Queensland's female State of Origin players will receive the same match payment as their male counterparts, the Queensland Rugby League has announced.
Under the new arrangement, female players who play next year's women's Origin game will receive $15,000 - the same amount as the men's match fee.
Maroons captain Ali Brigginshaw welcomed the news, saying it would make it easier for players to commit to representing their state.
"You've got a job to do with the Maroons and you go and do it, knowing that you're fully supported by the QRL, and I think it's a big step from the QRL to make sure we're aligned with the men's team for the first time," Brigginshaw said.
Men's captain Daly Cherry-Evans said his team fully supported the QRL's investment in the women's team.
"What this shows is that there's a really strong progression coming in the women's game, and it's only natural that we keep giving our female players the opportunity to spend more time away to grow the game they love," Cherry-Evans said.
The QRL is set to announce an emerging squad of women's players later this month ahead of the first in a series of camps in December.
A revised squad of 30 will be selected in March for a series of camps ahead of the Origin game on June 24.
Each of the squad members from that 30 will receive a payment of $4000 to compensate them for time off required to train and travel with the 19 players selected for the final Origin camps to receive a further $7000.
The final match squad of 18 players will then receive a final payment of $4000.
