By Wayne Heming
A place in women’s rugby league history is on the line for the winner of Thursday’s first-ever State of Origin three-game series at Townsville’s Queensland Country Bank Stadium.
With the 2024 Origin locked at one game all in the inaugural best-of-three-games series, everything is on the line in the Townsville decider.
It’s been a watershed year for the women’s game with the two Origin clashes so far smashing both attendance and TV ratings records at Suncorp Stadium and in Newcastle.
NSW took a one-nil lead in the series opener with a comprehensive 22-12 win at Suncorp Stadium in front of a women’s record crowd of 25,492.
Queensland rescued the series off the boot of Lauren Brown in atrocious conditions in Newcastle, snatching a thrilling 11-10 victory in the return game in front of another record crowd who braved the winds and rain.
Now the stage is set for a monumental showdown of epic proportions in Townsville with officials predicting another bumper crowd,
Second-game Queensland hero, Brown, says emotions are already running high as the game draws closer.
“The girls can’t wait, I can’t wait,” the Maroon super-boot told Fogs.com.au.
“Being the first decider, being in north Queensland, it makes for a massive and very exciting clash.”
Brown was used off the bench in game one but Maroons coach Tahnee Norris turned to her in the second game and she provided the spark and the match-winner to keep the series alive.
Queensland will enter the decider with a “take no prisoners” attitude with Brown declaring anything in Blue will be the enemy.
“There is a lot of respect amongst the players for what they have achieved for the women’s game, but once we cross the white line this week, they are all the enemy,” she said.
“I was a bridesmaid at (NSW forward) Yasmin Clydesdale’s wedding, but she will be just another player in a blue jumper until after the game.”
“We’ve spoken and texted a few times since game two, but the lines of communication will go down when we go into our respective camps.
“We’ll be fierce enemies on the field, but after the game, we are always happy for each other and happy for each other’s achievements.”
Brown showed she had ice in her veins, slotting the match-winning field goal in atrocious conditions in Newcastle to break a 10-10 deadlock and save the series.
Like all good players, Brown wanted the ball in her hands when the game was on the line.
“It’s in my top moments… no, let’s be real, it’s my top moment in rugby league.
“The ground was very wet so I didn’t know in the ball would bounce to be honest.
“I said to the girls after the game I’d rather not be in that position again where I have to kick a field goal to win, but If it happens again in Townsville, I’ll step up and do it again.”
Brown, who plays for the Titans in the NRLW, is an accomplished goal kicker.
“I practices for those scenarios at the end of my training sessions,” she says.
“You dream about being in that situation but to actually do it, is something else, something I’ll never forget.
“When the kick when through the posts, it didn’t quite sink in until all the girls started running towards me.”
“The best part of it was seeing how much it meant to all the girls and to all the Queensland fans.
“The way the conditions were it was never going to be the prettiest field goal. I just had to trust the process and hope I made good contact which I did.
“That’s the third one I’ve kicked to win a game”.
A close understanding and relationship between fullback Tamika Upton and halfback and captain, Ali Brigginshaw, combined to set up her match-winning kick with a few minutes left on the clock.
“I’ve been lucky enough to play a lot of footy in the spine with those girls so we knew what the set-up would be.
“Playing at hooker, I was able to direct the forwards where I wanted them and then I dropped backed to take the kick.
She has backed Brigginshaw’s cool head and experience in big games to be crucial should the game goe down the wire as it did in Newcastle.
“She’s our conductor, she is great at managing the team around the park, organising and creating for her teammates.
“Tamika is one of our weapons, if the game is on the line, you know she will be looking to break it open.
Queensland coach Tahnee Norris describes Brown as her super utility who can play virtually anywhere she puts her.
“Loz is the ultimate utility. She is gusty she’ll go for 80 minutes and I can put her in any role,” said Norris.
“To have her kicking game for the whole game will be very beneficial and we have to make sure we utilise it a lot more.
“It’s all on the line.”