NSW Sky Blues coach John Strange has named his squad that will face the QLD Maroons in Game 1 of the Women's State of Origin series, which includes several new players and a new-look halves combination.

After naming a 30-player extended squad earlier in the year to take part in a six-week pre-Origin camp, it has now been shortened to 20 players and includes four debutants - Abbi Church, Jayme Fressard, Ellie Johnston and Jocelyn Kelleher.

Already without front-rowers Millie Elliott and Caitlan Johnston due to pregnancy, Strange has opted to name a new halves combination for the opening match with Corban Baxter and Rachael Pearson dropped.

At the same time, Tayla Preston and Taliah Fuimaono have been overlooked in favour of Tiana Penitani and Jesse Southwell.

Australian Jillaroos winger Jakiya Whitfeld, forward Grace Kemp and St George Illawarra Dragons NRLW fullback Teagan Berry have also been overlooked.

"There was more Roosters in the side last year and I wasn't coaching but you would expect that the fact that they won the comp last year, there'd be more," Strange said on naming two potential Roosters debutant for Game One.

"We've got six in the squad. There's ten Broncos in the Queensland squad and you'd expect that as well.

"For me it's just picking the best players. We picked the extended squad of 30 on form from last year and then it was up to the girls to see how they trained and how they trialled."

NSW v QLD - Womens State of Origin: Game 1
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - JUNE 01: Kennedy Cherrington of the Blues is tackled by Shenae Ciesiolka of the Maroons during game one of the Women's State of Origin series between New South Wales and Queensland at CommBank Stadium on June 01, 2023 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Matt King/Getty Images)

Captained by Isabelle Kelly, the NSW team also includes Kennedy Cherrington who last played in the Origin arena in 2023 with Southwell.

"I think it is (important to carry the same halves combination through the whole series) but that is Origin and you got to pick on form as we have," he added.

"It'd be great to have some consistency there in the halves but we've just got to see.

"The girls that we picked, they've got to perform and keep their spots because there's exceptional players in our squad of 30 that have missed out.

"They know that and they understand they've got to respect the jersey and respect the fact that they've got the nod in Origin One and hopefully they do their jb and can keep that consistency."

NSW Sky Blues Game 1 Squad

Kezie Apps (Wests Tigers), Shaylee Bent (Gold Coast Titans), Jaime Chapman (Gold Coast Titans), Kennedy Cherrington (Parramatta Eels), Abbi Church (Parramatta Eels), Yasmin Clydsdale (Newcastle Knights), Keeley Davis (Sydney Roosters), Kirra Dibb (North Queensland Cowboys), Jayme Fressard (Sydney Roosters), Olivia Higgins (Newcastle Knights), Ellie Johnston (Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks), Jocelyn Kelleher (Sydney Roosters), Isabelle Kelly (Sydney Roosters), Olivia Kernick (Sydney Roosters), Tiana Penitani Gray (Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks), Jessica Sergis (Sydney Roosters), Jesse Southwell (Newcastle Knights), Simaima Taufa (Canberra Raiders), Sarah Togatuki (Wests Tigers), Emma Verran (Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks)