Danielle Davis hopes to see touch football’s alignment with NRL include State of Origin

GOLD Coast ace Danielle Davis has called on touch football’s State of Origin series to become more entrenched with rugby league’s better known version of the state against state rivalry.

GOLD Coast ace Danielle Davis has called on touch football’s State of Origin series to become more entrenched with rugby league’s better known version of the state against state rivalry.

Touch’s Origin series was played last Friday and Saturday with a stack of three-match series held in Redcliffe, where NSW took the honours in the open men’s division while Queensland’s women got the upper hand.

The classic grudge match concept is held every two years in touch but Davis would love to see a revamp in line with the sport’s rise at the elite level, particularly surrounding the NRL Touch Premiership.

“We were lucky enough to have an exhibition (touch Origin) game before the Women’s State of Origin down in Sydney this year so that was awesome to be a part of,” Davis said, with NSW’s women winning that curtain-raiser.

NSW touch football player Danielle Davis with her partner Peter Norman, who represents Queensland. Picture: Jerad Williams

“Hopefully in the future they can align our State of Origin more with the NRL as they have with the premiership and it becomes a little bit bigger and better in that sense.

“It’s definitely on the right track with the premiership and even just the exhibition match that we were able to play earlier in the year.

“I think touch is going in the right direction.”

This year marked the inaugural edition of the NRLTP, with games played as NRL curtain-raisers at major stadiums.

The competition will next year be expanded in terms of number of games and the addition of the Sydney Roosters and New Zealand Warriors on both the men’s and women’s fronts.

It is hoped newfound exposure for the top-level of the sport will translate to more participants, with a genuine pathway now available.