Women’s Rugby League to thrive from latest investment

Westpac Sky Blues prop Millie Elliott believes women’s Rugby League will only continue to prosper with the Ampol Women’s State of Origin series moving to three games for the first time in 2024.

Along with a clear pathway for young female players to play at the elite level following the move by Westpac today to invest further in the women’s game, Elliott believes the only way is forward.

“Now that we have three games, we can’t go backwards,” Elliot told nswrl.com.au today, after helping launch the new 2024 Westpac Women’s Origin jersey with NSW Sky Blues teammate Kezie Apps.

Westpac, who came on board as a partner for the NSW Blues in 2023, has now assumed the naming rights for the NSW Sky Blues.

“The standard is now set and with more and more people becoming invested in women’s sport and in the game – women’s Rugby League will only benefit from this in the future,” she said.

“It is a massive win.”

Origin Game One has the Sky Blues kicking off Magic Round at Suncorp Stadium on 16 May – the first time a women’s Origin has been played out of the iconic Brisbane landmark.

Game Two will be at the home of the two-time NRLW champions Newcastle – McDonald Jones Stadium on 6 June - and Game Three at Queensland Country Bank Stadium in Townsville on 27 June.

The Townsville venue was where the record for the highest attendance for a women’s Origin match (18,275) was set last year.

With two games being held in Queensland, and with the Maroons winning the shield on points aggregate after a 1-all result in 2023, Millie believes the stage is set for a cracking Origin series.

“I really like the locations that have been picked,” said the 25-year-old, who has been part of NSW’s campaign each year since making her debut in 2019.

“Playing opening night of Magic Round, that is monumental.

“I think Newcastle is one of the best spots to have Origin in NSW and to finish in Townsville, we were lucky up there last year – hopefully it brings some luck to us this year.

“I think the people in the community really got around that game up north and it is really exciting to be heading back.”