One's a late bloomer who didn't take up tackle footy until she was 25, the other was playing from the moment she could lace up a boot.

One goes about her on-field business with a cool understated calm, the other's all big hits and cut-out passes.

Rachael Pearson and Taliah Fuimaono may be polar opposites in almost every way but, as a halves duo, they're more cheese and crackers than chalk and cheese.

As a pair, they've steered the Dragons to the NRLW finals kicking off this weekend, and well within reach of a maiden premiership.

The differences may be obvious, but they share important similarities. For one, they both reported for preseason training without an NRLW game to their name.

It was in stark contrast to their five rival clubs, all of whom boasted an International in the No. 6 or No. 7 jumper. The Eels had Maddie Studdon, the Roosters Zahara Temara, The Knights Kirra Dibb.

The Broncos had possibly the best of all time in Ali Brigginshaw, while the Titans will take to field this week with Kiwi Fern Kimiora Breayley-Nati in the No. 6.

Initial Dragons NRLW coach Mat Head put his faith in a pair of debutants. When new coach Jamie Soward took the reins ahead of the postponed season, the faith never wavered.

"We came into the season as underdogs and a lot of people wrote us off before we'd even kicked a footy," Pearson said.

"Sowie said from the start 'I'm in your corner, you're in these positions for a reason and I'm fully behind you'.

"You get a fair bit of confidence from knowing your coach has got you and he believes in you. There were probably a few out there that didn't given we were two halves debuting in the NRLW.

"We're chalk and cheese really, but I guess it makes a good paring. You complement each other with those differences and I've been really enjoying playing with Fui.

"We've really worked on our combination and hopefully as it goes on and on it gets even stronger."

While Pearson turned heads early on, Fuimaono has emerged as the competition's breakout star through the latter rounds. In many ways, it's overdue.

Still just 22, the Indigenous All-Stars rep has suffered enough serious injuries to end several careers. The St Clair Comets product suffered an ACL tear as a teenager, and underwent two shoulder reconstructions before she was 21.

She admittedly came close to pulling the pin, a few doctors even suggested she should.

"After my second [shoulder dislocation] I was going into my third major surgery and the surgeon said 'look, you're a female, you're not making enough money, you're not playing for Australia, you should probably look at changing careers'," she said.

"I burst into tears and said 'nah, you can't tell me that'. I honestly questioned whether it was worth it but I watched the [Indigenous] All-Stars games after I'd had a couple of surgeries and I thought 'man, I really believe I could be there one day'.

"I just thought 'get that surgery done and it's on'. It's been a journey, getting here happened a lot faster than I probably had in my mind.

"It was just trying to find if I actually belong here or if I deserve to be here. I was kind of questioning myself but, now I'm here, I'm going to give it everything and see where it takes me."

Read more: Pearson proving to be one tough mudder

A premiership? Perhaps, but she feels she's found the perfect foil in Pearson - even jokes the niggling back injury that kpet her out of last week's win over the Roosters was a result of carrying the team.

"She's a very mature player and she just controls everything," Fuimaono said.

"I'm more of an eyes-up player. That goes in hand-in-hand when we come together.

"We hadn't even met before this [season] so somehow, some way, Sowie and Heady have done their homework and we've come together well."

Fuimaono ran the show solo against the Roosters last week, but Pearson will return for Sunday's clash with the Titans after overcoming a back complaint that's as much a product of long shifts in the mines as on-field slings and arrows.

The Dragons will start firm favourites against the Titans after knocking them off in a round-one grind.

It will leave the pressure on the Dragons shoulders, but Pearson didn't listen when people wrote off her side before a ball was kicked. She's not about to start listening now.

"We came in as underdogs and we're probably going into this game as favourites so it's definitely spun in that sense," she said.

"To prove a few people wrong has been nice but I just wanted to play footy and be as consistent as I can. It seems to be working, we're in the semis, but I don't put the cart before the horse.

"I'm trying not to play the game [in my head] before the weekend. I'm just preparing as normal and going day by day, as cliched as it sounds.

"We took them on in round one and there was those debut nerves, probably from everyone. I think everyone has got a lot better since round one.

"They've been playing some really good footy so we're definitely not taking them lightly."

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