Blues v Maroons: Berry to debut; Cross names new halves pairing
The Westpac NSW Blues Women’s team will be hoping to break their Newcastle hoodoo against the Harvey Norman Queensland Maroons when they host the opening game of the 2026 State of Origin series.
Despite being New South Wales rugby league heartland, Queensland have managed to earn wins in both of the games played at McDonald Jones Stadium previously - and one-point thriller in the wet in 2024 and another close match last year.
As the current shield holders, the Blues come into the series with a mostly settled line-up, however will be missing inspirational forward Simaima Taufa as she continues to recover from a wrist injury and the versatile Emma Verrans (family).
Queensland have three players from last year's Game Three win unavailable, with the retirement of Maroons legend Ali Brigginshaw, ongoing ACL injury to five-eighth Tarryn Aiken and Hayley Maddick (withdrawn) meaning coach Nathan Cross has picked a new-look spine for the opening game of series.
Former Titans team-mate Lauren Brown and Chantay Kiria-Ratu (now at Cronulla) will guide the Maroons, while Jesse Southwell and Jocelyn Kelleher are the Blues halves pairing.
This season, the Women’s State of Origin will be played under virtually unchanged rules from 2025, with four players on the bench and no set re-starts.
Match: Blues Women v Maroons
Game 1 -
home Team
Blues Women
away Team
Maroons
Venue: McDonald Jones Stadium, Newcastle
Team News
Blues: Coach John Strange has selected 14 players from the team which claimed last year’s Ampol Women’s State of Origin series in his squad to face Queensland in the series opener. The new faces include debutant Tegan Berry, who has been named on the bench, and former Jillaroos prop Millie Elliott, who returns after having a baby. Sydney Roosters prop Rima Butler, who was named in the extended 20-player squad, is also yet to play Origin. One key positional shift sees Tiana Penitani Gray moves from the halves last year to second row.
Maroons: Nathan Cross has named five potential debutants in his maiden State of Origin squad for Game One of the series. With Ali Brigginshaw having retired from Origin and star halfback Tarryn Aiken unavailable due to an ACL injury, Cross has chosen young gun Chantay Kiria-Ratu to partner Lauren Brown in the halves. Kiwi prop Otesa Pule has been named on the interchange bench joining fellow Fern Bri Clark after the change to Origin eligibility rules enabled the pair to feature in the interstate game. Rising Gold Coast winger Phoenix-Raine Hippi has also been named to make her Origin debut on the wing, while fellow Titans Ivana Lolesio and Destiny Mino-Sinapati have been named on the extended bench.
Team Lists
Backs
-
Fullback for Blues Women is number 1 Abbi ChurchFullback for Maroons is number 1 Tamika Upton
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Winger for Blues Women is number 2 Jaime ChapmanWinger for Maroons is number 2 Julia Robinson
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Centre for Blues Women is number 3 Jessica SergisCentre for Maroons is number 3 Rory Owen
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Centre for Blues Women is number 4 Isabelle KellyCentre for Maroons is number 4 Shenae Ciesiolka
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Winger for Blues Women is number 5 Jayme FressardWinger for Maroons is number 5 Phoenix-Raine Hippi
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Five-Eighth for Blues Women is number 6 Jocelyn KelleherFive-Eighth for Maroons is number 6 Chantay Kiria-Ratu
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Halfback for Blues Women is number 7 Jesse SouthwellHalfback for Maroons is number 7 Lauren Brown
Forwards
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Prop for Blues Women is number 8 Millie ElliottProp for Maroons is number 8 Makenzie Weale
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Hooker for Blues Women is number 9 Keeley DavisHooker for Maroons is number 9 Jada Ferguson
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Prop for Blues Women is number 10 Ellie JohnstonProp for Maroons is number 10 Jessika Elliston
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2nd Row for Blues Women is number 11 Tiana Penitani Gray2nd Row for Maroons is number 11 Sienna Lofipo
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2nd Row for Blues Women is number 12 Yasmin Clydsdale2nd Row for Maroons is number 12 Romy Teitzel
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Lock for Blues Women is number 13 Olivia KernickLock for Maroons is number 13 Keilee Joseph
Interchange
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Interchange for Blues Women is number 14 Olivia HigginsInterchange for Maroons is number 14 Emma Manzelmann
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Interchange for Blues Women is number 15 Kennedy CherringtonInterchange for Maroons is number 15 Otesa Pule
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Interchange for Blues Women is number 16 Kezie AppsInterchange for Maroons is number 16 Chelsea Lenarduzzi
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Interchange for Blues Women is number 17 Teagan BerryInterchange for Maroons is number 17 Brianna Clark
Reserves
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Replacement for Blues Women is number 18 Corban BaxterReplacement for Maroons is number 18 Ivana Lolesio
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Reserve for Blues Women is number 19 Rima ButlerReserve for Maroons is number 19 Destiny Brill
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Reserve for Blues Women is number 20 Quincy DoddReserve for Maroons is number 20 Destiny Mino-Sinapati
Last updated:
Stat Attack
- In their 2025 series win, the Blues outscored the Maroons 72-36.
- The Blues’ line-up includes seven Sydney Roosters players.
- The Maroons line-up of 17 includes three uncapped State of Origin players.
- The Blues have played 122 Origin games compared to the Maroons’ 91.
- The Maroons have won both Origin matches at McDonald Jones Stadium.
Stats supplied by David Middleton, League Information Services, author of the official annual of the NRL.
