a sharp line to set up a try and repeatedly creating chances on the right edge. 

Kirra Dibb was reliable with the boot and a constant threat from dummy half, while fullback Lucy Spain covered significant ground and made the carry count when her side needed it most.

When games are this close, we always like to lean towards the home side and Queensland Country Bank Stadium has proven to be a fortress for the Cowboys this year, with the home crowd providing real energy that has lifted the side during close contests.

Betting tip: North Queensland Cowboys Women. 

New Zealand Warriors Women vs St George Illawarra Dragons Women Prediction

Sunday, August 30, 11:50am AEST – Go Media Stadium

The Warriors head into NRLW Round 9 carrying real injury concerns. Captain Apii Nicholls is sidelined until the finals with a hand injury, while Emmanita Paki (Nicholls replacement at fullback) suffered an ankle injury last week against the Roosters and is in doubt. 

That's a significant double blow for a Warriors side that relies heavily on its spine. Despite those absences, New Zealand's home record at Go Media Stadium has been outstanding all season, and they welcome a Dragons side down in the doldrums.

Sitting dead last, travelling to New Zealand only adds to the Saints sorrows, and with the likes of Stacey Waaka and Gayle Broughton in form out wide for the Wahs, you’d expect the Dragons' defensive edges will be tested repeatedly from the opening set here. 

Betting tip: New Zealand Warriors Women. 

Parramatta Eels Women vs Brisbane Broncos Women Prediction

Sunday, August 30, 1:45pm AEST – CommBank Stadium

Sunday’s NRLW Round 9 action continues with the 10th placed Eels welcoming a Brisbane side looking to surge back into the top four. 

Parramatta have shown genuine spirit in patches this season, but consistency has been their undoing in 2026. 

Despite their breakthrough 42-16 win over the Sharks last start, which was headlined   by Rory Owen's extraordinary 80-metre solo try to open the scoring, the Eels haven't shown they can reproduce that kind of output against a team of Brisbane's quality.

Outside of the Roosters, the Broncos, on paper at least, are the competition's most complete team and have the personnel to exploit every weakness in Parramatta's game plan. 

They haven’t been at their absolute best this season, but with a top four spot in their sights, we fancy the likes of Tamika Upton and co to show the Eels there are levels to this game. 

Betting tip: Brisbane Broncos Women. 

Wests Tigers Women vs Canterbury Bulldogs Women Prediction

Sunday, August 30, 6:15pm AEST – Campbelltown Sports Stadium

The final game of NRLW Round 9 sees this year’s biggest improvers the Wests Tigers take on a Bulldogs side desperate to sneak into the top six.

The Tigers have been one of the more consistent sides in the competition when playing at home this year, where their forward pack tends to set a physical tone that visiting sides struggle to match. 

Their Captain Kezie Apps returned from injury last week brings the kind of experience and physicality in the second row that has defined Wests' best performances at home. 

Halfback Raecene McGregor has been the Tigers' most influential player this season, finishing Round 8 with a pressure-cooker field goal in the 69th minute to seal a 27-26 win over the Knights.

That type of win and performance instills a kind of belief and resilience that is sometimes impossible to contend with.

The Bulldogs will have their work cut out from there trying to tame these Tigers particularly after they were romped by the Raiders 4-48 last week. 

Betting tip: Wests Tigers Women. 

*Odds are subject to change.