It's as clear cut as it gets.
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Mate versus mate, and state against state.
Jesse Southwell and Tamika Upton, best of friends off the field and two-time NRLW champions together at the Knights, will turn interstate rivals on their club's home ground when McDonald Jones Stadium hosts a Women's Origin match for the first time later this year.
On Thursday June 6, Newcastle will host the second fixture of an expanded three-game series, meaning either Southwell's NSW or Upton's Queensland will have the opportunity to clinch the Origin shield at Turton Road.
"I'm so excited. If I get selected, it would be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to play an Origin at home," Southwell, who debuted for NSW last year and shapes as one of their likely halves, said on Wednesday.
"I couldn't imagine winning Origin at home.
"It would be so surreal."
Upton, the reigning women's Dally M medallist and Newcastle's NRLW player of the year, is as popular as they come at the Broadmeadow ground after two stellar seasons with the Knights.
She has been embraced by the club's fans since joining the team ahead of the 2022 season from debut club Brisbane. But as a Central Queensland product, she is Maroon through and through and come Origin II will get to experience what it's like being the enemy at her club's home ground.
"It will be really fun," Upton said. "I spoke to a couple of the Brisbane girls who we played in the semi [final] here last year and they said it was something they'd never experienced before.
"We love that they all turn out here and it's such an incredible atmosphere. Hopefully there's a few Queenslanders there for me."
Southwell and Upton both got to see McDonald Jones Stadium sold out for three consecutive NRL games last season, now they hope to experience it for themselves.
Tickets for the Origin match go on sale to the general public at 10am on Thursday, and Southwell believes it can be a sell-out.
She implored Newcastle sports fans to get behind the game.
"I do," she said. "It's an Origin in Newcastle. I feel like there's no other fans in the whole country like Newcastle fans, so I can't wait to see the turnout.
"It will be something that you've got to be there for."
Back in 2021, Newcastle was awarded the hosting rights to a men's State of Origin match, only for it to be relocated to Queensland just a couple of days later due to concerns about COVID.
Southwell remembers how excited the community was about the match, and hopes that sentiment can be replicated now a women's game is coming to town.
"I was so excited, I couldn't believe it," she said. "We were on our phones straight away making sure we could get tickets. Now the girls get to be the first people to play an Origin in Newcastle. It will be something special."
