Newcastle hooker Olivia Higgins is set for her State of Origin debut after being one of two debutantes named on Wednesday in a 20-player Sky Blues squad that did not include Knights halfback Jesse Southwell.
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NSW coach Kylie Hilder revealed her squad for game one of the 2024 Women's State of Origin series at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane on May 16.
Higgins is in the starting side with Canberra Raiders prop Grace Kemp, who has been named on the bench, the other player set to debut.
"We played a few trial matches and I thought I did OK in those and Kylie was letting me know what I needed to do, so by the last trial game I thought I was in with a pretty good shot," Higgins told the Newcastle Herald.
"[Being named in the starting side] was definitely unexpected. But in NRLW I start nine and I like to get into the grind, so I feel comfortable with that.
"When I first started playing, I definitely had dreamt about playing Origin. I loved watching the boys Blues growing up. I used to look forward to the Wednesday nights.
"But, to be honest, I thought that shipped had sailed. Being a little bit older in my career, I didn't think that I'd get this opportunity, so it still feels very surreal. I'm still a little bit shocked."
Origin I kicks off an historic year for women's rugby league, with the representative series moving to three games for the first time.
The Sky Blues go into camp on Thursday and Higgins, who has been part of a broader Sky Blues train-on squad for the past two months, plans to make the most of the opportunity.
"I'm hoping to just be relaxed and not let the occasion get to the better of me and play my natural game," Higgins said.
"With camp, I'm just looking forward to being in there and training with the team and getting the consistency and combinations working.
"We've trained together for seven weeks, twice a week with games of a weekend. I feel good. I feel like the team is really fit.
"We've had to maintain our own fitness through the off-season so I feel as though that won't be an issue, and having the trial games under our belt gives us a bit of game fitness as well."
Origin II will be played in Higgins' home town of Newcastle on June 6 and Origin III in Townsville on June 27.
A good performance in the opening match could have the 31-year-old Newcastle High School teacher lining up at McDonald Jones Stadium for game two.
"I'd be lying if I said it was something I hadn't thought about, but I'm focusing on the first game and hoping that I can put in a really good performance," Higgins said.
"But to be able to play in Newcastle in an Origin match in front of my family and friends and the people at the school that I work at, teach at, that would be unreal. But I'll think about that again after game one."
Higgins is one of three Knights in the Sky Blues side, along with prop Caitlan Johnston and second-rower Yasmin Clydsdale.
Johnston, who is headed to the Sharks on a three-year deal from 2025, returns to Origin after missing last year's series due to injury while Clydsdale retains her spot.
"Jesse is an incredible player and she is extremely young and she'll be better for this," Higgins said.
The extended squad includes the uncapped Jakiya Whitfeld and Ellie Johnston plus Kirra Dibb, who represented the Sky Blues in 2019 and 2022.
Eight NRLW clubs are represented with the Sydney Roosters having the most with six players.
Seasoned campaigners Kezie Apps (11 games for NSW) and Isabelle Kelly (10) will again lead the team as co-captains, while the experienced Corban Baxter returns as five-eighth.
NSW will aim to reclaim the Origin Shield from Queensland, who won on aggregate points in 2023 after the two-game series finished 1-1.
NSW SKY BLUES
1. Emma Tonegato (Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks)
2. Jaime Chapman (Gold Coast Titans)
3. Jessica Sergis (Sydney Roosters)
4. Isabelle Kelly (Sydney Roosters)
5. Tiana Penitani (Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks)
6. Corban Baxter (Sydney Roosters)
7. Rachael Pearson (Parramatta Eels)
8. Millie Elliott (Sydney Roosters)
9. Olivia Higgins (Newcastle Knights)
10. Caitlan Johnston (Newcastle Knights)
11. Yasmin Clydsdale (Newcastle Knights)
12. Kezie Apps (Wests Tigers)
13. Keeley Davis (Sydney Roosters)
14. Taliah Fuimaono (Gold Coast Titans)
15. Olivia Kernick (Sydney Roosters)
16. Grace Kemp (Canberra Raiders)
17. Sarah Togatuki (Wests Tigers)
18. Jakiya Whitfeld (North Queensland Cowboys)
19. Kirra Dibb (North Queensland Cowboys)
20. Ellie Johnston (Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks)
Coach: Kylie Hilder