By Wayne Heming

Queensland will be aiming to drastically reduce their missed tackle and error counts in a bid the clinch the two-game Ampol Women’s State of Origin series in Townsville on Thursday night.

Under a special points aggregate system designed to split a possible one-game-all result, Queensland could lose by seven points and still take the series back off NSW after capturing the Sydney game 18-10 last month.

Given game one of the Origin series was played before they kicked off their WNRL competition, the high mistake rates were understandable.

Both states made the same number of errors (15), missed tackles (22), and conceded five penalties each.

The team which tightens and cleans up its act in those key categories could expect to emerge the winner on Thursday night.

Queensland have worked hard on a number of areas in camp over the past week knowing NSW will have put in the hard yards to make the adjustments needed to win.

NSW have been in camp in Townsville acclimatising to the weather conditions for almost a week preparing for the clash knowing they must win by at least eight points.

Queensland will again look to promising young rookie forward Keilee Joseph to provide the forward drive by repeating her first game dominance in the middle when she was making her Origin debut.

Joseph will be heavily targeted after taking out player-of-the-match honours in Sydney.

She was superb carting the ball into the NSW forwards and making a team-high 25 tackles.

Her battle with NSW power forward leader Millie Boyle,  who was also hugely impressive with 128 metres in game one, will go a long way toward deciding the outcome.

Despite only being 20, Queensland coach Tahnee Norris believes the aggressive Joseph will develop into the best forward in the world if she continues to dominate in the middle.

Flashy fullback Tamika Upton, recently voted the game’s number one player,  believes a big crowd at North Queensland’s home ground, Queensland Country Bank Stadium, will greatly help their cause in what shapes as another very tight tussle.

Both forward packs are primed to go at each other from the opening whistle with the series squarely on the line suggesting a very physical encounter.

Officials are anticipating a crowd of between 13,000 to 15,000 fans which three-time premiership winner Upton says will be a big lift to her team.

“It makes for better footy when there is a good crowd and this time, unlike Sydney, they will mostly be in our corner, and that could make a big difference,” said Upton who has “beefed up” during the off-season after pulling out of the World Cup last season to repair her battered body.

“I’ve been in the game for four or five years now. When you’re out there and you’ve got people cheering you on, it’s amazing.

“We hope a lot of fans get to the game and get behind us.”

Meanwhile, China Polata will finally get her Origin debut on the wing for the suspended Julia Robinson as the only change to the 17-player squad.

It will be a huge moment for Polata, a Tongan international who played one game for the Brisbane Broncos before signing with the NQ Cowboys this season.

Polata’s promising career was derailed by an ACL injury in 2019 forcing her to sit on the sidelines for more than 18 months,

She has impressed Norris with her aggressive club form since returning from injury for the North Queensland Cutters.

Norris has indicated she will promote Romy Teitzel to the back-row ahead of Shania Power who after starting in Sydney could drop to the bench although at this stage, Power is named to start.

NSW star Isabelle Kelly, capable of breaking the game open with her attacking brilliance, has been medically cleared to play after suffering a scary throat injury in game one.

It was initially feared the highly experienced Kelly had fractured her larynx when hit high in a tackle but she has recovered sufficiently and been given a medical clearance to play in Townsville.

Her availability is a big bonus for NSW who also have veterans Simaima Taufu and Tiana Penitani returning from injuries to bolster their chances.

Thursday night’s teams: