NSW coach John Strange has cautioned the Blues against complacency ahead of the final Women’s State of Origin match, despite having already secured the series win.
The Blues claimed a landmark series victory with a dominant 26-6 win over Queensland in Game II in Sydney two weeks ago.
It marks the first time New South Wales has won a multi-match Women’s State of Origin series.
They are set to face Queensland again in the final game of the series in Newcastle on Thursday night.
New South Wales showcased a powerful and disciplined performance to earn redemption after last year’s series loss, demonstrating how much they’ve learned from that experience.
Strange emphasized the importance of staying focused from the moment the team returned to camp, stressing the need to deliver a strong on-field display.
“We’ve addressed the need to stay sharp right from the start,” Strange said. “It’s about putting in a solid performance, and we’ll be disappointed if we don’t, regardless of the outcome.”
He added that the team still had “small areas to work on” if they wanted to complete a series clean sweep.
“Our aim is to improve with every game,” he said. “We’re not driven by extra motivation — it’s just about continuing to get better, and that mindset is strong within the group.”
Assistant coach Ruan Sims noted that the Blues would not be taking the Maroons lightly.
“They’re a tough team,” she said. “They have highly skilled players and are unpredictable, so we always have to bring our best game to beat them.”
