Latest news with #Jillaroo
The Advertiser
14-05-2025
- Sport
- The Advertiser
Women's Origin coaches want a slice of NRL Vegas action
Jillaroos great Tahnee Norris has called for the NRL to put women back on the Las Vegas schedule, arguing for head office to take State of Origin to the US in 2026. The Jillaroos became victims of their own success on Wednesday, with no women's match on the schedule for next year's Vegas fixtures. The move to shrink the US extravaganza came after Australia's 90-4 thumping of England there in March, with officials believing the four-game event was too long. AAP understands the NRL is examining what the women's schedule looks like for next year and beyond, with the game continuing to grow. For now, it has left the women's side of the code in an awkward predicament. The NRL wants to keep an English Super League match on the Vegas draw to attract fans from the northern hemisphere, after doing so with great success this year. Taking four NRL teams is also paramount for the league, with Canterbury, St George Illawarra, Newcastle and North Queensland all locked in for 2026. But at the same time the women's game is viewed as a genuine pathway for growth in the US, with no professional rugby or gridiron competitions in the country. The news came on the eve of Thursday night's second Origin clash in Sydney, with NSW pushing to wrap up the series. And Norris, who now coaches the Maroons, believes Origin must be the answer. "I was disappointed it wasn't game one of the Origin series (this year)," said Norris, the most-capped Jillaroo in history. "There were a lot of proposals put forward and that (Test against England) was what the NRL went with. "If we took the women's Origin over there it would have been a really good opportunity to show the best of our game. "It needs that. It shows here, you look at the publicity after that last game when we had more than two million viewers watching State of Origin. "If we put the best game out there, it will only get bigger and bigger." Women's Origin is already used to kick off the Magic Round, with states relying on a six-week camp for preparation, with no NRLW matches before then. Norris said a similar approach could be implemented for Vegas, with Blues coach John Strange also adamant there needs to be a women's match on the fixture. "It's really important that they're in there every year," Strange said. "It's a great spectacle for not just for Australia, but for the world. But obviously a bit of thought needs to go into making sure it's a good product. "We all know what happened last year. It's clear now that everyone knows that the domestic comp in NRLW is a lot stronger than the domestic comp in England.'' Strange backed Norris's call for an Origin series opener in Vegas, or a grand-final rematch from the previous NRLW season. "It's just got to be a good spectacle," Strange said. Jillaroos great Tahnee Norris has called for the NRL to put women back on the Las Vegas schedule, arguing for head office to take State of Origin to the US in 2026. The Jillaroos became victims of their own success on Wednesday, with no women's match on the schedule for next year's Vegas fixtures. The move to shrink the US extravaganza came after Australia's 90-4 thumping of England there in March, with officials believing the four-game event was too long. AAP understands the NRL is examining what the women's schedule looks like for next year and beyond, with the game continuing to grow. For now, it has left the women's side of the code in an awkward predicament. The NRL wants to keep an English Super League match on the Vegas draw to attract fans from the northern hemisphere, after doing so with great success this year. Taking four NRL teams is also paramount for the league, with Canterbury, St George Illawarra, Newcastle and North Queensland all locked in for 2026. But at the same time the women's game is viewed as a genuine pathway for growth in the US, with no professional rugby or gridiron competitions in the country. The news came on the eve of Thursday night's second Origin clash in Sydney, with NSW pushing to wrap up the series. And Norris, who now coaches the Maroons, believes Origin