A splash of rain could not dampen the spirits of the rugby league faithful with fans flooding into McDonald Jones Stadium on Thursday night to watch NSW take on Queensland in game two of the women's State of Origin.
The sell-out crowd, a first for women's Origin, sent a strong message that Newcastle was ready to host other big events, with the city setting its sights on the AFC Women's Asian Cup, and the Rugby World Cup.
"We've been real leaders here in Newcastle supporting women's sport," Newcastle lord mayor Nuatali Nelmes said as tickets reached new heights.
Many Novocastrians were left disappointed with Origin II declared a sell-out five days before kick-off.
A women's Origin record attendance of 25,492 turned out at Brisbane's Suncorp Stadium on May 16 as the Sky Blues beat Queensland 22-12 in game one, but that was set to be smashed in Newcastle where the venue's capacity for a sporting event was 30,000.
Woodberry sisters Naomi, 34, and Trish Fawcett, 40, are huge rugby league fans and told the Newcastle Herald on Thursday that they bought their women's State of Origin tickets as soon as they went on sale.
It was the first time they had been to a State of Origin match and, decked out in blue, they were planning to soak it up - wet weather gear at the ready if needed.
"We just love football, Trish said, before adding the women's game was better to watch "than the men's".
Muswellbrook's David Hartley took the family to Sydney for game one of the men's State of Origin series on Wednesday night before backing up in Newcastle for the women's showdown.
"We went to the boys last night so we had to come to the girls," Mr Hartley, whose 14-year-old daughter Tamika plays in the Muswellbrook 15s girls rugby league side, said.
Jo Dempsey, 45, was making the five-hour round trip from Laurieton and back on Thursday night to catch the game with daughter Taela, 14, and friends Erin Gunton, 19, Brittany Jolly, 24 and Nicole de Gabriel, 53.
"Erin and Taela play and we're just big fans of the footy and after we watched the girls play [Origin I] play I messaged Erin and said we're going," Ms Dempsey said..
"So we've been two-and-a-half hours in the car to get here."
Home-grown trio Yasmin Clydsdale, Olivia Higgins and Caitlan Johnston are in the NSW team facing up to Knights teammate and Queensland fullback Tamika Upton.
Newcastle was awarded an Origin after strong support for the Newcastle Knights' NRLW side last year, and it could become a permanent fixture on the three-match series.
The future of the women's game was on show before the main game with a NSW under 15s development program match played as the curtain-raiser.
