Teagan Levi returns to Gold Coast for NRL Women's stint

Rugby sevens star Teagan Levi will trade codes after it was announced she has signed for the Gold Coast Titans for the 2026 NRL Women’s season.

The 22-year-old, who has won a gold medal for Australia at the 2022 Commonwealth Games and at the 2022 Rugby Sevens World Cup, will join up with her hometown team after her commitments for Rugby Australia have finished this season.

Levi has been a member of the Australia sevens set-up since 2021 and has been a key player for Tim Walsh’s side alongside her older sister, Maddison.

On the HSBC SVNS Series and at the first HSBC SVNS World Championship event of the season in Hong Kong, Australia have been left frustrated by rivals, New Zealand.

Finalists in all six Series stops, the Black Ferns were winners on five occasions and in Hong Kong it was the Kiwis that came out on top of another last-two clash.

Brought up on the Gold Coast, Levi will get to represent her hometown whenever she lines up for Karyn Murphy’s team this season.

Teagan Levi, upon signing for the Titans, said: “I’m really excited to be joining the Titans under Murph. I want to test myself and keep growing as a person and a player and this opportunity allows me to step out of my comfort zone, which I can’t wait to do in front of my family and friends in my hometown.

“Making the switch to league has always been on my mind but I wanted to make sure I was able to be all-in and giving 100 per cent to Murph and the rest of my Titans teammates.

“At the start, it looked like I may not have been able to do that juggling my Rugby Australia commitments, but after sitting down with Murph to discuss all the specific details, I am able to make it work and give my all to playing rugby league.

“I’ve also never been able to represent the Gold Coast before, so to not just do that but be part of a team that creates history winning the first premiership for this region would be a privilege and really excites me. I’m really hungry to achieve that joining the Titans this year.”

In another world Levi could already be a hometown hero. In 2021 she was selected to the Gold Coast Suns in the first round of the AFL Women’s Draft before electing to pursue rugby sevens.

There is also some rugby league pedigree in the family as her father, Jason, played for Manly in the 1990s.

In the past Australia Sevens stalwarts Charlotte Caslick, Dominique du Toit and Sharnie Smale have all spent time in NRLW before returning to SVNS Series action.

The 11-round 2026 NRLW season starts in early July, with the Gold Coast Titans hosting the Sydney Roosters in their season opener at Cbus Super Stadium.

Karyn Murphy, Gold Coast Titans head coach, said: “It’s a huge coup to have Teagan return to her hometown and join us for the 2026 season. She’s been on the world stage wearing the green and gold in significant tournaments the past few years and her big-game experience and exposure to high performance environments will be valuable for our upcoming campaign.

“Already achieving significant individual accolades at such an early stage of her career, we’re excited about what Teagan can bring to our squad, and we’ll support her to continue developing all areas of her game.

“She’s extremely eager to learn and already has a great understanding of the game with rugby league in her DNA – following in her father’s footsteps after he played for Manly in the 90s. I’m looking forward to working with her in the pre-season ahead of Round 1.”