Those fears were very real when COVID-19 forced the initial shutdown of the NRL and put its billion-dollar broadcast agreement in jeopardy.

The financial whack prompted the Roosters and Warriors to say they would not field sides in the NRLW as they had in the competition's first two seasons.

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Assurances finally came in June when ARLC chairman Peter V'landys announcing an NRLW season and Women's Origin series would go ahead this year with funding from NRL HQ.

It will see the season play out over four weeks to coincide with the NRL finals, before the grand final on October 25 - a return to the competition's initial 2018 format.

While Bremner and other established stars could've absorbed a year on the sidelines, she said it was the emerging stars she feared for.

"Everyone has a season where they get to break into the elite pathway and if this season didn't go ahead girls would've missed out on that," Bremner said.

"It's a sport where you have to take the opportunity when it's there because of injuries and work life all different things, you might miss out on that opportunity.

"It's really important for those girls that are almost ready to be in the elite program, this could be the season that they get there.

"We all heard it was going to extend, more girls were going to get the chance to play, possibly more teams, a longer season. If we'd kept those expectations it wouldn't have been realistic.

"I think the NRL did a really good job having it continue but just modify it to what was realistic and so it was strong."

Bremner held similar fears at a local level amid uncertainty over whether the Illawarra Women's League would continue.

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After a false start last week, the competition will resume alongside all other IRL leagues this weekend after being postponed due to second COVID outbreak.

"This league gives girls an opportunity and that's the scariest thought about this competition ever not going ahead," she said.

"If it wasn't here I would'e never had the opportunity to play rugby league. To think another little girl might miss out on that opportunity if there was no competition really puts me on edge.

"I know how much happiness this journey has brought me and to think that could be taken away... I'm not OK with that."

The competition, that includes powerhouses Helensburgh and Corrimal as well as a combined Windang-Avondale side will also provide valuable prep for the likes of Bremner, Kezie Apps, Jess Sergis and Shak Tungai.

"Maybe we could've trained ourselves to be ready, but we wouldn't have played with the confidence that we will now having this competition lead in," Bremner said.

"It's definitely something that we need to get confident again because it's been so long since we played football."