Bobbi Law hopes an NRLW club switch is not the only move she makes this season.
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The 24-year-old Port Stephens product is among seven Newcastle and Hunter-based players who have signed with the Newcastle Knights for their inaugural NRLW campaign, which kicks off against Parramatta as part of a women's triple-header at McDonald Jones Stadium on February 27.
NRLW and representative players Law, Caitlan Johnston, Jayme Fressard and Georgia Page will be joined by Chantelle Graham, Kyra Simon and Phoebe Desmond in the first ever Knights NRLW team, to be led by newly appointed head coach Casey Bromilow.
Law has played the past two seasons of NRLW with the Sydney Roosters after only taking up the sport in 2019 as part of Newcastle's premiership-winning NSWRL women's side.
She has since played in the Prime Minister's XIII and Indigenous All Stars and is excited to be part of a new chapter in Knights history.
"[Changing NRLW clubs] was definitely a hard decision but to play for your home town, to represent your loved ones, your community, that was my inspiration to come back to Newcastle," Law told the Newcastle Herald.
"I want to have a really good season and to build momentum with our team. It is the first year, so hopefully we can set a platform and lay a foundation for future generations to come through."
Law has been playing in the centres but is keen to transition into the halves with her eye on the five-eighth position.
"I'd like to get my hands on the ball a little bit more and try to create some stuff for the rest of the team," she said.
"I'm just really trying to work on my game a bit more and develop myself further."
Official NRLW training is not set to start until January but Law has already had some sessions with Immortal Andrew Johns, who has returned to the club in a coaching role.
"It's an awesome opportunity," Law said. "Not many clubs would get to train with an Immortal.
"I have benefitted so much just from two weeks of training with him. I definitely have seen an improvement in myself already."
The 2021 NRLW season was originally scheduled for this year but was postponed to early 2022 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The 2022 NRLW season will be played towards the end of the year.
Outside-back Fressard joins the Knights from playing key roles in the title-winning Brisbane Broncos side in 2020 and Australian rugby sevens teams.
Former St George Illawarra Dragons forward Page adds another element from her time with Melbourne Rebels in the elite rugby union Super W competition.
Singleton's Desmond brings a wealth of experience to the squad, along with Graham, who is a Souths Newcastle junior and Country Championships representative.
Six development players have been included in the extended squad in Bree Chester, Jesse Southwell, Kayla Romaniuk, Matilda Jones, Sophie Clancy and Tylah Vallance.
Bromilow said the team would be a mix of youth and experience.
"I think we've got a really strong squad, now it's about developing good people and building resilient rugby league players," Bromilow said.
"We've got international and Origin players, along with some very young, ambitious, up-and-coming players, who are ready to make a name for themselves.
"Similar to the Knights approach in 1988 by recruiting a young playing group, we've followed a similar path finding players that we think we can build a strong foundation for the club."
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