Where to now after the roaring success of Women’s State of Origin series? Jack Snape

As Dami Im warmed up her vocal chords for the national anthem in Townsville on Thursday, the rain returned. The weather gods have appeared desperate to ruin the spectacle of the first ever three game women’s State of Origin series, with all three games affected by the weather.

But still the crowds have come, and the television ratings have broken records. The players have – with the exception of New South Wales’ error-ridden performance in the decider – delivered their end of the bargain.

Brilliant athleticism from Jaime Chapman. Clutch kicking from Lauren Brown. Masterful playmaking from Tarryn Aiken. And wince-inducing physicality from Caitlan Johnston-Green.

Make no mistake, women’s rugby league is on the up. The decision was made only this year to expand the series to three games after years of pleas from the players. Channel Nine has been the biggest beneficiary, recording unprecedented audiences for the first two matches, including out-rating AFL broadcasts on the same evening.

Yet the dynamic of women’s sport’s ongoing status as a second class citizen remains obvious. Queensland captain Ali Brigginshaw started her speech on stage after Thursday’s match by thanking sponsors Harvey Norman and Ampol, as well as the NRL “for giving us, and allowing us to have a three game series”.

The hero of this year’s series was Maroons’ utility Lauren Brown, who kicked game two’s winning field goal. She missed last year’s series due to the requirements of testing to become a firefighter.

Emmanita Paki, the Maroons’ winger brought in by coach Tahnee Norris for game two, was impressive on Thursday, nullifying Chapman until a late consolation. She has been working in a sportswear shop in Rockhampton and still doesn’t have a contract for the nine-round NRLW season starting in four weeks.

As the commercial realities of women’s sport continue to be fleshed out the pathway to full professionalism is not easy. In both AFLW and NRLW, committing more to women’s competitions is still seen as a risk that, until there are large crowds, compelling broadcast deals and proven performers, is not done lightly.

Kate Jones, a board member on the Australia Rugby League Commission, said earlier this month she has received criticism for her sport’s approach to expanding the women’s game that appeared slow compared to the AFL, which has already established a female program in every club.

“That could be misinterpreted as being conservative, when in actual fact it was making sure we had the pathways, and investing in the talent coming through. So the product – which is what we’re going to get judged on – was quality,” she said. “We’re on a journey, there’s going to be frustrations about how quickly that happens.”

The absence of showpiece women’s fixtures in Australian rules football outside the grand final has made it more difficult for the AFL to tap into the growing popularity of women’s sport. Former elite swimmer Nicole Livingstone established the league but has now moved on, and her replacement Emma Moore – a marketing and strategy expert – comes into AFL House this year with responsibilities narrowed to growing the women’s code.

Although there are 18 AFLW teams, the season is just 11 games in length. The league has pursued launching in the bye round at the start of the AFL men’s finals, to give the AFLW oxygen when interest in footy is at its peak. That also means more than half of clubs – whose men’s teams will have been eliminated by then – can devote their entire marketing arms to promotion of the women’s game.

While noble, these strategies are only short term. This year’s spring season butts into the start of cricket in December, and as a result there are midweek matches, forcing players into breaks of as little as four days between games.

The NRL’s preference to finish the season with a combined men’s and women’s grand final means the longer the women’s season is, the earlier it must start. Eventually, it is thought, women’s Origin – scheduled alongside the men’s series to help Channel Nine in its cross-promotion – will fall during the season, but no commitments have yet been made.

Negotiations are underway about how to lengthen the NRLW competition in 2025, when two new clubs enter the league, and the players are calling for an extra week of finals.

NSW coach Kylie Hilder – although disappointed about the Townsville result – didn’t let the one match avert her gaze from the game’s future. “NRLW needs to be before an Origin, [so] they’re playing the best football at a high standard week in and week out leading in,” she said.

The approaches from both the NRL and AFL have glaring deficiencies that men’s competitions would not accept, giving the impression women’s sport can still be pushed around. Commercial tensions be damned, Australia’s sporting fans are now paying attention to what happens next.