Captain Kelly: Blues make mass changes ahead of women’s State of Origin opener
New coach John Strange has made big changes to the NSW team for the women’s Origin opener, with four rookies in line to make their Blues debut.
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The NSW women’s State of Origin will have a very different look about it as they look to avenge last year’s shock series defeat when they squandered a commanding victory in game one to lose 2-1.
There are a raft of changes for the series opener in Brisbane next week, with Roosters superstar Isabelle Kelly appointed captain in John Strange’s first major call as coach.
Strange has selected four debutants in the 20-player squad, with Abbi Church, Jayme Fressard, Ellie Johnston and Jocelyn Kelleher all in the mix to make their NSW debuts, while another four players are back after missing the 2024 series.
Kirra Dibb last played in 2022 but looks set to form a new halves pairing alongside Newcastle young gun Jesse Southwell who also returns to the side, with last year’s halves Rachael Pearson and Corban Baxter not named.
The team will go into camp in Sydney on Thursday, and features nine players from the Jillaroos side that thumped England in Las Vegas earlier this year.
“Having the six-week training block was a great opportunity to get to know all the players and see how they combined and worked together,” Strange said.
“All 30 players were outstanding over this period making it a very difficult decision to cut the squad down to 20.
“The players who are selected for game one certainly have earned their position and I can’t wait for them to take the field on 1 May.”
NSW squad
Kezie Apps (Wests Tigers), Shaylee Bent (Gold Coast Titans), Jaime Chapman (Gold Coast Titans), Kennedy Cherrington (Parramatta Eels), Abbi Church (Parramatta Eels), Yasmin Clydsdale (Newcastle Knights), Keeley Davis (Sydney Roosters), Kirra Dibb (North Queensland Cowboys), Jayme Fressard (Sydney Roosters), Olivia Higgins (Newcastle Knights), Ellie Johnston (Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks), Jocelyn Kelleher (Sydney Roosters), Isabelle Kelly (Sydney Roosters), Olivia Kernick (Sydney Roosters), Tiana Penitani Gray (Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks), Jessica Sergis (Sydney Roosters), Jesse Southwell (Newcastle Knights), Simaima Taufa (Canberra Raiders), Sarah Togatuki (Wests Tigers), Emma Verran (Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks). Coach: John Strange
Originally published as Captain Kelly: Blues make mass changes ahead of women’s State of Origin opener
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