Jada Ferguson, hooker for the Queensland Maroons, has expressed her concerns regarding the scheduling of the Women’s State of Origin series, acknowledging it as a challenging situation but lacking a clear solution as the 2026 opener approaches. The format for the women’s Origin has evolved over the years, expanding from a single match to two in 2023, with plans for a three-match series starting in 2024.
One of the primary issues currently under discussion is the timing of these matches, which are all set to occur prior to the commencement of the NRLW season. Ferguson highlighted the difficulty of maintaining high performance levels without regular match fitness, particularly when the Maroons players haven’t played since the previous year’s grand final.
In a recent interview with Wide World of Sports, Ferguson remarked, “Knowing it’s our first game since the grand final last year makes it really hard.” She suggested that a potential solution could involve introducing a bye weekend within the NRLW to allow for the Origin matches to be played either afterwards or in between the NRLW rounds.
She also indicated that holding the series at the end of the NRLW season might better accommodate players, mitigating the risk of injuries that can occur when the season is interrupted. Ferguson noted, “It can be disruptive in the season splitting it… end of NRLW could work, especially leading into the World Cup.”
The 2026 Women’s State of Origin series will feature the following team line-ups:
NSW Blues:
- Abbi Church (Parramatta Eels)
- Jaime Chapman (Gold Coast Titans)
- Jess Sergis (Sydney Roosters)
- Isabelle Kelly (Sydney Roosters)
- Jayme Fressard (Sydney Roosters)
- Jocelyn Kelleher (Sydney Roosters)
- Jesse Southwell (Brisbane Broncos)
- Millie Elliott (Sydney Roosters)
- Keeley Nizza (Sydney Roosters)
- Ellie Johnston (Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks)
- Tiana Penitani Gray (Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks)
- Yasmin Meakes (Newcastle Knights)
- Olivia Kernick (Sydney Roosters)
- Olivia Higgins (Newcastle Knights)
- Kennedy Cherrington (Parramatta Eels)
- Kezie Apps (Wests Tigers)
- Teagan Berry (St George Illawarra Dragons)
- Corban Baxter (Sydney Roosters)
- Rima Butler (Sydney Roosters)
- Quincy Dodd (Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks)
QLD Maroons:
- Tamika Upton (Brisbane Broncos)
- Julia Robinson (Brisbane Broncos)
- Rory Owen (Parramatta Eels)
- Shenae Ciesiolka (St. George Illawarra Dragons)
- Phoenix-Raine Hippi (Gold Coast Titans)
- Chantay Kiria-Ratu (Cronulla Sharks)
- Lauren Brown (Gold Coast Titans)
- Makenzie Weale (North Queensland Cowboys)
- Jada Ferguson (Brisbane Broncos)
- Jessika Elliston (Gold Coast Titans)
- Sienna Lofipo (Gold Coast Titans)
- Romy Teitzel (Brisbane Broncos)
- Keilee Joseph (Parramatta Eels)
- Emma Manzelmann (North Queensland Cowboys)
- Otesa Pule (Sydney Roosters)
- Chelsea Lenarduzzi (Brisbane Broncos)
- Brianna Clark (Brisbane Broncos)
- Ivana Lolesio (Gold Coast Titans)
- Destiny Brill (Brisbane Broncos)
- Destiny Mino-Sinapati (Gold Coast Titans)
The first match is scheduled for Thursday, April 30, at McDonald Jones Stadium, with subsequent games on May 14 at Suncorp Stadium and May 28 at CBus Super Stadium. Fans can catch all the action live on Channel Nine and 9Now. In the previous series, the NSW Blues triumphed over the Maroons, clinching the title 2-1 after a series of competitive matches.