Women's State of Origin: NSW, Queensland in dark over series tie breaker

With little over two weeks until kick-off in game one at Parramatta Stadium on June 1, Queensland Maroons coach Tahnee Norris is frustrated at not yet hearing from the NRL on the matter.

"We're not going in to lose - our intent is to win both games and not worry about it. But if it does come down to a tie, we want to know how it sorts itself out," she told The Canberra Times after naming her Maroons squad for the Origin opener.

Every Women's Origin showdown up until last year was decided by a one-off match.

However, the growth of the game recently has led the NRL to slowly expand the series, eventually aiming for a three-game event in the near future.

The intermediate step toward that goal is a two-game series, which is scheduled before the NRLW season begins on July 22 and after the major state women's rugby league competitions.

Norris said her preference was for the NRL to find a way to decide the series with the two-game format this year, and not resort to allowing the previous year's winner to retain the title should each team win one match.

"We haven't been told what the result will be if it is one-all," Norris said.

"There's a number of different theories on what happens, but we haven't actually been given clarification. I'd hate to see be to like a Bledisloe Cup where they say whoever won the year before wins it. Whether it's a points aggregate or an extra-time golden point situation, I prefer that it's actually done in this year's series."

The NRL confirmed with The Canberra Times it had yet to determine how the 2023 series would be decided if tied, but said the issue was being addressed and more information would be revealed soon.

The headache could have been avoided if Women's Origin went straight to a three-game series, however, that scenario may have brought new problems in juggling the timing of such a spectacle alongside the men's and women's games.

"I would have loved to have seen it go straight to three games," Norris said.

"It's the best of the best when it comes to the women's Origin footy. It's the fastest and best quality game you'll see. The girls have worked so hard and they deserve three games.

"It's great how the amount of NRLW teams has increased this year, and you can see the money that's been thrown in behind the scenes from the NRL, but we want to see it like the men where they get to showcase Origin for the three games."

Queensland will be out to regain the Origin shield after a thrilling match in Canberra last year saw the NSW Blues claim a 20-14 victory, ending the Maroons' hopes of a three-peat.

Game 1: NSW Blues vs Queensland Maroons at Parramatta Stadium, June 1, 7.45pm.

Game 2: Queensland Maroons vs NSW Blues at Townsville Stadium, June 22, 7.45pm.

Queensland Maroons Women's Origin squad: Tarryn Aiken (Sydney Roosters), Emily Bass (Gold Coast Titans), Ali Brigginshaw (c) (Brisbane Broncos), Destiny Brill (Brisbane Broncos), Shenae Ciesiolka (Brisbane Broncos), Jessika Elliston (Gold Coast Titans), Tazmin Gray (Brisbane Broncos), Sophie Holyman (Canberra Raiders), Keilee Joseph (Sydney Roosters), Emma Manzelmann (North Queensland Cowboys), Shannon Mato (Gold Coast Titans), Evania Pelite (Gold Coast Titans), China Polata (North Queensland Cowboys), Shaniah Power (North Queensland Cowboys), Julia Robinson (Brisbane Broncos), Romy Teitzel (Brisbane Broncos), Zahara Temara (Canberra Raiders), Tamika Upton (Newcastle Knights).

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