Westpac NSW Blues Women’s captain Isabelle Kelly says the big-game experience among the four debutants will hold them in good stead for a hostile Suncorp Stadium crowd in Brisbane tomorrow night.
Sydney Roosters pair Jayme Fressard and Jocelyn Kelleher, Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks prop Ellie Johnston and Parramatta fullback Abbi Church will make their Origin debuts in Game One of the 2025 Ampol series.
Fressard and Kelleher have a NRLW premiership ring from last October, Church played for the Eels in the 2022 Grand Final loss to Newcastle, while Johnston was also in that Eels pack before switching to the Sharks and playing in the 2024 Grand Final.
Kelly, who has won two Nellie Doherty Medals as Origin Player of the Series (2018, 2022), has a simple message for the foursome.
“Just to enjoy it,” Kelly said after the NSW Blues Women finished their preparations with the Captain’s Run at Totally Workwear Stadium today.
“I know a lot of those girls have played in really big games before like grand finals.
“They’re ready to go; they’ve trained hard.
“Strangey (coach John Strange) has picked a really great group of debutants who are really going to shine tomorrow night.”
Strange added: “They’ve earned their spots through their form, in particular last year throughout all the competitions they played in from NRLW through to Pacific Championships.
“They were very consistent so that got them into the extended squad of 30 and then they pushed their way into the 17.
“They deserve to be there and all the other players know that as well.”
As for who takes the ‘underdog’ tag heading into Game One, Strange was happy to sit on the fence.
“There’s been a lot of changes in both sides from last season,” he said.
“Yes Queensland won it last year in a tight series, but they’ve got some debutants as we have, different combinations, as we have.
“Who’s favourite? I really don’t know. They are all quality players that we’ve named and all 17 Queenslanders are at the top of their game too.”
