Two games, two wins: Origin coaches aim high as series expands

Three games would've been ideal but a two-game State of Origin series is certainly better than one.

Origin coaches Kylie Hilder and Tahnee Norris both insist they’ll be preparing and instructing their sides to win both games and the series 2-0 with the interstate battle moving to two matches in 2023.

Hilder and Norris joined NSW star Isabelle Kelly and Queensland five-eighth Tarryn Aiken at CommBank Stadium on Thursday to launch tickets going on sale to the general public for the sixth edition of Ampol Women's State of Origin.

The introduction of a second Origin game has created plenty of debate with a possible third and deciding match not an option this year and unlikely in 2024.

There are limited sports around the world that offer the same series format with rugby's Bledisloe Cup among those played only twice in a World Cup year.

NSW will go into the series with a slight advantage to retain the Origin shield given they won last year’s standalone fixture in Canberra but neither party wanted to entertain the idea of a 1-1 series draw.

“We won’t talk once about if it’s a drawn series that we’ll be keeping the shield,” Sky Blues coach Kylie Hilder said.

“It's not an option for us because that’s not winning the series. We need to win both games to win the shield and that’s the mindset I’ve got and the mindset I want the players to have, which they already have expressed.

“Last year is done and with a new year in 2023 we want to be winning both games.”

Norris, who as a player was part of two-game and three-game series against NSW during interstate challenge matches pre-2018, said the scenario provided the Maroons a chance to reclaim the shield in a genuine way.

“Every Origin game you don’t want to drop one,” Norris said.

“When I played we just wanted to keep playing against NSW when they offered us 2-3 games a year.

“It didn’t matter the series scoreline, the more footy we could play against each other the better it was and it created that rivalry. 

“Of course I’d love the three-game series instead to break that 1-1 tied series if it happened but the girls are competitive and so am I and we’ll do everything we can to win both this year.

“It’s a new thing we’ve got to work through overall. We got a squad together in February at an emerging camp and exposed a number of players because we just don’t know what could happen in two games.

“It’s really important you keep that communication up with players because if there is an injury or a change needed you have to be able to have access to them.”

The Sky Blues will host the first game at CommBank Stadium in Parramatta on June 1 before attention turns to Queensland Country Bank Stadium for the second Origin clash on June 22.