It has been an exciting move for prolific try scorer Madison Bartlett, who is one of the newest NRLW stars to join the Gold Coast Titans for the upcoming season.
The New Zealand-based flyer topped the charts in terms of four-pointers in the 2021 season, crossing the line on six occasions and is set to be a great addition for Karyn Murphy's squad, adding plenty of depth to the outside backs with previous NRLW and International experience under the 27-year-old's belt.
Settling in to her new home on the Gold Coast, it has been an easy transition for the new recruit, having a number of familiar faces as teammates.
"It's been great. I guess I'm lucky I live in a house with some of the other girls so it's been a smooth transition and playing at the Warriors with some of the girls in that year we moved over here has made it easy as well," Bartlett said.
"It's not a completely fresh new team. I do know some of the girls and it's been cool.
"We've got great coaches and the girls are great. It's been a pretty smooth transition."
The former Dragons winger will have plenty of personal motivation in her new colours, going down in the recent grand final against the Roosters, and has the goal to be back in the big dance once again, but this time with her new Titans squad.
"It was very disappointing to lose that final," Bartlett shared.
"I thought we had a great season and maybe probably deserved to win, but it doesn't always go that way.
"The Titans last season had a great team as well, so I know that this team has the capability to go all the way as well, so I'm super excited to be joining."
In between NRLW seasons, the Richmond Roses junior experienced an atmosphere like no other when in action for the Kiwi Ferns against Tonga, playing in the sold-out homecoming Test in Auckland - with the big-game experience set to bolster the Gold Coast, especially when they meet the Knights in front of what is expected to be a bumper home crowd at Cbus Super Stadium.
"It was really exciting. I think they said towards the back end of our game, there was just over 18,500 people so I actually couldn't hear my team half the time because the crowd was so loud - although they weren't probably weren't all in black there, a lot of them were in red," Bartlett said.
"It was just good for the game. To have that many people there supporting women's rugby league was awesome.
"It was really cool to be back in the black jersey as well. I think that jersey caused me quite a bit of heartbreak because I got dropped just before the World Cup in 2017.
"It's been three years between jerseys, so it was pretty special to put it back on."
That inspiration will help fire up the speedy back to claim the Gold Coast's first premiership in the upcoming NRLW season, ahead of a big Rugby League World Cup campaign that she hopes to be part of.
"Like obviously small steps first, but that's the biggest goal for me this season and this year.
"I want to have a big season here at the Titans and make that final travelling squad to go to England."
The 2022 NRLW season is not far away and the Titans are aiming for grand final glory after coming so close in their inaugural season. Show your support with a NRLW membership - on sale now ready for '22!
