'The Combine showed it is possible': Titans sign Canadian star

NRL Vegas Combine winner Megan Pakulis hopes to inspire other North American players to set their sights on the NRLW after signing with Gold Coast Titans.

Pakulis, who was the female winner at the inaugural Vegas Combine in 2024, spent last season in England and helped York Valkyrie to the Women’s Super League premiership.

The Canadian forward received a trip to Australia and played in the 2024 National Championships while touring NRLW clubs but had already committed to joining York and didn’t want to go back on her word to Valkyrie coach Lindsay Anfield.

However, with pregnant stars Shannon Mato and Evania Isa'ako (nee Pelite) set to miss the upcoming season, along with injured forward Rilee Jorgensen, Titans coach Karyn Murphy offered Pakulis another shot at the NRLW.

The Ravens star, who is set to lead Canada in October’s World Series against Fiji, Ireland and Nigeria in Toronto for a spot at the 2026 World Cup, arrived on the Gold Coast for the start of pre-season training on Monday.

“I was thinking when I walked in here, you know, ‘I've been here before in just such a different headspace'," Pakulis said.

"It was more of a space of curiosity and wanting to learn as much as I can, and now it's just being completely immersed into it all so it's really surreal thinking about where I was a year ago to where I am now.

“That experience, though, really opened up the door just to recognise the opportunities that can come with enough training and perseverance, and so I'm really excited where the last year has taken me and I'm happy to end up here."

Pakulis bench pressed 75kg at the ljmpta.combine and finished the 20m sprint in 3.14sec - an impressive performance considering she had played the previous two days at the NRL Vegas 9s, helping Ontario Ospreys win the women's trophy.

The 28-year-old credited the Vegas Combine for setting her on the path to the NRLW - albeit via England after rejecting an offer from a rival club on the eve of last season.

"Having that Combine showed me that it is obtainable to achieve certain aspects of the talent, skill and experience that eventually gets us to where we want to be with the NRLW," Pakulis told ljmpta.com.

"Everything I have been doing has been building towards the NRLW. Going to Australia and having conversations with coaches and understanding that the opportunity does exist was really exciting, so I am appreciative to have been able to do that."

As the first North American to play in the Women's Super League and NRLW,  Pakulis is a trailblazer for other players in Canada and the United States.

"I have had people reach out to ask me, 'how did you get there, are there spots available, what did you do', so I think anyone who is willing to take the leap right now can see that it is possible," she said.

"I think that the Combine has done a really good job for the exposure of rugby league in North America. There are so many capable athletes, and it is bringing awareness to these athletes and helping to grow the sport.

"If you look at the contact sports that exist in North America, like American football and ice hockey, the women's equivalent is so different. In ice hockey there is not really any contact allowed and the American football version for women is so different.

"There just aren't the same opportunities so I think it's eye-opening for them to see that this is rugby league and there is no difference between the men's and women's games."

The Titans were one of the clubs that Pakulis and fellow Combine winner Marcaya Bailous visited last year and Murphy, who was among the first female players inducted into the NRL Hall of Fame, left a lasting impression on her.

“I've been lucky to know Murph for a little bit now and part of what really drew me to the club was a conversation I had last year where she explained her history of developing the sport here," Pakulis said.

“I think where she started is kind of where I started with Canada Rugby League - of developing and putting in the work, and everyone's wearing multiple hats just to make the club grow.

“Murph has explained that she had to go through similar processes, but then to be such an icon in the rugby league world, it's incredible to have someone like her to learn from."