Women's Origin needs long-term vision around timing on calendar, three-game series - and a CBA deal would be nice

When Tahnee Norris, Kylie Hilder and their teams went into State of Origin camp last Wednesday, the assumption was reigning champions NSW had a slight edge going into Game I.

With a two-game series introduced for the first time under the State of Origin banner, the natural question is what happens if there is a draw? In the past this has usually been decided in favour of the winner of the previous series. But this is no longer the case in 2023.

“We thought going into camp that the result might need to be determined based on who won last year and that’s what I told everyone before camp,” said Queensland Maroons winger Julia Robinson.

“But the new process is different and I think it is better than going off who won last year because it is a new year with new teams.

“This year we have to win both games so that points consideration doesn’t even come into it.

Millie Boyle. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

“Our first game may not be do or die anymore, but we want to win both games, so it really is do or die for us.”

The NRL announced last week that the series this year will be decided by the aggregated scores accumulated across the two matches. Please don’t ask me what happens if that’s a draw too, because it is quite a long and convoluted process.

My view is that this is positive move by the NRL in a challenging situation. It’s really unclear to me what the point of a two-game series is, but at least this decision will ensure that Game II will be a live fixture, no matter what happens in Game I.

It’s just unfortunate that this was announced as the players were heading into camp.

The reasoning for a two-game series is not the only one that we need to think about.

It also raises the question as to when is the best time in the women’s rugby league calendar to play this contest. With the women’s game growing so quickly, it seems that a missing piece of the puzzle has been some strategic consideration of the best time to play state-based competitions, NRLW, State of Origin and internationals.

In 2022, the fixture was played at around the same time as it is this year, with the difference being there were two NRLW seasons last time around (to make up for the postponed 2021 season).

The challenge with holding the fixture now is that for several players competing, it will have been weeks since they have played a game of rugby league (depending on whether their teams played finals in the Harvey Norman Women’s Premiership or the Queensland Rugby League Women’s Premiership).

Whether that impacts cohesion or the flow of the game is yet to be seen. It could also work in the players favour as they are fresh and eager to get on the field.

For Sky Blues hooker Keeley Davis, there’s opportunity in future to rethink the women’s schedule.

“It’s such a hard thing to control, but ideally having it after NRLW would be the best way to have it; it would be the best product and the best preparation for our bodies,” said Davis.

“But it is hard to fit that in with international football as well with the schedules at the moment.

“In the future it I would love to see a three-game at the end of the year or if the NRLW expands having it in between a split season with internationals at the end of the year.”

Leading into the game on Thursday night at CommBank Stadium, there are plenty of positives for the women’s game including an expanded series and a pay increase. Players will now receive $15,000 per game, which is more than double the $6000 they received for their one game last year.

But we cannot rest on our laurels with plenty of challenges still remaining. It’s great to see an expanded series, but a two-game series really doesn’t make sense. The NRL has reported that a three-game series is unlikely for 2024 and my question is why? Expansion for the NRLW happened faster than any fans could have predicted, so my view is that the same should happen for State of Origin.

And even though the focus is well and truly on State of Origin, in the background NRLW pre-season has kicked off for all 10 clubs.

But there is still no Collective Bargaining Agreement in place despite the NRL and Rugby League Players Association reaching in principle agreement back in February.

The NRL is not the only competition in this predicament. AFLW pre-season started this week without a CBA and with the decision by Collingwood to exit the Super Netball competition at the end of 2023, the Collective Players’ Agreement is at risk without an eighth team.