Blues eager for taste of Vegas action as focus turns to Origin Two

Westpac NSW Blues coach John Strange is confident women's rugby league will eventually return to Las Vegas in a stronger position to attract new fans to the sport. 

The Jillaroos scored a mammoth 90-4 victory over England in a supersized quadruple header at Allegiant Stadium earlier this year. 

The lopsided scoreline led to questions about the best way to showcase women's rugby league to the US market. Among the options floated involve a State of Origin match and a clash between the previous year's NRLW grand finalists. 

The schedule for the NRL's third trip to the American tourist hotspot was unveiled on Wednesday morning, with the Dragons to take on the Bulldogs and Cowboys to play the Knights. 

English Super League clubs Hull KR and Leeds will face off in the final match of a triple-header. 

Strange backed the decision not to play a women's game in 2026 and declared women's rugby league will return bigger than ever. 

"If they took it away for a year, which it sounds like they are, but then rethought about it and put it back in the next year in a better format, sometimes you need to take a step backwards to go forwards," Strange said. "As long as they rethink it and put a good product out there the following year, then it'll keep going. 

"Whether it's an Origin game or the two grand finalists from the previous year going to Vegas, I'd be happy either way."

The coach's immediate focus is on NSW's quest to wrap up the State of Origin Shield at Allianz Stadium on Thursday night. 

The Blues claimed a commanding 32-12 victory in Game One earlier this month and they're determined to avoid a repeat of last year when they let a 1-0 lead slip to lose the series. 

Strange shocked plenty when he unveiled a new halves combination of Tiana Penitani Gray and Jesse Southwell for the opening game of the series however the duo quickly silenced the doubters with a dominant display. 

Southwell has long been hyped as one of the most promising playmakers in the women's game but Strange said there is no additional pressure on the youngster to deliver a series victory on Thursday night. 

"There's no pressure on her from me," he said. "She's got a job to do. That's as simple as it is. There's definitely more involved with her job than pretty much everyone else in the team but it's still the job she's got to do, just like everyone else. 

"I keep saying to the girls to just focus on your roles. It's very detailed what their roles are in every shape that we run and as long as you focus on that, then everyone will connect together. 

"There's no pressure at all from me on Jessie. She's there for a long time at this level so this is not going to define her, how she goes tomorrow, even if we win this series. It's about her progression and development as a young half."

Southwell first broke into the NSW side in 2023, only to be overlooked for last year's series in a shock decision by former coach Kylie Hilder. 

The 20-year-old has already achieved plenty in a brief career, leading the Knights to NRLW premierships in 2022 and 2023 and was drafted into the Jillaroos squad at the back end of last year's Pacific Championships campaign. 

NSW skipper Isabelle Kelly has watched Southwell develop on and off the field over the past few years and declared the playmaker is ready to make her presence known at Allianz Stadium.