Coaches unite in call for 80-minute women's Origin contest

Origin coaches Tahnee Norris and Kylie Hilder have united in their call for the women's representative contest to be extended to 80 minutes after a pulsating series decider on Thursday night.

As the Sky Blues pushed the Maroons to the wire in Townsville, Queensland emerged as the 2023 shield winners with coaches agreeing the contest showed players were ready to play out the full 80 minutes.

"I'm absolutely all for it. The girls are working so hard and we're getting to a point where we're pushing the boundaries with their fitness levels," Norris said post match.

"The girls are working so hard and we're getting to a point where we're pushing the boundaries with their fitness levels.

"Origin is the hardest and fastest game these girls play and we want to make sure it's the top level as well when we do go to that three-game series.

"These girls came back from a World Cup last year and they played 80 minutes in Test matches. So if we want to showcase the best of women's footy, let's put it out there." 

Game time since women's Origin was made official in 2018 has increased from 60 minutes in the first two years to 70 minutes in the last three seasons – still 10 minutes less than women's international matches. 

And while time became the enemy for Hilder's Sky Blues, falling just five points short from taking out the series, the NSW coach also believes the players have proved they're ready to take the game to 80 minutes.

"Extra minutes would be great," Hilder said. 

"I think the girls deserve to have a full 80 minutes now too. They are at that stage in their fitness and their game management and they serve to have the full 80 minutes as well."

NSW co-captain Isabelle Kelly also backed both coaches after coming off a stirring World Cup campaign with the Jillaroos.

Some of Kelly's biggest match-winning plays in her career have come towards the end of games and at crucial stages to help her side snatch victory.

"You can change a game in that last 10 minutes," she said.

"I loved playing 80 minutes in the World Cup and to be able to do that in Origin would be awesome and a big next step.

"There are a few other things we want in Origin too obviously like a three-game series and we really want to showcase and push for that first but stepping up to 80 I think we can easily handle that and the fans would love it too."