Elliott (nee Boyle) and Baxter (nee McGregor) confirmed on Wednesday this NRLW season would be their last, leaving the duo on track to go out with another premiership at the Roosters.
Elliott's decision to call it a day is a shock.
She is 28 and hopes to play for Australia at the end-of-year World Cup, but after having a child last year the front-rower wants to prioritise a growing family.
An emotional Baxter said on Thursday she had made the call after returning from last year's ACL rupture.
The 32-year-old has still starred for the Roosters at fullback, but felt her body was finding it hard to keep up with the demands.
Both have been stars of the NRLW since its second season in 2019, with Baxter missing the opening four-week competition through a shoulder injury.
Elliott was the first player to win premierships at three clubs and has also had one of the loudest voices in the growth and direction of the competition.
"In a little while we'll look back and realise how significant this time was and the inception of the NRLW," Elliott said.
"When the competition came in, let's be honest no one really cared, I'm not sugarcoating it.
"But the fact we're sitting here in a press conference room, we've got State of Origin where we have millions of people tune in.
"We go to a footy game and people know who we are, that's just crazy."
Elliott won two premierships at Brisbane in 2019 and 2020, before taking a title at Newcastle in 2022 and another at the Roosters in 2024.
The Tri-colours are unbeaten this year headed into the finals with their only defeat coming in the 2025 decider against Brisbane.
She also played 12 State of Origins for NSW and four Tests for Australia, famously sitting out the 2022 World Cup due to work commitments.
Elliott has never been one to sugarcoat things. She is highly regarded in the game and on Wednesday warned against expanding too fast.
"I'd love to see the game get to be in its best spot possible and I'll talk underwater and whoever wants to listen can," Elliott said.
"Maybe now I've finished footy and if there's things that I can help with, whether it's through the media or at different clubs, I'd like to help in any way."
Baxter, meanwhile, has been one of the game's most prominent players since even prior to the NRLW.
She was the Roosters' captain for their premiership in 2021 and has set the culture for the club, now a powerhouse of the competition.
In a career halted at times by pregnancy and injury, the mother-of-three played her first of seven Tests for Australia in 2016 and also played in seven Origins for NSW.
"The Roosters are going to be strong for a very long time because of that foundation that we've built and I'm proud of that," she said.
"What I love is seeing the ones in our systems really thriving from playing football from a young age and coming through and playing with us now."
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