We’re only heading into Round 3 of this year’s NRL competition, but that certainly hasn’t stopped the media talking about State of Origin.
Despite the men’s three-game series being several months away, experts are already selecting their teams and suggesting players that could potentially make their debut.
Normally I find this chatter frustrating so early in the season, but this year I’m slightly less frustrated because there has also been increased focus on the Women’s State of Origin which will be held at North Sydney Oval on June 21.
How NSW managed to secure the home-ground advantage for another year I don’t know, but I suspect that it involves building on the momentum from last year where over 7000 people turned out to watch the game at North Sydney with an estimated 750,000-strong television audience during prime time.
(AAP Image/Craig Golding)
While the game is still several months away, there have been some exciting developments this week.
On Monday, Queensland premier Annastacia Palaszczuk announced that the Queensland women’s team had undergone a name change.
Truth be told, I have been referring to the Queensland women’s team as the Maroons for as long as I have been covering Women’s State of Origin, but apparently back in 2007 that team was given the name the ‘Queensland Brolgas’.
No more.
On Monday this name was officially changed to the Queensland Maroons reflecting equality across the men’s and the women’s game.
Language is important and this name change signifies that the men and women’s teams are now on equal footing.
Back in NSW, there have been other developments.
The NSW Blues have a new coach: Andrew Patmore.
Andrew was the assistant coach to Ben Cross in 2018 and was offered the head coach position when Ben stepped down this year.
Training has also started. Andrew has held two training days with his squad of 25 from last year and an emerging squad of 32. There are further training days in April and May where even more women are expected, potentially up to 60.
This swell of numbers is very exciting and suggests that the pathways are working. Women and girls now have a very visible pathway in the NSW system.
From the Tarsha Gale Cup through to the Harvey Norman Women’s Premiership, then to the NRLW with representative honours for the Blues and Australian Jillaroos the ultimate recognition.
(AAP Image/Craig Golding)
A good example of a pathways product is Rikeya Horne.
This will be her second year with Cabramatta after coming from the Illawarra competition last year. Rikeya is a product of the Tarsha Gale competition and was part of the St George Illawarra Dragons squad in the NRLW. In her first game for Cabramatta last weekend, Rikeya scored six tries.
Additionally, there will be opportunities for new players in the Blues squad this year. There will be at least two spots up for grabs. Samantha Bremner and Nakia Davis-Welsh will be unavailable because they are pregnant.
Given the talent that emerged in last year’s NRLW competition, this will also push the current squad to work harder now that there is competition for their spots.
The squad is expected to be announced the week after the NSWRL National Championships, which will be held from May 30 to June 2.
Some of you may be wondering why the NRL have decided to keep the Origin concept as is – a stand-alone game.
In response, NSW captain Maddie Studdon has said: “the way things are done at the moment is unreal. We know the girls in our group. We know the girls in the NRLW and we know what we want”.
What the players want is a stand-alone game because the game is worthy of it.
Additionally, it is a myth that people will turn up earlier to the men’s game to watch another game of rugby league, particularly when State of Origin is held on a weeknight.
I wonder how many people would show up at 5.30pm to watch the women’s game.
This model also doesn’t take into account that there are many people who would be willing to pay to go watch the women play but have less interest in paying for an expensive State of Origin ticket to watch the men play.
For the moment, stand-alone is certainly the way to go.
In response to questions about a three-game series, this is certainly the goal in future, but we are not there yet.
We will not be in a position for this to be viable until women are appropriately compensated for their participation in the game and there is the opportunity to play rugby league professionally, rather than semi-professionally.
It is simply way too much to ask these women to step away from their lives, jobs and families for three weeks – which takes into account camps and preparation – unless they are paid properly.
But I am confident that we will get there.
If you are as keen as I am for this game, then tickets are already on sale.
Tickets will be $10 and people aged under 15 get in free. There were 7000 there last year, let’s see if we can’t make it 10,000 in 2019.
jimmmy
Roar Rookie
Stand alone game is a great idea and so is calling them the Maroons. I think the quality of female League is going in the right direction . The player base needs to get larger and the NRL women’s comp needs to slowly expand but overall things are on the up.
U
Roar Rookie
This is all part of the wide ranging patriarchal conspiracy to bring women’s sport down. If given fair chance, female atheletes would be equally or even more popular than their male counterparts. But unseen forces are blocking those attempts
Bartparteeoo
Guest
I’m a big fan of passive aggressive Doug , so thank you , for providing it.
Doug Graves
Guest
Well done Mary, you managed to stir up a few closet beta males who are desperately trying to prove their masculinity to one another while whinging in the comments section. I am a big fan of unintentional comedy and gentlemen thanks for providing it!
Bartparteeoo
Guest
John . Please refrain from bringing facts into the discussion.
bazza
Guest
It is easier to refer to a team if they have their own name that way there is no confusion for people who aren't super interested in the sport. Think about it now they talk about SOS and talk about the Maroons a casual observer might think why aren't they playing SOS at ANZ ground ? People who are fans like us it won't make a difference but for the casual observer it does.
john
Guest
Mary can you define what you consider "appropriately compensated for their participation in the game" is? Is it one where players are being paid proportionate to the revenue they generate? Or one where they are on equal footing with the men? When you have stated: "I wonder how many people would show up at 5.30pm to watch the women’s game." "Tickets will be $10 and people aged under 15 get in free. There were 7000 there last year, let’s see if we can’t make it 10,000 in 2019." Then consider last night we just had 21K at the Bronco's game that was played 5PM on Thursday night. It really highlights the vast difference in the commercial realities of the two competitions.
Loosehead
Guest
Shhh, Ben. Stop making sense. Women don't like it when mere males say sensible things, it sort of destroys the narrative.
kev
Guest
The difference is that the nickname 'Maroons' is taken from the official colour of the state. It's different from the origins of 'Jillaroos' and 'Matildas'. The state colour IS part of the identity.
WarHorse
Roar Rookie
Mens and womens teams will never be on equal footing. Fact of life. We are different in many aspects including strength and physical ability and natural skill which has developed through evolution since caveman or should I say "cave person" days. Just look at tennis for example. Women have been playing this sport for decades and the mens tennis always out ranks and out rates the womens due to differences in sheer physical ability. This can most notably be seen from men having to play best of 5 sets in grand slams compared to women's 3 sets. This is in no way meant to be a sexist comment. It's just fact of life.
Bartparteeoo
Guest
Old Mary “click bait “ strikes again. I must admit her level of “toxic feminism” appears to be at a minimum throughout this article, but she can’t resist her urge to war monger. Just for a change it’s an article about sport , garnished in identity politics, rather than the reverse.
Ben
Roar Guru
For goodness sake. Having a different name is in no way being treated as not equal. It's called being unique. What about the Matildas; the Pearls; the Walaroes; the Hockeyroos; the Jillaroos? Do you think they should all have their names changed to put them on an "equal" level with the men? Does their team name someone detract their ability to play?... I'll be watching the women's State of Origin, hoping my QLDers can get one back after last year; and I don't care what the hell they're called, as long as they wear that jersey with pride.