must be the answer. "I was disappointed it wasn't game one of the Origin series (this year)," said Norris, the most-capped Jillaroo in history. "There were a lot of proposals put forward and that (Test against England) was what the NRL went with. "If we took the women's Origin over there it would have been a really good opportunity to show the best of our game. "It needs that. It shows here, you look at the publicity after that last game when we had more than two million viewers watching State of Origin. "If we put the best game out there, it will only get bigger and bigger." Women's Origin is already used to kick off the Magic Round, with states relying on a six-week camp for preparation, with no NRLW matches before then. Norris said a similar approach could be implemented for Vegas, with Blues coach John Strange also adamant there needs to be a women's match on the fixture. "It's really important that they're in there every year," Strange said. "It's a great spectacle for not just for Australia, but for the world. But obviously a bit of thought needs to go into making sure it's a good product. "We all know what happened last year. It's clear now that everyone knows that the domestic comp in NRLW is a lot stronger than the domestic comp in England.'' Strange backed Norris's call for an Origin series opener in Vegas, or a grand-final rematch from the previous NRLW season. "It's just got to be a good spectacle," Strange said. Jillaroos great Tahnee Norris has called for the NRL to put women back on the Las Vegas schedule, arguing for head office to take State of Origin to the US in 2026. The Jillaroos became victims of their own success on Wednesday, with no women's match on the schedule for next year's Vegas fixtures. The move to shrink the US extravaganza came after Australia's 90-4 thumping of England there in March, with officials believing the four-game event was too long. AAP understands the NRL is examining what the women's schedule looks like for next year and beyond, with the game continuing to grow. For now, it has left the women's side of the code in an awkward predicament. The NRL wants to keep an English Super League match on the Vegas draw to attract fans from the northern hemisphere, after doing so with great success this year. Taking four NRL teams is also paramount for the league, with Canterbury, St George Illawarra, Newcastle and North Queensland all locked in for 2026. But at the same time the women's game is viewed as a genuine pathway for growth in the US, with no professional rugby or gridiron competitions in the country. The news came on the eve of Thursday night's second Origin clash in Sydney, with NSW pushing to wrap up the series. And Norris, who now coaches the Maroons, believes Origin must be the answer. "I was disappointed it wasn't game one of the Origin series (this year)," said Norris, the most-capped Jillaroo in history. "There were a lot of proposals put forward and that (Test against England) was what the NRL went with. "If we took the women's Origin over there it would have been a really good opportunity to show the best of our game. "It needs that. It shows here, you look at the publicity after that last game when we had more than two million viewers watching State of Origin. "If we put the best game out there, it will only get bigger and bigger." Women's Origin is already used to kick off the Magic Round, with states relying on a six-week camp for preparation, with no NRLW matches before then. Norris said a similar approach could be implemented for Vegas, with Blues coach John Strange also adamant there needs to be a women's match on the fixture. "It's really important that they're in there every year," Strange said. "It's a great spectacle for not just for Australia, but for the world. But obviously a bit of thought needs to go into making sure it's a good product. "We all know what happened last year. It's clear now that everyone knows that the domestic comp in NRLW is a lot stronger than the domestic comp in England.'' Strange backed Norris's call for an Origin series opener in Vegas, or a grand-final rematch from the previous NRLW season. "It's just got to be a good spectacle," Strange said.
