'Bizarre' and 'confusing' State of Origin proposal bashed

NSW and Queensland captains and coaches have questioned the NRL’s decision to move to a two-game Women’s State of Origin series from 2023.

While the league fast-tracked its NRLW expansion on Wednesday in moving straight from six teams to 10 from next year, it hasn’t followed suit when it comes to Origin with the series to be two games – one up from this year.

Should a series be tied, the reigning champion will retain the shield in effect meaning this year’s clash in Canberra doubles as game one of next year’s series.

NSW captain Kezie Apps questioned if that was the right way to decide such an important series.

“I would have preferred to jump straight to three – it can be 1-1 and then how do you decide?” Apps told AAP.

“It’s just bizarre having two games and it doesn’t really make sense to me, but hopefully it only lasts for one year and maybe the year after we can push that to three Origins just like the men.”

NSW coach Kylie Hilder echoed that sentiment, adding a 1-1 tie would create a “deflating” feeling for both sides.

“It’s great they’re increasing it from one to two, but I’m a bit confused by two,” she told AAP.

“If you’re going to increase it, it should just go to three.

“It’ll be interesting next year if it happens to be 1-1, it’s very deflating for the girls to walk away from an origin series where there’s no winner, or the winner is going to be determined by the previous year’s winner.”

Maroons coach Tahnee Norris also admitted being confused by the move to two games.

“I was hoping for next year (to move to three-game series),” she said.

“This is the best of the best, this game, I think it deserves three … I was (confused) a little bit.

“If we win this year and get the first game next year, the second game is a dead rubber.

“We want to go three, I think it deserves it … people want to see the best of the best.”

Queensland currently holds the shield, having won both 2020 and 2021’s games.

This year’s encounter takes place on June 24 at GIO Stadium.