NSW State of Origin coach Laurie Daley says women deserve three-match series

NSW Origin coach Laurie Daley says he backs a multi-match Origin series for Australia’s top female players and believes fans of the game will be converted to the women’s version.

NSW coach Laurie Daley supports a three-match series for women’s players.

• Women want own Origin series
• NSW league team ready to “bleed blue”
• Jess Fox making a splash ahead of Rio
• From a robbery at gunpoint to gold medal bid
• Swifts prepare for Magic tricks in semi

NSW Origin coach Laurie Daley says he would happily back a multi-match Origin series for Australia’s top female rugby league players and believes fans of the game will be converted to the women’s version once exposed to it.

NSW and Queensland players will meet in a one-off Interstate Challenge on Saturday on the Gold Coast with the Blues attempting to break the Maroons 17-year domination of the event.

Daley has thrown his weight behind an extended series for women being started and says matches could be played alongside rugby leagues showcase events — Origin or the Grand Final.

NSW men get to experience the emotion of a three-game Origin series and women want the same.

“It would be great. One or two games before the men, I don’t think it will be far off coming,’’ Daley said. “They should played on the games biggest stages.

“Get one game on Grand Final day. You need to play on the biggest stages to encourage more people to play.

“I really feel the fans will enjoy it. They just need to be exposed to it.’’

Daley praised the professionalism of female players who have neither a professional league nor the potential at present to earn a living off the sport.

Isabelle Kelly and Jayme Fressard will take on Queensland in the Interstate Challenge on Saturday.

“The way they (women) prepare and play, they are not professionals but they prepare and play like professional. There is no difference between the men and women,’’ said Daley who still remembers how impressed he was watching his first game of women’s league.

“I love watching them play.

“I remember when I first saw them I was surprised at the ferocity they play with. It is very entertaining.”

The NSW men’s coach has also backed a national league for women’s players similar to those existing for sports including netball, cricket and football.

This year’s women’s Interstate Challenge between NSW and Queensland will be played at 3pm Saturday at CBUS Super Stadium as part of a triple-header which includes the Holden Cup and NRL clashes between the Gold Coast Titans and Parramatta Eels.