Brilliant attempts, bone-crushing blows and tense fights sparked the female-dominated state as New South Wales dodged a Queensland rival to retrieve the shield on Friday night.
And what followed after the Blues ’20-14 victory over the Maroons in Canberra was a powerful message from legendary NSW Origin coach Phil Gould.
“They’ve sold it to the Australian public,” Gould said on the post-Nine game cover.
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“I’ve said a couple of times before that, it sounds a bit paternalistic to say it’s a women’s game and that the women’s game is getting better.
“It’s the rugby league, it’s only played by women. Now it has all the elements of the rugby league. You have no more power, passion, speed and skill than what we just saw.”
Phil Gould and Darren Lockyer had awesome words after the Blues and Maroons women tried out a thriller. (Mark Nolan / Getty Images)
An exceptional moment resulted in an attempt by Emma Tonegato, when the Blues winger ran to plant a Keeley Davis draft.
The ball shook, but Tonegato had the ability to roll with it, kicking it and jamming it just before the dead ball line.
The 11,321 spectators also received dusty hits from NSW winger Yasmin Clydsdale and Queensland game creator Tiana-Raftstrand-Smith.
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“It’s a game they have now … and they’ve sold their football brand and it’s brilliant,” Gould said.
Queensland home icon Darren Lockyer had his own words.
“If you haven’t seen women play the game before and come and look, what’s really unexpected is the physique. They play with passion and they play with physique,” Lockyer said.
Tonegato produces “incredible” repression.
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“But I think in the last five years I’ve seen his skill level increase, especially with his kicking game, his passing game …
“This is because the resources are now around them to give them the training and coaching they need.
“Physicality has always been there. It’s just the delicacy that goes into it now as they evolve.”
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