First Nations players named in 2026 Women’s State of Origin squads

Reigning Dally M Medallist and Tamika Upton headlines Indigenous talent named in the Queensland Maroons squad for game one of the 2026 Ampol Women’s State of Origin series, which begins on Thursday 30 April at McDonald Jones Stadium in Newcastle.

The 2026 series is the third consecutive women’s State of Origin to be played as a three-game format. Game two will be staged at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane on 14 May, with the decider at Cbus Super Stadium on the Gold Coast on 28 May.

Upton, who returns for her sixth Maroons campaign, will be joined in the Queensland squad by Indigenous All Stars representative Keilee Joseph. Rookie Titans winger Phoenix-Raine Hippi, who has previously played for the Indigenous All Stars, is one of three debutants named in Queensland’s matchday 17, alongside Cook Islands-eligible Sharks five-eighth Chantay Kiria-Ratu and Kiwi Ferns prop Otesa Pule. Bri Clark, who played one Origin for Queensland in 2021 before representing New Zealand, returns to the Maroons squad after the eligibility rule change.

The new selections follow a change to State of Origin eligibility rules announced in February. Under the updated rules, players representing Tier One nations – Australia, England, and New Zealand – who meet the traditional Origin criteria are now eligible. The change has opened the door for several players previously locked out of selection.

The New South Wales Sky Blues squad includes a number of players with First Nations and Indigenous All Stars heritage. Olivia Kernick, Kennedy Cherrington, and Rima Butler are among those named who could choose to represent New Zealand at the upcoming Rugby League World Cup later this year. Each has previously represented the Māori All Stars.

Speaking to NRL.com, Maroons forward Bri Clark said the new generation of Queensland leaders had stepped up.

“It is really strange without having Ali here, I was like, ‘oh this is weird'” Clark said, referring to the absence of long-serving Maroon Ali Brigginshaw, who has retired from Origin.

“But there’s new leaders that are stepping up and new young ones coming through that are big personalities and have got a lot to offer as well, so it’s like a new era coming through and it’s really exciting.”

She singled out Upton and other senior players for praise.

“Players like Tamika Upton and Loz Brown and Chelsea Lenarduzzi, they’ve all stepped up big time … so it’s really cool, we’ve got a really good bunch of leaders here,” Clark said.

The Maroons assembled in camp on the Sunshine Coast in preparation for the series opener. New South Wales enter as defending champions after winning the 2025 series 2-1, with Queensland claiming the third game in Newcastle.

Indigenous talent has long featured in the women’s interstate fixture, which traces its roots to the 1999 Women’s Interstate Challenge. The series was officially rebranded as Women’s State of Origin in 2018.