Leeds Rhinos star makes key Super League observation before return to Australia's Gold Coast Titans

The New Zealand loose-forward will rejoin Gold Coast Titans, in Australia’s NRLW, after Rhinos’ game against St Helens at Headingley on Friday (5.30pm).

Rhinos were beaten by York Valkyrie in Hale’s debut, but have won three Betfred Super League and Challenge Cup games since without conceding a point.

“I’ve been quite fortunate to have seen both competitions,” Hale said. “I think my biggest takeaway has been that the NRLW started rather small, in terms of four teams that has gradually built now to 10.

“I think they have progressed to a position where it has looked rather comfortable and then included other teams, put more contracts out to players and kind of widened the competition.

“From my understanding, Super League welcomed in a lot of teams and you do have your top tier teams who are rather competitive and some clubs are still in their development stages.”

Hale, who will be back in Leeds later this year and hopes to play for Rhinos again, added: “They are both great competitions, I just think it’s a shame for Super League that it took off quite quickly.

“[They need to] ensure week in and week out, girls are matched with competition similar to what their team and their squad is like. We are looking forward to St Helens because I am sure it’s going to be a great arm wrestle.

“In terms of the competition structure, it’s a great showcase, but just a shame some of the scorelines aren’t the best reflection of different tiers within the competition.”

Hale was the first National Rugby League Women’s player to feature in Women’s Super League.

She will go up against former Rhinos Georgia Roche and Fran Goldthorpe who have both signed for NRLW clubs and stressed: “I have really enjoyed my time in Super League, I just hope for the growth of the game it does marry up with the NRLW to offer girls the opportunity of playing in either country and be playing quite a competitive season overall.”

Saints are the reigning Challenge Cup holders, but were beaten by Rhinos at the semi-final stage of last year’s Super League. Hale said: “You put a star next to the teams you know are going to be a great contest and St Helens was definitely one.

“They have a great calibre of girls in their squad and I’m sure it will be a great matchup. We’ve got home advantage, but there’s a lot of girls in the English team from both St Helens and Leeds and it’s nice when you are playing the best of the best.”