NRLW: Kiwi Madison Bartlett carries family with her in Canberra Raiders journey

A stunning tattoo adorns the journeywoman winger's left forearm, which represents her family from Tolaga Bay, near Gisborne, on New Zealand's North Island.

"Moving away from home is not easy, there's tough times. I don't have any family here, they're all back home," Bartlett told The Canberra Times.

"The tattoo patterns are just like our mountains where we're from on my dad's side and it's got my grandparents on it.

"I travel so much because of footy now, so it means that I always have home with me wherever I go, and when I'm on the field I can look to it.

"Family means a lot, so I feel like I have their strength no matter where I go."

The Raiders are Bartlett's fourth NRLW club after beginning her career with the Warriors for two seasons, then spending the last two years with the Dragons, and Titans.

She'd only ever been to Canberra once before, playing for the Kiwi Ferns in a Test match, but has grown to appreciate the "slow" pace of life in the Bush Capital. And she's not the only one settling in.

With only four of the top-24 Raiders squad already in the Canberra region before being signed, the 28-year-old is one of many women that have relocated to the capital for the club's inaugural NRLW season.

Bartlett lives in one of about eight share houses scattered around Canberra, with her fellow out-of-towner teammates Cheyelle Robins-Reti, Shakiah Tungai, Hollie-Mae Dodd and Janelle Williams.

The 2021 NRLW grand finalist said it has given the Raiders an added opportunity to build their team cohesion off the footy field, and create a family feel at the club.

"Nearly everyone's relocated, there's only a couple that haven't," Bartlett said.

"So that brings together the team when you're living with each other. Everyone just gets along so well."

The strong representation of New Zealanders in the squad has further helped Bartlett settle into her new home, and when the season begins on July 23 against the Sharks, she's most keen to play alongside Kiwi international Zahara Temara.

"She is one of the ones that I'm really excited to play outside of," Bartlett said.

"I've played a lot against her in NRLW and her kicking game was amazing, so I can't wait to catch some of those kicks."

With 11 NRLW tries to her name so far in her career - including the 2020 try of the year with the Warriors - Bartlett is expected to be one of the Raiders' backline stars this season.

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The fans are yet to see what the Raiders' style of play will be in their NRLW debut, but Bartlett knows Raiders coach Darrin Borthwick is planning their attack to flow off a hard-nosed forward pack, and steely defence.

"We'll be playing fast through the middle with quite a mobile pack," the 2021 NRLW leading try-scorer said.

"That's what 'Borth' will be trying to get us to play, and it'll be exciting to see."

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