Former Parramatta captain Simaima Taufa has become Canberra’s inaugural NRLW signing.

The ten NRLW franchises could begin signing players when the contract window opened on Wednesday and a day later the Raiders, one of four new teams, confirmed they had lured Taufa.

The lock led the Eels to an unlikely play-offs berth last season and was instrumental in the upset semi-final victory over the Sydney Roosters that took them to the decider. 

She finished that game with 169 run metres and 33 tackles, before Parramatta fell to Newcastle in the grand final.

Ricky Stuart, coach of the Raiders’ men’s side, welcomed Taufa to Canberra.

“Simaima was our first signing last night,” Stuart said.

“There was a presentation to her. She should be very proud in regards to being that number-one signing.”

Taufa has already begun working for the Raiders in an off-field role as women’s coach Darrin Borthwick continues to assemble his top-24 squad by the May 24 deadline.

“You’ve never got your eye off the ball in regards to your future roster, because in the NRL, in rugby league, it changes every day,” Stuart said. 

“You can’t afford to not be watching or not talking to people in regards to what other options are out there.”

St George Illawarra have been the most active club at the trade table thus far and confirmed on Thursday they had signed middle forward Alexis Tauaneai.

Tauaneai most recently played for Canterbury’s Tarsha Gale Cup side and joins reigning Dally M medallist Raecene McGregor, premiership-winning centre Bobbi Law and Brisbane’s Sara Sautia in defecting to the Dragons for 2023.

The season is set to begin on July 22 and will be expanded from 18 games to 48 to accommodate the addition of new sides Canberra, North Queensland, Cronulla and Wests Tigers.