Blues’ new plan to avoid underdone players in Origin I

Origin I was of dismal quality in 2023, but the Blues have come up with a plan to counteract a black hole of game time ahead of game one on May 16.

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - NewsWire Photos JANUARY 25, 2024: NSW Sky Blues coach Kylie Hilder, Sky Blues representatives Millie Elliott and Kezie Apps during a sponsorship announcement on Thursday. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Nikki Short

NSW women’s coach Kylie Hilder is confident a six-week training program will be enough to make up for a lack of games leading into State of Origin.

The restructured NRL women’s calendar has left no games for NSW women’s players ahead of game one on May 16 after the state competition was shifted to align with the NRLW season.

At least for 2023, it has forced NSWRL to scramble to ensure their elite players aren’t underdone coming into the biggest game of the season across a newly expanded three-game series.

A loss over two games last year intensified the desperation to improve.

Last year, Origin I was played with almost no games in the lead up which led to a game of dismal quality at Commbank Stadium.

A squad of 36 players has been selected by Hilder.

There’s an induction night on Tuesday, with training to being in March for game one in Brisbane.

NSW Blues coach Kylie Hilder with Millie Elliott and Kezie Apps. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Nikki Short

“It’s purely to give them training and playing to replicate what they’re missing with no competition,” Hilder said.

“It’ll be a progression, we’ll get them fit and then the last three weeks of that we’ll play in-house games.”

It’s a non-compulsory training program on Tuesdays and Saturdays, but the last two weeks will be a strict Origin trial.

That means NSW players who have relocated to Queensland to play the state competition will need to return if they want to play Origin.

“We had some girls who were going to play (in the Queensland women’s competition) decide not to so they can go through this program,” Hilder says.

“I said to the girls, if they’re playing footy that’s great, I’m not going to stop them, this isn’t a compulsory program, it’s just something we’ve put in because there’s nothing else happening. But it will be a big factor in selecting Origin teams.

“For the last two weeks, they’ve all been communicated that they need to be here to be selected. We will pick two teams each week and they need to be a part of that to be selected. We need to see them playing football down here in among this before we pick our sides.

“There’s been no negative feedback from the girls, they’re actually pretty excited and in hindsight it’s going to work out a lot better than what the girls did last year.”

Hilder has plans to ensure her players stay fit in the lead-up to the game. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Nikki Short

It’s a makeshift solution for NSWRL after attempting to co-ordinate a pre-season competition funded by the NRL to avoid the pre-Origin black spot.

However, it’s considered short term pain for long term pain for the NRL as they push ahead with expansion of the women’s game towards the ultimate goal of 17 teams.

Two more clubs are expected to be added to the competition next season.

Canterbury and the Warriors were believed to be favourites, but South Sydney are also pushing for a team in 2025.