Two new NRLW teams go head-to-head in the third leg of Sunday's triple-header, with the Knights hosting the Eels at McDonald Jones Stadium.

The Knights are brimming with local talent as well as a huge eight-player Kiwi Ferns test contingent, but overall boast the fewest NRLW caps of any of the six sides this year, with 45.

The Eels (63 caps) are also relatively low on experience and representative honours outside a few marquee signings but boast some exciting up-and-comers and are coached by club legend Dean Widders.

No doubt each side will be desperate to kick off their NRLW existence with a win.

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The rundown

Team news

Knights: Last year's BHP Premiership player of the year Romy Teitzel will captain the Knights in her first game for the club. The competition newcomers have named a powerful squad which includes her North Queensland Gold Stars team-mate Tahlulah Tillett at halfback alongside exciting Kiwi Autumn-Rain Stephens Daly in the No.6.

Veteran Krystal Rota packs down at hooker alongside Caitlan Johnston, who is 15 years her junior, and former Warrior Annetta Nu'uausala, the younger sister of Frank-Paul Nu'auasala who played NRL with the Roosters and Raiders.

There is plenty of experience on the bench with NSW and Australian rep Kirra Dibb and four-Test Kiwi Fern Charlotte Scanlan.

Ngatokutoru Arakua, Chantelle Graham, Kararaina Wira-Kohu and Paige Parker were omitted from the extended squad 24 hours before kick-off.

Eels: Fullback Botille Vette-Welsh plus props Kennedy Cherrington and Tommaya Kelly-Sines are coming off mighty efforts in the recent All Stars clash while  hooker Nita Maynard and centre Jocephy Daniels also acquitted themselves well.

Centre Tiana Penitani, halfback Maddie Studdon, winger Rikeya Horne, bench prop Filomina Hanisi and lock and captain Simaima Taufa are the other big-name recruits.

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Key match-up

Romy Teitzel v Botille Vette-Welsh: Teitzel captains the Knights after departing Brisbane looking for greater opportunity while Vette-Welsh is a leader for both the Maori All Stars and the Eels. A north Queenslander and daughter of former Cowboy Craig Teitzel, Romy was player of the year in last year's BHP Premiership. Vette-Welsh was close to the best player in a beaten side in the All Stars, setting up both her team's tries. 

Stat attack

Eels props dominated the stats sheet in All Stars: Cherrington topped the tackles for Maori with 27 and had the second-most metres with 129 while busting the most tackles (five) in the match. Meanwhile Kelly-Sines had the equal-most busts for Indigenous All Stars with four and was one of just four forwards in the match to maintain a 100% tackle efficiency.