West Australian
14-05-2025
- Sport
- West Australian
Women's Origin coaches want a slice of NRL Vegas action
Jillaroos great Tahnee Norris has called for the NRL to put women back on the Las Vegas schedule, arguing for head office to take State of Origin to the US in 2026. The Jillaroos became victims of their own success on Wednesday, with no women's match on the schedule for next year's Vegas fixtures. The move to shrink the US extravaganza came after Australia's 90-4 thumping of England there in March, with officials believing the four-game event was too long. AAP understands the NRL is examining what the women's schedule looks like for next year and beyond, with the game continuing to grow. For now, it has left the women's side of the code in an awkward predicament. The NRL wants to keep an English Super League match on the Vegas draw to attract fans from the northern hemisphere, after doing so with great success this year. Taking four NRL teams is also paramount for the league, with Canterbury, St George Illawarra, Newcastle and North Queensland all locked in for 2026. But at the same time the women's game is viewed as a genuine pathway for growth in the US, with no professional rugby or gridiron competitions in the country. The news came on the eve of Thursday night's second Origin clash in Sydney, with NSW pushing to wrap up the series. And Norris, who now coaches the Maroons, believes Origin must be the answer. "I was disappointed it wasn't game one of the Origin series (this year)," said Norris, the most-capped Jillaroo in history. "There were a lot of proposals put forward and that (Test against England) was what the NRL went with. "If we took the women's Origin over there it would have been a really good opportunity to show the best of our game. "It needs that. It shows here, you look at the publicity after that last game when we had more than two million viewers watching State of Origin. "If we put the best game out there, it will only get bigger and bigger." Women's Origin is already used to kick off the Magic Round, with states relying on a six-week camp for preparation, with no NRLW matches before then. Norris said a similar approach could be implemented for Vegas, with Blues coach John Strange also adamant there needs to be a women's match on the fixture. "It's really important that they're in there every year," Strange said. "It's a great spectacle for not just for Australia, but for the world. But obviously a bit of thought needs to go into making sure it's a good product. "We all know what happened last year. It's clear now that everyone knows that the domestic comp in NRLW is a lot stronger than the domestic comp in England.'' Strange backed Norris's call for an Origin series opener in Vegas, or a grand-final rematch from the previous NRLW season. "It's just got to be a good spectacle," Strange said.
Perth Now
14-05-2025
- Sport
- Perth Now
Women's Origin coaches want a slice of NRL Vegas action
Jillaroos great Tahnee Norris has called for the NRL to put women back on the Las Vegas schedule, arguing for head office to take State of Origin to the US in 2026. The Jillaroos became victims of their own success on Wednesday, with no women's match on the schedule for next year's Vegas fixtures. The move to shrink the US extravaganza came after Australia's 90-4 thumping of England there in March, with officials believing the four-game event was too long. AAP understands the NRL is examining what the women's schedule looks like for next year and beyond, with the game continuing to grow. For now, it has left the women's side of the code in an awkward predicament. The NRL wants to keep an English Super League match on the Vegas draw to attract fans from the northern hemisphere, after doing so with great success this year. Taking four NRL teams is also paramount for the league, with Canterbury, St George Illawarra, Newcastle and North Queensland all locked in for 2026. But at the same time the women's game is viewed as a genuine pathway for growth in the US, with no professional rugby or gridiron competitions in the country. The news came on the eve of Thursday night's second Origin clash in Sydney, with NSW pushing to wrap up the series. And Norris, who now coaches the Maroons, believes Origin must be the answer. "I was disappointed it wasn't game one of the Origin series (this year)," said Norris, the most-capped Jillaroo in history. "There were a lot of proposals put forward and that (Test against England) was what the NRL went with. "If we took the women's Origin over there it would have been a really good opportunity to show the best of our game. "It needs that. It shows here, you look at the publicity after that last game when we had more than two million viewers watching State of Origin. "If we put the best game out there, it will only get bigger and bigger." Women's Origin is already used to kick off the Magic Round, with states relying on a six-week camp for preparation, with no NRLW matches before then. Norris said a similar approach could be implemented for Vegas, with Blues coach John Strange also adamant there needs to be a women's match on the fixture. "It's really important that they're in there every year," Strange said. "It's a great spectacle for not just for Australia, but for the world. But obviously a bit of thought needs to go into making sure it's a good product. "We all know what happened last year. It's clear now that everyone knows that the domestic comp in NRLW is a lot stronger than the domestic comp in England.'' Strange backed Norris's call for an Origin series opener in Vegas, or a grand-final rematch from the previous NRLW season. "It's just got to be a good spectacle," Strange said.
