It's Queensland's turn: Maroons want to play host to Women's Origin

Author: Alicia Newton NRL Reporter
Timestamp: Sun 23 Jun 2019, 03:00 PM

Queensland stalwart Stephanie Hancock has declared she'll only consider playing another women's Holden State of Origin clash next year if the NRL shift the game back to the Sunshine State.

The Maroons have been forced to play the past three interstate clashes in NSW, and while not complaining of the growth that has come with the women's game, Hancock believes it is only fair that Queensland is now given their chance to play host again.

The last interstate clashes played in Queensland acted as curtain raisers to NRL games in Townsville (2015) and on the Gold Coast (2016).

"It should've been this year in my opinion … it's only fair and that's what the blokes do," Hancock, 37, said after her 15th appearance in the side's 14-4 loss to NSW on Friday night at North Sydney Oval.

"NSW have had three in a row technically. Who cares where the venue is if you ask me, as long as it's somewhere in Queensland.

"Bring one home to Queensland and I'll have to have a think about [playing on]."

Discussions at the NRL on where to go from here are expected to get underway following a review of the 2019 game from a logistical, commercial, and broadcast point of view.

Match Highlights: Women's Origin - NSW v QLD

Any fears of a crowd hangover from last year were quickly quashed with a strong 10,515 in attendance, an increase on 6,824 at the same venue in 2018.

Maroons coach Jason Hetherington told NRL.com that despite being on the wrong end of the scoreboard in recent years it was time to test the Queensland market for women's Origin, particularly with the Broncos also winning the inaugural NRLW grand final last season.

"I'd really love it for our girls to get the feel of playing in front of a Queensland crowd," Hetherington said.

"The girls really admired playing in front of a crowd like that and being on TV live on a Friday night. Crowd support gets behind them and hopefully one day they get that. I'd say that will happen sooner rather than later."

Suggestions on social media have been in overflow with many one-eyed Blues fanatics calling for a venue like Bankwest Stadium to be next on the radar.

But the Maroons like to think somewhere like Suncorp Stadium, or around Brisbane's CBD could also be done with plenty of marketing.

"You always want the girls to stand alone so they build their own identity," Hetherington said.

Gray crashes over on the right

"But there's no point going to a 60,000 stadium. There's grounds that are ideal for it in Queensland, places like the Sunshine Coast, a great ground in Mackay and up in Townsville where you can get a 10,000 capacity.

"Ideally somewhere in Brisbane's CBD, if you played it at Suncorp you want at least the bottom tier to be full. There are plenty of grounds available but we'll let the powers that be come up with the solution and crunch the numbers."

Channel Nine TV ratings (633k viewers across regional and metropolitan areas) on Saturday indicated last night's Origin clash is expected to total record numbers in comparison to last year.