LeagueNews.co | Jason Patrick
The Women's State of Origin series has faced challenges due to scheduling conflicts with the National Rugby League Women's (NRLW) season.
In 2023, the series was played over two games, leading to dissatisfaction among players.
Queensland fullback Tamika Upton expressed her frustration, stating, "It's crap, isn't it? I think everyone here deserves better." (abc.net.au)
In response to these concerns, the NRL expanded the series to three games in 2024, aligning it with the NRLW season.
This change aimed to provide players with more preparation time and a fairer competition structure.
Despite these adjustments, the series continues to face challenges.
In 2024, the New South Wales Blues' coach, Kylie Hilder, noted, "We probably played the worst that could have played in game one." She added, "Ideally, we would love to have three games to have an outright winner in that regard." (espn.com)
The NRL has acknowledged these issues and is considering further changes to enhance the Women's State of Origin experience.
Discussions include potential adjustments to the series format and scheduling to better accommodate players and improve the overall quality of the competition.