Yahoo
29-04-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Fine forecast as Women's State of Origin goes from strength to strength
A forecast for clear skies for Brisbane on Thursday has players and officials optimistic that women's rugby league will launch itself into a new era of prominence in the first match of this year's Women's State of Origin. Last year's series featured three contests for the first time, unprecedented television ratings and record crowds, but each clash was affected by inclement weather, giving rise to hopes of even larger attendances in 2025. Advertisement Maroons' forward Jess Elliston said the example of a near-capacity crowd in game two last year in Newcastle despite heavy rain showed fans were now committed to the women's game. Related: Welcome to country ceremonies to go ahead at Women's State of Origin and NRL's Magic Round 'Even though we were getting booed like all shit, it was the most insane atmosphere I've ever been to, you couldn't hear anyone,' she said. 'My chest was rattling from the booing, which was just so cool.' Last year's Suncorp Stadium opener attracted just over 25,000, setting a record for the series that would last just three weeks. On a day when 17.6mm of rain fell on Newcastle, 25,782 crammed into McDonald Jones Stadium for that memorable game two. Advertisement Elliston said it was frustrating during the series when the players saw the forecasts for each match, but the consistent turnouts validated the long-time efforts of predecessors such as her coach at the Titans, former Jillaroo Karyn Murphy. 'Once again, rain [was forecast] and I tell you, [I thought] 'Oh, this rain needs to bugger off',' Elliston said. 'It is getting there, but it's just because people have fought so hard to make it happen.' The average audience for Channel Nine's three broadcasts was more than 1m – an increase of 67.8% on the previous year. For comparison, no men's NRL match on Channel Nine so this year has reached the same number of people, with even the Las Vegas opener only attracting an audience of 715,000. Channel Nine is broadcasting a documentary on the rise of women's State of Origin on Wednesday night, which includes a profile of NSW winger Jaime Chapman – whose runaway try was the highlight of game one last year – and firefighter Lauren Brown, who kicked the field goal to give Queensland victory in game two. Advertisement Australian Rugby League Commission chair Peter V'landys – who will begin negotiations on a new broadcast deal this year – told the programme the code was now aware of the appeal of women's players. 'I'm proud of what they do in the communities, I'm proud that they juggle jobs, family and playing. I think they're inspirational, and we want to use them as much as we can to inspire the future,' he said. The programme also features an interview with NSW player Corban Baxter, who is unavailable after knee surgery in July. Her partner in the halves last year, Rachael Pearson, has been left out, giving the Blues – no longer the 'Sky Blues' due to trademark complaints from A-League club Sydney FC – a fresh look under new coach John Strange. Tiana Penitani Gray, who has played mostly as an outside back, has been named at No 6 alongside Newcastle's 20-year-old halfback, Jesse Southwell. Parramatta's Abbi Church is expected to debut at fullback. Another five-eighth Kirra Dibb, utility Jocelyn Kelleher and last year's fullback Emma Verran (nee Tonegato) have all been named in the 20-player squad, fuelling intrigue as to how the team will play. The final 18 will be confirmed an hour before kick-off. Advertisement Forward Kezie Apps said the Blues were taking some motivation from the pain of last year, when they were on track for a series win with a second-half lead in game II. But with a new coach in Strange and four debutants she was adamant they will not be dwelling on the past. 'For some of us who were a part of it, it still hurts how last year ended. But to be honest, it's a new feel under Strangey and we've got some new girls in the squad,' she said. 'The spine has been gelling really well together, and we've got Abbi playing fullback, she's making her debut, which I'm really excited for her about,.' Apps, 34, signed a new four-year deal with the Wests Tigers this week, more than a decade after she made her state debut. She said she has witnessed the game's accelerating progress in the past few years, but last year's opener at Suncorp Stadium still left a significant impact on her. 'That was a really special moment to see that stadium packed and they're there to support just the women, that was something so special,' she said. 'I've been around a really long time, and I've seen the progression, I've seen the changes in people's perspective and people's opinions on female rugby league. It was definitely a 'pinch me moment' running out there.'
