Four Origin games and four different positions – welcome to Taliah Fuimaono’s world as the Westpac NSW Sky Blues team ‘Miss Fix It’.
Since making her NSW debut in Game One last year, Fuimaono has been plugging holes in the Sky Blues line. She will again be at the ready on Thursday night at Townsville’s Queensland Country Bank Stadium for the deciding third game in the 2024 Ampol State of Origin series.
“My first game I filled in for Tiana (Penitani) when she went out (hamstring) so I played a bit of wing and centre,” Fuimaono told nswrl.com.au
“Then I went into the halves for Game Two and this year I’ve come on at No.9.
“It’s the name of the game at No.14 – I’ll be whatever they need me to be.”
Preparation for playing a number of roles is a little different to her norm – she is Gold Coast Titans five-eighth in NRLW and also played No.6 for the Illawarra Steelers in Harvey Norman Women’s Premiership last year.
“Basically in Origin camps I roll around in the middles, then I observe the work on both edges.
“I use the old brain to analyse what they’re all doing and how I’ll slot in.
“Halves is where I love but it’s a privilege and an honour to wear the Sky Blues jersey no matter what number is on my back.
“I’m just grateful to be here.”
Between Games Two and Three players went back to their NRLW clubs to begin pre-season training ahead of the 2024 competition starting on 25 July.
The NSW players already had three months of work under their belts, plus two Origin games. So NSWRL staff worked in tandem with high-performance staff at clubs to monitor workloads.
“They pulled us back a little bit when we got straight back into NSW camp – a bit on the lighter side as they knew we’d been at our NRLW clubs.
“We feel very confident in the staff here. They’ve been keeping an eye on our loads, all the strength and conditioning staff and the physios.
“We’re straight back into it and we’re feeling fresh.”
And for the first time since women’s Origin began in 2018, it is a three-game series.
“We’re very, very excited to have this decider. It gives all of us goosebumps to think of the opportunity we have,” Fuimaono.
“Game Three is history already and wouldn’t it be nice to top it off with a win for NSW to put ourselves in that history?
“It’s the same team that’s gone through the whole three games.
"So we will celebrate with pride if we can win that Shield. It will be something very special.”
