Sport
Women's new battle
04Jul08
Action from the women's State of Origin series fought out at CUA Stadium Penrith.
THE hits would have rattled Blocker Roach's ancestors, but that was just one of the pretty things on display at CUA Stadium last Friday.
In an exciting new chapter in Australia's long history of sporting rivalry, women's rugby league burst onto centre stage when Queensland and NSW did battle in game one of the Women's State of Origin series.
Taking the field before the Panthers Toyota Cup match, the fired-up women showed just how far women's rugby league has come in a short period of time.
Penrith junior league boss, Don Feltis, said he had seen the preparation of both teams and was not surprised with the passion and athleticism he witnessed from the opening whistle.
"I watched the two sides train, and the players are all fit and athletic," he said.
"There is also a good mix of quick, slim players and bigger, stronger players in both sides. They really play hard."
Sitting near a group of diehard Blues supporters, I quickly found myself barracking for NSW women's as passionately as I do when the men take the field for the more traditional Origin spectacle.
At the risk of sounding sexist, I did worry that league may not be the most appropriate sport for females after some of the girls took extra seconds to get to their feet but the sheer excitement of the battle quickly changed my mind.
There were no serious injuries in the match and the only negative I could see was that NSW were narrowly beaten 8-6.
