ROUND one was a success, but there will be no rush by the NRL in deciding whether to expand NRLW in 2019 or continue to nurture what they have started.

After grand final there will be a full review where a determination of what worked and what didn’t in 2018 — and what can stay or what could go — will be made.

NRL senior manager of women’s elite programs, Tiffany Slater, expects the first few years of NRLW and the women’s game will be assessed year to year and changes made accordingly, but for now, the first week was what they had hoped for.

“We won’t make a decision on what next year looks like until this one is finished. I think that’s really important to see how it actually goes,” Slater said.

“Everything that we’re trying to do here is about being sustainable. We’re in it for the long game in making the right decisions.

“It will be interesting to see what happens over the coming weeks, but I think it’s a slow burn. It’s about changing people’s minds and perceptions and opening new opportunities for people to be interested in rugby league.”

One of the most pleasing things from Slater’s perspective was the public reaction.

All important TV ratings were good — almost 300,000 tuned in on the Saturday across Nine and Fox — and the double header format meant thousands watched at grounds before the men’s elimination finals.

All of it contributes to establishing NRLW as an accepted part of the game’s overall schedule.

“There’s the traditional measures of crowds and TV ratings but I think a lot of it is also the conversation around women’s rugby league, so opening it up to new fans but also changing the mindsets of the existing fans,” Slater said.

“Hopefully the way we’ve structured it as double headers, there are people who might not have seen it who are exposed to it.

“Things like seeing the little girls on the sideline, that’s priceless and also a reminder of why you do it.

“Then having a professional commentary team. Knowns names within the game who are commentating like they would the men’s game, it’s the small things like that I think you chip away and it becomes the norm in its own way. That ‘same game, our way’ concept.”

The upset win of the Warriors over the Roosters first up has made the competition interesting.

The Sydney teams in Roosters along with the Dragons both started with losses and now face a battle to be in the running for a spot in the final.

This weekend is now must-win, which piques further interest among punters.

“One of the things we talk about in the men’s game a lot is how many premiers there have been in the past 15, 20 years and how it keeps the competition exciting,” Slater said.

“To see that even in round one for us and to have people talking about the surprise of the Warriors, I think they liked that too, being the understated team.

“It’s great for the conversation of the game.”