Bri Clark always hoped the Origin eligibility rules would be changed but the Kiwi Ferns forward was resigned to being unable to play for Queensland after choosing to represent her New Zealand heritage.

Clark and Kiwi Ferns prop Otesa Pule are set to become the first players to benefit from the NRL's decision to modernise eligibility for State of Origin after being selected in the Maroons squad for next week's series opener in Newcastle.

Auckland-born Pule played her junior rugby league on the Sunshine Coast but opted to play for New Zealand at the last World Cup in 2022, along with Clark, who is half Kiwi.

Under previous Origin rules players were required to be eligible to represent Australia or a Tier Two nation as defined by International Rugby League (IRL), ruling out the pair.

However, the updated rules, announced in February, allow players who represent Tier One nations (Australia, England and New Zealand) - and who meet the traditional State of Origin criteria - to now be eligible.

Core State of Origin eligibility criteria remain unchanged:

• The player was born in NSW or Queensland; or
• The player resided in NSW or Queensland prior to their 13th birthday; or
• The player’s father or mother played State of Origin.

“I made my choice … but always in the back of my head I was thinking, ‘surely there's going to be a rule change’," Clark said.

"There had been talk about it … but I had accepted my fate and thought ‘that's fine’.

“Then once I saw the rules change, I literally called Wardy (Maroons assistant Meg Ward) straight away and I was like, ‘can you please tell your people that I am available and extremely keen’. That was the first thing I did."

Clark had previously played one Origin for Queensland in 2021 but once she made the decision to represent New Zealand the Broncos premiership winner was ineligible for the Maroons.

Likewise for Pule, who played Under 19s State of Origin for Queensland in 2022 but was then chosen by the Kiwi Ferns for the World Cup.

"(The rule) should have been like this for a long time," Clark said. "It just strengthens international footy because I feel like the Jillaroos could field about four sides with their depth.

“When you give people an option to go represent something a little bit higher than (just themselves), to go back to their own cultures - I was representing my nan and my mum by going to the Kiwis - it means something to you.

“It's a really cool opportunity to have. Here, I represent Queensland for myself - like this is mine - and then, for international football, I can go and express myself through giving back for my mum and my nana."

The Origin eligibility change coupled with the IRL's decision to scrap the tiering for women's nations has enabled Shannon Mato to switch from the Jillaroos to the Kiwi Ferns at RLWC2026 and other players are set to follow suit.

Mato was not selected for Queensland after suffering a hamstring injury but she may make her Origin return during Game II or Game III after missing last year's series while pregnant.

Olivia Kernick, Kennedy Cherrington and Rima Butler were players named in the 20-strong NSW squad who could also choose to play for New Zealand at the World Cup. All have represented Māori All Stars.

“It just strengthens the game so much … even if there's only a handful of girls that are actually still eligible for Queensland," Clark said. "But you have that option to go represent something that means something to you as well."

In the absence of Maroons mainstays Ali Brigginshaw, who has retired from Origin, and Tarryn Aiken (ACL injury), new coach Nathan Cross is looking to youth to revamp the playing squad this year.

Yet despite already having earned her Queensland Representative Player number (#142), Clark said she felt a bit like a debutant again.

"With the whole new coaching crew and everything, it's just such a refreshing space to come back to and, it's just exceeded all my expectations of what it was going to be like," she said.

“I actually kind of feel like one of the new ones, I've been away for about four years or so."

Joining Pule as debutants in Origin I at McDonald Jones Stadium on April 30 are Cook Islands and Sharks playmaker Chantay Kiria-Ratu and rookie Titans winger Phoenix-Raine Hippi, who has played for Indigenous All Stars. Ivana Lolesio and Destiny Mino-Sinapati have also been selected on the extended bench.

“It is really strange without having Ali here, I was like, ‘oh this is weird’," Clark said.

"But there's new leaders that are stepping up and new young ones coming through that are big personalities and have got a lot to offer as well, so it's like a new era coming through and it's really exciting.

“Players like Tamika Upton and Loz Brown and Chelsea Lenarduzzi, they've all stepped up big time … so it's really cool, we've got a really good bunch of leaders here.”

The Maroons assemble in camp on the Sunshine Coast in preparation for Game One at Newcastle's McDonald Jones Stadium on April 30.

As seen on: nrl.com