The Guardian
29-04-2025
- Climate
- The Guardian
Fine forecast as Women's State of Origin goes from strength to strength
A forecast for clear skies for Brisbane on Thursday has players and officials optimistic that women's rugby league will launch itself into a new era of prominence in the first match of this year's Women's State of Origin. Last year's series featured three contests for the first time, unprecedented television ratings and record crowds, but each clash was affected by inclement weather, giving rise to hopes of even larger attendances in 2025. Maroons' forward Jess Elliston said the example of a near-capacity crowd in game two last year in Newcastle despite heavy rain showed fans were now committed to the women's game. 'Even though we were getting booed like all shit, it was the most insane atmosphere I've ever been to, you couldn't hear anyone,' she said. 'My chest was rattling from the booing, which was just so cool.' Last year's Suncorp Stadium opener attracted just over 25,000, setting a record for the series that would last just three weeks. On a day when 17.6mm of rain fell on Newcastle, 25,782 crammed into McDonald Jones Stadium for that memorable game two. Elliston said it was frustrating during the series when the players saw the forecasts for each match, but the consistent turnouts validated the long-time efforts of predecessors such as her coach at the Titans, former Jillaroo Karyn Murphy. 'Once again, rain [was forecast] and I tell you, [I thought] 'Oh, this rain needs to bugger off',' Elliston said. 'It is getting there, but it's just because people have fought so hard to make it happen.' The average audience for Channel Nine's three broadcasts was more than 1m – an increase of 67.8% on the previous year. For comparison, no men's NRL match on Channel Nine so this year has reached the same number of people, with even the Las Vegas opener only attracting an audience of 715,000. Channel Nine is broadcasting a documentary on the rise of women's State of Origin on Wednesday night, which includes a profile of NSW winger Jaime Chapman – whose runaway try was the highlight of game one last year – and firefighter Lauren Brown, who kicked the field goal to give Queensland victory in game two. Australian Rugby League Commission chair Peter V'landys – who will begin negotiations on a new broadcast deal this year – told the programme the code was now aware of the appeal of women's players. 'I'm proud of what they do in the communities, I'm proud that they juggle jobs, family and playing. I think they're inspirational, and we want to use them as much as we can to inspire the future,' he said. The programme also features an interview with NSW player Corban Baxter, who is unavailable after knee surgery in July. Her partner in the halves last year, Rachael Pearson, has been left out, giving the Blues – no longer the 'Sky Blues' due to trademark complaints from A-League club Sydney FC – a fresh look under new coach John Strange. Sign up to Australia Sport Get a daily roundup of the latest sports news, features and comment from our Australian sports desk after newsletter promotion Tiana Penitani Gray, who has played mostly as an outside back, has been named at No 6 alongside Newcastle's 20-year-old halfback, Jesse Southwell. Parramatta's Abbi Church is expected to debut at fullback. Another five-eighth Kirra Dibb, utility Jocelyn Kelleher and last year's fullback Emma Verran (nee Tonegato) have all been named in the 20-player squad, fuelling intrigue as to how the team will play. The final 18 will be confirmed an hour before kick-off. Forward Kezie Apps said the Blues were taking some motivation from the pain of last year, when they were on track for a series win with a second-half lead in game II. But with a new coach in Strange and four debutants she was adamant they will not be dwelling on the past. 'For some of us who were a part of it, it still hurts how last year ended. But to be honest, it's a new feel under Strangey and we've got some new girls in the squad,' she said. 'The spine has been gelling really well together, and we've got Abbi playing fullback, she's making her debut, which I'm really excited for her about,.' Apps, 34, signed a new four-year deal with the Wests Tigers this week, more than a decade after she made her state debut. She said she has witnessed the game's accelerating progress in the past few years, but last year's opener at Suncorp Stadium still left a significant impact on her. 'That was a really special moment to see that stadium packed and they're there to support just the women, that was something so special,' she said. 'I've been around a really long time, and I've seen the progression, I've seen the changes in people's perspective and people's opinions on female rugby league. It was definitely a 'pinch me moment' running out there.'
