Women to put on best display

STATE of Origin is back and expected to showcase the “greatest show so far of women’s footy” when Victoria and the Allies clash tomorrow night at Etihad Stadium.

Opposing captains and coaches have billed the match as possibly the highest quality game of women’s football so far, harnessing the top talent from the first AFLW season.

Allies captain Chelsea Randall said it shaped as a great night for women’s football.

“I think that’s what you’ll see on the weekend ... it’s the best of the best,’’ Randall said.

Victorian coach Debbie Lee said she expected the level would “go up a notch” from the AFLW season, while Allies coach Bec Goddard, who took Adelaide to the premiership, said the match would show how far the women’s game had come.

“Debbie and I played against each other in 2001 in freezing Canberra,’’ Goddard said. “She was playing for the Big V and I was playing for the ACT . . . we got beaten that day by about 30 or 40 goals.

“Beating Victoria back in that day was like a distant mirage and here we are now playing at Etihad, prime time and it’s free entry for everyone to come down and see the greatest show so far of women’s footy.’’

Victorian captain Daisy Pearce expected the players’ experience from season one of the AFLW to translate to make a difference.

“Previously when we have played in these formats, it’s been the highest level that we could reach and been almost a novelty,’’ Pearce said. “Now ... we’ve had experience with all those extra distractions through the AFLW series, it will be a higher quality game because we are not running out there with too much to prove.’’

Katie Brennan will make a return to the big stage for the Allies after injury ruined her AFLW season.