Record-breaking night looms as women's State of Origin series ...

Women's rugby league is still a developing sport and as such, history is often being made every week.

But even in that context, the growth of the State of Origin series is something to behold. Thursday night's match in Newcastle has been sold out for almost a week with a crowd of over 30,000 expected to see the Blues try and wrap up the series after their Game I victory in Queensland last month.

It will mark a new record crowd for a standalone women's rugby league match, with the record crowd for an Origin game to fall for the fifth match in a row.

Newcastle has shown a great appetite for the women's game in recent years — the scenes after the Knights first NRLW premiership in 2023 were something to behold and the club attracted bumper crowds to Newcastle International Sports Centre last season.

"Newcastle is a rugby league town and brining this Origin game there will be something they'll remember for a lifetime," said Sky Blues backrower Yasmin Clydsdale.

"It's our blue collar roots, the people around are all workers and we love to get around this game. Having all that is why we'll all remember this for a long time."

The match will be a special one for Clydsdale, who won player of the match in the Blues 22-12 victory in Game I.

A Scone product, Clydsdale had her eye on Game II throughout the Blues lengthy training camp heading into the series.

Newcastle has never hosted a game in either the men's or women's series — Origin III of the 2021 men's series was scheduled to be played in the city but was relocated to the Gold Coast due to COVID-19.

With a riotous atmosphere expected for Thursday, Origin will no doubt return to Newcastle sooner rather than later.

But given something can only happen for the first time once, this one will be extra special for Clydsdale and company.

"I was a bit nervous because I knew I had to get through that first game and play well enough to hold my spot," Clydsdale said.

"This jersey is always on borrowed time and every time you take the field it can be your last game and everyone in Scone kept telling me 'you better get picked.'

"To be a local girl and be a part of it, it's a dream come true.

"I'm born and bred in Newcastle, playing in this arena in front of my family, my friends, my whole community, it's so special.

"It's something the Newcastle community deserves, the way they show up for the NRLW games shows how much they love women's rugby league."

The Blues will take an unchanged line-up into the match as they look to reclaim the shield from Queensland.

The Maroons have tweaked their halves, with Ali Brigginshaw moving from lock to halfback while Evania Pelite has shifted from centre to wing as Lauren Brown joins the starting side.