NRLW star calls for season to start earlier to enhance Origin series

On the heels of a groundbreaking Women’s State of Origin series, Wests Tigers NRLW star Kezie Apps wants to see the game taken to another level and follow in the footsteps of the Men’s game.

As currently slated, the Women’s Origin series kickstarts the NRLW season and despite it continuing to grow at a rapid pace, the players aren’t as keen on this tradition continuing.

Many of the NRLW stars will play their first games in several months in the Origin arena, leaving them to believe they can showcase more of their talents if given more time to prepare with an earlier start to the regular season.

“I don’t agree with where it’s situated or I guess as playing Origin as our first game,” Apps told SEN.com.au.

“It’s a hectic game and the hardest I’ve ever played in… it’s fast and it’s physical, we as athletes want to go in as best prepared as possible, so it’s hard not playing much footy before leading into it.

“I’d love to have NRLW start a little bit earlier so we can have that preseason being in that professional environment to better prepare for Origin.”

The only time in the game’s history that the Women have played NRLW games prior to the Origin series was in 2022 when a COVID-affected 2021 season was pushed back several months.

“In our 2022 game, we had our NRLW season at the start of the year and then we had Origin, I feel like that Origin was unbelievable and everyone was so well prepared going into it,” Apps added.

“It’ll get there, it’s just the more teams we get involved in NRLW the longer the season will be, it’ll be awesome if we had a better preparation that way.

“But I feel like we did really well this in what we had, with NSW doing a seven-week training camp, that was awesome that we got to do that.”

The 2024 NRLW season kicks off on Thursday night with the reigning premiers the Newcastle Knights playing host to the Sydney Roosters.