Yasmin Clydsdale was still processing a heart-breaking loss to Queensland in an historic women's State of Origin series on Friday as she prepared to quickly turn her focus to the upcoming NRLW season.
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The NSW and Newcastle Knights second-rower was thrilled the women's game finally had a three-match Origin series but conceded it felt strange to be coming out of arguably the most competitive arena there is for women's rugby league and into a club pre-season.
State of Origin for women started as a one-off game in 2018 and expanded to a two-match format last year. Previously it has been played after the NSW Rugby League women's premiership season but the state-based competition is being staged concurrently to NRLW this year.
"I absolutely love the three-game series," Clydsdale, who was player of the match in Origin I in Brisbane on May 16, said.
"It's definitely proof that that's where our game is at and it needed the three games.
"It's a bit sad not to come away with the win but also it's great that we've created a legacy with the first time there's ever been three games.
"I definitely would love it to be in the NRLW season so we have a bit more games under our belt before we go out and play probably the toughest game of the year.
"It is a bit weird that that's how we start our year without any football. I don't know how they would fit that all in but I would definitely love it to be in the middle of our season."
NSW were comprehensive 22-12 winners in game one then Queensland came from behind to snatch an 11-10 game-two win in Newcastle on June 6 to force a decider in Townsville on Thursday night.
The Maroons, with another strong crowd of 22,000 behind them after 25,492 turned up in Brisbane then a women's Origin record of 25,782 watched on in Newcastle, blew NSW off the park to win 22-6 in Townsville and seal series victory.
They took an early after forcing a Sky Blues mistake to set the tone for the match.
"Everyone's just a little bit devastated and probably a little bit in disbelief with how it panned out," Clydsdale told the Newcastle Herald on Friday.
"Them scoring early, a few people's heads went down and we just needed to lift from there but we didn't have the opportunity to do that."
The Scone-based 30-year-old teacher, who was placed on report for a shoulder charge on the kicker in the second half, was one of three Knights players in the NSW team along with hooker Olivia Higgins and prop Caitlan Johnston.
Knights fullback Tamika Upton was savouring a Maroons win.
Clydsdale said they would be back to Knights training on Saturday ahead of an NRLW trial match against Canberra in Wagga Wagga on July 6.
The Knights open their quest for a third straight premiership when they host the Sydney Roosters at McDonald Jones Stadium on July 25.
"It's time now to refocus and head into our NRLW teams and focus on the Newcastle Knights," Clydsdale said.
"I loved having the week in between [Origin II and III] where I could be back with the girls. Seeing the new faces and the old faces there was pretty exciting and we're definitely building towards that threepeat."
The Knights have retained 21 players from last year's top 24, adding in New Zealand Super W pair Grace Kukutai and Isabella Waterman as well as promoting five-eighth Evie Jones from a development player.
