Robinson set to miss Origin II after Kelly incident

Maroons winger Julia Robinson will miss Ampol Women's State of Origin II in Townsville after taking the early guilty plea for her elbow strike on Isabelle Kelly.

Robinson was hit with a Grade 2 Dangerous Contact charge for the 33rd minute incident which saw Kelly taken to hospital with a throat injury and will now serve a one-match ban. 

With no club matches between Origin clashes in the two-game series, Robinson will be next available for the Broncos in Round 1 of the NRL Telstra Women's Premiership in July. 

Robinson spent time after Queensland's 18-10 win over NSW concerned for Kelly, who was cleared of a larynx fracture and serious throat damage and released from hospital on Friday night.

Robinson, who won a World Cup alongside Kelly in November, remained with her during the incident despite play continuing on up-field in an act of sportsmanship from the winger, who crossed for two tries throughout the evening. 

"I got her in the throat by accident, I obviously didn't mean to do that," Robinson said post-match.

"She said she was struggling to breathe. It happened so quick. Rugby league is a physical game and obviously we don't want to go out there and hurt each other.

"I made sure I checked on her, it's not nice to see a player go down like that. I love Issy as a mate off-field and I respect her as a person on and off-field.

"She's a big player for NSW and I'm hoping she recovers well."

While the Sky Blues suffered in Kelly's absence, Queensland took advantage in the second half with Robinson crossing for a second try to wrap up the result.

Despite tries for the Jillaroos at the international level, it was Robinson's first pair of four-pointers for the Maroons.

"It's an amazing feeling to get over for those tries but obviously proud of all the Queensland girls," she said.

"It's hard to come to enemy territory and get the win so very happy. We knew NSW would come out hard given it was their home game."

Robinson added the side took a lot from their male counterparts upsetting NSW on Wednesday night before they did the same in the first of two women's games in 2023.

"It didn't go all their way [on Wednesday] and it didn't go all our way [last night] but we knew the Queensland way is never back down and we got the job done," Robinson said.

"A few of the boys wished us luck so it's always good for us to have their back too. We're very proud of each other."