Women's Rugby Teams Train Like Never Before for Origin

When you have to play one of the biggest games of your life but haven't touched a field in six months, what do you do? The New South Wales Blues decided to crash into each other until they were ready.

Both the Blues and Queensland Maroons enter Thursday night's Women's State of Origin opener in Newcastle without having played a competitive match in 2026. Most players haven't seen game action since February's All Star game.

The Blues answered this challenge with a six-week training block that pushed every athlete to their limit. They held two internal matches where teammates bashed each other with the intensity cranked to maximum, all fighting for their spot on the roster.

"They were ridiculous. The girls were so fired up, absolutely bashing each other," said back rower Tiana Penitani Gray. "You could feel everyone was playing for a jersey."

The regimen included three field sessions and three to four weight sessions each week, plus additional training players completed on their own. Prop Kennedy Cherrington called it "one of the hardest things I've ever done."

For Millie Boyle, returning after more than 18 months away following childbirth, the camp provided the perfect runway back to elite competition. She acknowledges the less-than-ideal setup but stays focused on what matters.

"Queensland are in the same boat," Boyle noted.

Why This Inspires

This story showcases the dedication these athletes bring to their sport. Without the infrastructure of warm-up matches that men's teams enjoy, these women created their own path forward through sheer determination and teamwork.

The Blues might hold a slight advantage with 14 returning players from last year's championship team. That cohesion, built through weeks of intense preparation, could prove invaluable against a Maroons team rebuilding after losing two of their most experienced players.

With stars like Isabelle Kelly, Jesse Southwell, and Olivia Kernick suiting up for New South Wales and the brilliant Tamika Upton leading Queensland, Thursday's match promises to showcase the best of women's rugby league.

These athletes turned an obstacle into an opportunity, proving that sometimes the hardest preparation delivers the sweetest victories.