Queensland women’s State of Origin coach Tahnee Norris delights in giving NSW rugby league fans the blues.
Despite growing up in Orange, in regional NSW, and playing five times for the Blues, Tahnee appeared 13 times for the Maroons when eligibility was based on residency. And looking back over a brilliant career, that included playing in four World Cups and becoming the most capped Jillaroo in Australian rugby league history, Tahnee says one of her favourite memories was scoring a try in the final minute to help Queensland win the 2009 interstate match.
“It was the sort of thing you dream about doing,” she says. “That was a pretty special feeling.”
Tahnee plans to break a few more NSW hearts as the Maroons’ State of Origin coach for the match in June. Queensland are the defending champions after beating NSW 24-18 at Sunshine Coast Stadium last November, with rising star Tarryn Aiken winning player of the match.
“I think we've got a fantastic side,” says Tahnee, who coached the Burleigh Bears side to five of the past six state premierships. “Ali Brigginshaw is the Jillaroos and Maroons captain and is a class player. Tarryn Aiken and Tamika Upton both come from a touch football background and have been fantastic for Queensland over the last year. We’ve also got a really strong pack, with Tamzin Gray, Tallisha Harden and Chelsea Lenarduzzi leading the way.”
Tahnee says there’s nothing to choose between the men’s and women’s State of Origin matches when it comes to passion. “It just means so much to both states because we’ve all grown up with it,” she says. “The women are just the same as the men when it comes to what it means to throw on a Maroons jersey.”
Also in common with the men’s series is the expectation the one-off fixture will be quicker and more intense than a regular competition match. “They absolutely go to town on each other – it’s full-on,” she says. “It’s a faster-tempo, higher-quality game.”
A Sunshine State resident for more than 20 years, Tahnee says an inspirational speech from Origin icon Chris Close at a jersey presentation during her playing days still gives her chills.
“He's such a passionate Queenslander,” she says. “I was just about ready to run through a wall for him. That really opened my eyes to the whole thing – how passionate he was. He just had this hatred towards the NSW team. It was like ‘Wow, this is intense!’ But I loved it.”
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