Baby Blues: How an Olympic hero is inspiring Millie's Origin comeback

Blues prop Millie Elliott is hoping to emulate Olympic history maker Jana Pittman by returning stronger after childbirth in next Thursday night’s Origin opener at McDonald Jones Stadium.

Pittman, the first Australian female athlete to compete in Summer and Winter Olympic Games, was crowned 400m hurdles World Champion for the second time in 2007 after giving birth to son Cornelis just eight months earlier.

Elliott, one of the best props in the game and just the second player after Glenn Lazarus to win premierships with three different clubs, will play her first match since the birth of daughter Gigi last September.

“It’s a tough squad to make and it is definitely a tough first game – there is none harder than State of Origin – so it is just great to be part of it,” Elliott said.

“Just because we have had babies doesn’t mean you can’t still be there.”

The Jillaroos prop played for LA Roosters at February’s Vegas 9s, but her last meaningful game of rugby league was in the final of the 2024 Pacific Championships against the Kiwi Ferns.

After being selected in the extended NSW squad, Elliott has worked hard to be able to pick up where she left off and the 27-year-old drew inspiration from Pittman, who competed in athletics at the 2000 and 2004 Olympics and as a bobsledder at the 2014 Winter Games.

“There are so many players who have paved the way in having kids and coming back to the sport and they have comeback at a level better than they were before,” Elliott said.

“I have heard Jana Pittman talk about it. She has had a few kids now and she was in and out of the Olympics and training, and she said that every time that she came back she felt stronger.

“I don’t know what the science is, but it is probably experiencing childbirth and knowing that nothing can be that bad.”

Elliott was set to make her comeback opposite former Jillaroos frontrow partner Shannon Mato, who gave birth to son Charnze-Pati last October, but the Maroons star suffered a hamstring injury during training.

The pair came together for a photo shoot with their babies to promote the new season Best & Less State of Origin official fan gear, and Elliott said they were grateful for the support now available to players.

“It was nice to chat on a personal level about how our experiences have been, how training is going and all of the hurdles - our babies are now teething at the same time and that has its challenges,” she said.

“But you look at Corban Baxter, Sammy Bremner, Nakita Davis-Welsh, and Caitlan Johnston-Green has recently had a baby, as well, so there are plenty of girls who have comeback after babies.

“Not that long ago if you had a baby you were history but everyone is now really well supported within the NRL, within our clubs and within states, as well.

“It just great to see that players don’t have to choose footy over family if they want to have a career in the NRLW.”

While she took time away from playing, Elliott remained involved in the game through her husband Adam, who has this season joined the Rabbitohs from the Knights, and media work.

The 27-year-old was part of Channel 9’s coverage for last year’s Origin series and saw the Blues win the opening two games but fall short of a cleansweep in Newcastle.

However, after playing in losing NSW teams in 2023, when Origin was expanded to two games, and the first three-match series in 2024, Elliott has added personal motivation to help the Blues retain the Shield.