'A little bit of PTSD': Blues on red alert for Brown

Westpac NSW Blues tryscoring sensation Jaime Chapman admits that the way the Maroons snatched last year’s Origin match in Newcastle still hurts but the pain is added motivation for a 3-0 cleansweep.

After winning the opening match of the 2024 series, the Blues led Game II until seven minutes before fulltime when Lauren Brown converted a Tarryn Aiken try and then kicked a 69th minute field to secure an 11-10 win for the Maroons.

Queensland went on to win the decider 22-6 but the Women’s State of Origin Shield will be presented to the Blues after Game III at McDonald Jones Stadium on Thursday night, regardless of the result.

However, NSW players want to ensure they get to celebrate their series triumph after a win and are determined not to let Queensland spoil the party.  

“I do have a little bit of PTSD going back there, and rewatching that field goal fuels a fire in my belly to make sure that we don't let that happen again,” Chapman said.

“I think all of us are the same. We don't want that to ever happen again, and we'll be ready for Loz, or for anyone that is going to go and kick a field goal, but we won't let it get to that point anyway.”

Chapman has scored two of the most spectacular tries in Women’s Origin, setting Suncorp Stadium alight when she sprinted 90m for the opening try of last year’s series and sliding over to score at Allianz Stadium two weeks ago.

The star winger is determined to add to her tryscoring tally at McDonald Jones Stadium, which is expected to host a near capacity crowd hoping for a Blues whitewash.

“I'm yet to score one at Newy for the Blues, so I'm really excited to get out there and hopefully we have some drier weather, so I have a bit more freedom to run down the sideline,” she said.

“It was such a wet field in Sydney, and I didn't even know that Robbo [Maroons winger Julia Robinson] was behind me.

“She got me by the ankles, and I slid about 5m to score that try but you could see by the smile on my face that I really enjoyed it, and hopefully I can get another one in Newcastle.”

Maroons superstar fullback Tamika Upton aggravated a glute injury after being stood up by Chapman on her way to the try line and has been ruled out, while Queensland coach Tahnee Norris has made a number of positional changes.

The most significant is moving Brown from hooker to halfback and evergreen playmaker Ali Brigginshaw to lock, with Destiny Brill taking over the dummy half duties.