Queensland 32-28 New South Wales (after 2 games)
Despite an energetic fightback by New South Wales at the start & end of Game 2, which they won 18-14, the resulting 4-point difference allowed Queensland to win Women’s State Of Origin 2023 by that amount.
The event begun 2 hours prior to kick-off, at 5:45pm, with a Queensland RISE Academy under-16’s women’s rugby league match between RISE Silver, Townsville & RISE Maroon, Mackay. The Academy, open to boys and girls, aims to give players the tools to reach their potential. RISE Silver won 24-12.
Game 2 begun with a musical act, building up the atmosphere for the record crowd of 18,275, in the 30 minutes to kick-off. This pre-match entertainment was not televised. The customary Welcome To Country, conducted by Uncle Brenton Creed & performance of the National Anthem, sung by Chantelle Anderson of the Australian Army, then followed and was televised. The Women’s State Of Origin shield was waiting on the sidelines.
Anyway, to the main game. New South Wales went out of the blocks fast with Tiana Penitani scoring the opening unconverted try in the 3rd minute, immediately halving their deficit, but unsuccessfully making the most of the opportunity. In the 10th minute, New South Wales were given a penalty, which enabled Jesse Southwell to score a goal to reduce the deficit to 2 points.
New South Wales’s hope of drawing the series by full time was high but Queensland found a gap in New South Wales’ defence allowing Tamika Upton to score Queensland’s 1st unconverted try of the match, moving Queensland’s advantage back to 6 points. An amazing sequence of teamwork and hand-eye coordination allowed Emily Bass to score Queensland’s only converted try in the 25th minute, extending their lead from Game 1 to 12 points.
Queensland’s Tarryn Aiken found, via a dummy pass, another gap in New South Wales’ defence allowing her to storm to another unconverted try, boosting their confidence of series victory to a high with a 16-point lead, double their deficit at the start of the match. At half-time, the score was 14-6 in favour of Queensland: 32-16 on aggregate also in Queensland’s favour.
During half-time, a Little Origin match was held between Southern Cross Catholic College & Annandale State School.
In the 2nd half, New South Wales made use of Queensland errors. Queensland left their right wing exposed allowing Tiana Penitani to score New South Wales an unconverted try in the 40th minute, bringing the deficit down to 12 points. 5 minutes later, Queensland’s Emma Manzelmann stripped the ball out of Sarah Togatuki of New South Wales’ hands, forcing a penalty, which New South Wales took advantage of by having Jesse Southwell successfully kick a goal to reduce the deficit by another 2 points to a 10-point deficit.
In a dramatic finish in the 68th minute, Yasmin Clydsdale of New South Wales attempted to score a try with the last grasps of her hands but in act of desperation, Shenae Ciesiolka kicked the ball out of her hands, prompting The Bunker to give a penalty try. New South Wales gained an extra 4 points, reducing the deficit to 6 points but critically, New South Wales wasted 51 seconds celebrating the penalty try before the conversion attempt. It was a miracle to get the penalty try, though Yasmin Clydsdale probably wouldn’t have scored the try if Shenae Ciesiolka had had not kicked it, due to her loose grip on the ball. The penalty try was worthy of celebrating but not that much as those precise seconds could have altered the series. The penalty try was then converted, stopping the clock at 17 seconds to go and reducing the deficit to 4 points but the final 17 seconds was not enough to reverse Queensland’s fortunes.
The successful conversions were kicked by Zahara Temara for Queensland & Jesse Southwell for New South Wales.
The final score of Game 2 was New South Wales 18-14 Queensland. Under the rules of the expanded Women’s State Of Origin, the winner of the series is the team with the highest aggregate points after Game 2 so Queensland won the series 32-28.
The series presentation followed on a stage in the field’s centre with Emma Lawrence as Master Of Ceremonies & Kate Jones, Australian Rugby League Commissioner, Andrew Abdo, Chief Executive Officer of the National Rugby League & Tahnee Norris, Queensland coach waiting on the stage.
The winner of the Nellie Doherty Medal, awarded to the player of the series by the winning coach, was Tazmin Gray. She previously won it in 2021.
(chuckles) Woo! Ah, that’s weird. Um, firstly, I just wanna thank Queensland, the Queensland Government and the fans for coming out. If it wasn’t for you guys, we wouldn’t be able to play the game that we love. Um, to my friends, to my family, to my kids back home – this one’s for youse – I love youse and, um, I’ll see you soon.
Tazmin Gray, Queensland rugby league player
Uh, firstly, I’d just like to thank Townsville for hosting us. It’s been an amazing week, um, for us girls, coming up here, getting to view this beautiful town. We’d loved every minute of it. I’d also like to thank Ampol, Westpac & Harvey Norman. Without you guys, this wouldn’t be possible so um, we’re really grateful for your support every year.
Um, Queensland girls, it’s been a, a tough series. I hope this just pushes a little bit more for us to have the 3 games next year but you girls… (crowd cheers & claps) You girls did really well and deserved to have the series so congratulations to you.
To my girls, I love every single day that I get to spend with you in camp. It’s just like being a bunch of sisters. Our coaching staff, we’re a family that, you know, we’ll never be broken so I’m really proud of all of you tonight. We got the win, um, and I am just super proud so thank you, thank you everyone.
New South Wales co-captain, Isabelle Kelly
Firstly, I’d like to thank the Queensland Government for bringing the game up to Townsville. What a crowd & now you get to hold the record so well done Townsville!
I’d like to thank Harvey Norman, Ampol & Westpac. This game doesn’t happen without you guys so thank you.
To Kylie & the Blues, what a performance. What a series. I know we want 3 games but we put on a show tonight and congratulate yourselves over the series so good job, Blues.
To my girls, the staff, the 20 staff that are there, what a series. You can hold your heads high. What a performance. You showed how Queensland play the game and that’s how it’ s done so good job, girls.
And one last thing,…
…QUEENSLANDER!
Queensland captain, Ali Brigginshaw
Kate Jones & Andrew Abdo then presented the Women’s State Of Origin Shield to Ali Brigginshaw. The former two people moved out the way for the rest of the Queensland team and staff who gathered around the Shield. The crowd clapped and flamethrowers lit up the stage as Katy Perry’s hit song, Firework, played. Ground fireworks exploded behind the stage and maroon confetti was propelled over the stage as Queensland lifted the Shield and cheered in victorious glory. That was Women’s State Of Origin 2023.
Game 3 of the men’s edition is on Wednesday the 12th of July at 8:05pm AEST at Stadium Australia, Sydney.
Sydney Spectaculars 