As New Zealand attempt to play spoiler to Australia's women's rugby league World Cup campaign, the need for the Warriors to make their NRLW return has never been more apparent.
The Jillaroos have proven untouchable through their two matches so far, scoring a combined 176 points and conceding zero.
Meanwhile, the Kiwi Ferns have the best chance of any side to dethrone the defending champions and they'll know exactly what awaits when they face off against their trans-Tasman rivals in their final group game in York on Friday morning (AEST).
However, with the Jillaroos improving out of sight after the expansion of the NRLW and improvements to the game's pathways in Australia, it's a tall order for New Zealand.
The return of the Warriors — who were a foundation NRLW club before withdrawing from the 2021 season due to COVID-19 — would help narrow the gap considerably.
However, despite the NRLW expanding to six teams this year and growing to 10 sides in 2023, the club has yet to make its return.
The club is hopeful that it will be back in the competition by 2025 and the return is crucial to the growth of the international game.
"It was very disappointing. Back home, we have a huge pool of talent and without the Warriors it's hard to tap into that," winger Madison Bartlett said.
"Our games at home aren't recorded, so it makes it hard for those girls to be seen or scouted.
"Myself, I'm very lucky that I have played, so coaches have something to see and go off. We have so much talent back home, we've heard different things as to why the Warriors don't have a team but it is very disappointing, but I'm hoping we can get a team back soon just so those girls can have an opportunity."
Bartlett is living proof of the talent on offer across the Tasman. After she was picked up by the Dragons, she became the NRLW's leading tryscorer for a time.
She was fortunate in that she had the flexibility away from football to relocate to Australia temporarily, a luxury other New Zealand-based players do not have and, without a local pathway, they could be lost to the sport.
The domestic competition in Auckland is strong enough that three players have made the Kiwi Ferns squad but, for the national side to narrow the gap on Australia, they need a local pathway to the top level.
"We have 20 to 12 teams in that comp. If you want to play footy, you have to be in Auckland, but it's tough out there," Bartlett said.
"Sometimes, I find it harder to run the ball back home than in NRLW, because they've got big, solid builds and they're so strong.
"We have mothers in the team, people with families and not everybody has the chance to move to Australia like I did."
While New Zealand are still heavy underdogs against the Jillaroos, they're likely the team with the best chance of knocking off the tournament favourites.
Just as Australia improved out of sight due to the NRLW, so have the Kiwi Ferns and, regardless of the result in York, the two sides will still be odds-on to meet in the final at Old Trafford.
"With the opportunities women have in sport now, it shows in the calibre of our team. When it comes to this environment, we're at our peak and that's because of NRLW," Bartlett said.
"We're definitely coming together. Each training session we get better and better. Hopefully, when we come to that final, we'll be at our absolute peak."
