Queensland captain Lauren Brown slams 'unfair' expectations placed on players due to Origin scheduling

Lauren Brown has heightened calls for the women's State of Origin fixture to be played at a later date, declaring it is unfair to expect players to produce their highest quality performance with little-to-no football under their belt before the games are played.

Brown took over the Queensland captaincy duties from the injured Tamika Upton in the final game of the 2026 series, with the Maroons suffering a third straight loss to the NSW Blues on Thursday evening, 12-4.

The low scores at the end of each game have raised questions about the quality of the product being delivered in the women's Origin arena, with players like Kennedy Cherrington calling out trolls online for masking tasteless comments as criticism.

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But while others have regularly called for conversations about the quality of the product that is women's Origin due to its scheduling, Brown has called for change to be made.

"I think it is crazy that our first footy (games) for the year are supposed to be our highest quality games," she said in the post-match press conference.

"It is unfair to the players and the product to expect us to be at our best quality of football when it is our first few games (of the season)."

This year, the women's Origin series took place six months after the NRLW season ended. Only the Indigenous All Stars exhibition game was played in that six-month break, with just a handful of players in the Origin arena featuring in it.

Despite all players undergoing a six-week training camp to be fit for Origin, Brown recognised it is not ideal to have no competitive games under your belt before what is perceived to be the most ferocious battle for players in Queensland and NSW to play.

"In the NRL the first three games [of the season] would be their trial games," she added.

"The girls, the majority, would love it to be intertwined in the NRLW season. However, we play the cards that we are dealt and this year Origin is at this time.

"We had a great preparation and pre-series camp, but obviously we would love to have more footy under the belt before approaching Origin."

Queensland made 16 errors and conceded six penalties over the 70 minutes of football played on Thursday evening. NSW had 11 errors and conceded four penalties.

One of the biggest differences between the teams was experience on the representative stage, a distinction which Maroons coach Nathan Cross recognised pre-series.

"When you are coaching a young group - and Loz (Brown) knows this - you sometimes talk until your red in the face about the importance of just holding the footy, getting through your sets and your cycle," he said, reflecting on the series result.

"It is not until you've lived it and been through it, which is where we are at right now, that you really grasp how important it is.

"That will be one of the lessons for this group, understanding that.

"Respectfully, NSW are a very good football team but are they are a way better team than us? I don't think so. We just let ourselves down in crucial moments.

"If we can tidy that up then gee, there is a footy team here."

Brown had nothing but praise when it came to the commitment of her junior teammates.

"Our young girls have had this injection of energy in this squad that has been infectious," Brown added.

"They have been driving the standards of this squad, so to see them go out there tonight and give it there all is super exciting for Queensland in years to come.

"There is a really good foundation here being built. It is exciting times ahead."