Challenges of Scheduling the Women’s State of Origin
Jada Ferguson, a hooker for the Queensland Maroons, has openly admitted that the scheduling of the women’s State of Origin series is “hard” but is unsure of how to improve it ahead of the 2026 opener. The format of the women’s Origin has been a topic of discussion for years, with debates over whether it should be a single match or a multi-game series.
In 2023, the format was changed from one match to two, and in 2024, a three-match series was introduced. However, the current challenge lies in the timing of the matches. All three games are scheduled before the NRLW season begins, which has raised concerns among players about their fitness and readiness for the upcoming season.
Ferguson highlighted the difficulty of competing at such a high level without sufficient match practice. She mentioned that many players, including those from the Broncos, have not played since the grand final last year. This lack of recent game time makes it challenging to perform at the required standard.
“It’s really hard knowing it’s our first game for Broncos (players) since the grand final last year,” she said on Wide World of Sports’ QLDER. “It’s your first game, it’s that high quality level, it’s pretty hard to go straight into that having not played in so long.”
While she acknowledges the difficulty of the current setup, Ferguson is unsure of the best solution. She suggested that having a bye weekend in the NRLW season could be an option. “I think personally it would be all right to have a bye weekend in the NRLW and maybe do it then. It’s hard to say, but I definitely think it needs to be after or in between the NRLW.”
Alternative Scheduling Options
9news Queensland’s Adam Jackson proposed two potential solutions to the scheduling issue. One idea was to start the NRLW season earlier and include a six-week break before the finals. The other suggestion was to hold the Origin series at the end of the NRLW season.
Ferguson saw merit in the end-of-season option. “It can be disruptive in the season splitting it,” she said. “Maybe girls get injured and you lose them in the back half, which would be pretty hard. End of NRLW (could work), and that can go into the World Cup.”
This approach could help ensure that players are in better physical condition and reduce the risk of injuries. It could also provide a smoother transition into international competitions like the World Cup.
Team Lists for the 2026 Women’s State of Origin
The team lists for the 2026 Women’s State of Origin have been released, featuring some of the top players in the league. Here are the selected players for both teams:
NSW Blues
1. Abbi Church (Parramatta Eels)
2. Jaime Chapman (Gold Coast Titans)
3. Jess Sergis (Sydney Roosters)
4. Isabelle Kelly (Sydney Roosters)
5. Jayme Fressard (Sydney Roosters)
6. Jocelyn Kelleher (Sydney Roosters)
7. Jesse Southwell (Brisbane Broncos)
8. Millie Elliott (Sydney Roosters)
9. Keeley Nizza (Sydney Roosters)
10. Ellie Johnston (Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks)
11. Tiana Penitani Gray (Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks)
12. Yasmin Meakes (Newcastle Knights)
13. Olivia Kernick (Sydney Roosters)
14. Olivia Higgins (Newcastle Knights)
15. Kennedy Cherrington (Parramatta Eels)
16. Kezie Apps (Wests Tigers)
17. Teagan Berry (St George Illawarra Dragons)
18. Corban Baxter (Sydney Roosters)
19. Rima Butler (Sydney Roosters)
20. Quincy Dodd (Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks)
QLD Maroons
1. Tamika Upton (Brisbane Broncos)
2. Julia Robinson (Brisbane Broncos)
3. Rory Owen (Parramatta Eels)
4. Shenae Ciesiolka (St. George Illawarra Dragons)
5. Phoenix-Raine Hippi (Gold Coast Titans)
6. Chantay Kiria-Ratu (Cronulla Sharks)
7. Lauren Brown (Gold Coast Titans)
8. Makenzie Weale (North Queensland Cowboys)
9. Jada Ferguson (Brisbane Broncos)
10. Jessika Elliston (Gold Coast Titans)
11. Sienna Lofipo (Gold Coast Titans)
12. Romy Teitzel (Brisbane Broncos)
13. Keelize Joseph (Parramatta Eels)
14. Emma Manzelmann (North Queensland Cowboys)
15. Otesa Pule (Sydney Roosters)
16. Chelsea Lenarduzzi (Brisbane Broncos)
17. Brianna Clark (Brisbane Broncos)
18. Ivana Lolesio (Gold Coast Titans)
19. Destiny Brill (Brisbane Broncos)
20. Destiny Mino-Sinapati (Gold Coast Titans)
Match Dates and Viewing Information
The 2026 Women’s State of Origin series will take place across three matches:
Game One
Thursday, April 30 at 7:45pm (AEST), McDonald Jones Stadium
Game Two
Thursday, May 14 at 7:45pm, Suncorp Stadium
Game Three
Thursday, May 28 at 7:45pm, CBus Super Stadium
Fans can watch the series live and free on Channel Nine and 9Now.
Results from the 2025 Series
In the 2025 Women’s State of Origin series, the NSW Blues emerged victorious with a 2-1 win. The Blues won the first two games with scores of 32-12 and 26-6. Queensland managed to secure a win in the third game, 18-14, preventing a clean sweep by the Blues.
