RUGBY LEAGUE: Killarney footballer Stephanie Hancock and her father Rohan will become the first father-and-daughter combination to play in inaugural State of Origin matches.

While Rohan played in the first five State of Origin games for the men starting in 1980, Stephanie will play in the first women's Origin game at North Sydney Oval on Friday night at 7.30pm.

Stephanie has played for Queensland since 2004 but this match will be the first under State of Origin guidelines for the Maroons and Blues.

"I didn't think it would happen, that I could play Origin,” the 36-year-old said.

While Wally Lewis was the king of Origin in the early years, Stephanie is keen to list retired Queensland and Australian half Karyn Murphy as the best she has played with.

"Karyn is the Wally Lewis of the women's game,” she said.

Stephanie is one of the players to debut for Australia before their state after playing for the Jillaroos for the first time in 2003.

She has won two World Cups and 10 interstate series and captained her state and country.

"I am happy to be coming off the bench and running off players like Zahara Temara and Ali Brigginshaw,” Stephanie said.

"We need to show some mongrel against New South Wales. My dad has played a massive role in my footy career. He's my idol.”

Heather Ballinger will start in the front row for the Maroons in the same squad as Stephanie Hancock after the two competed against each other in athletics in Warwick.

Ballinger was a track and field star at Scots PGC College and Stephanie for Killarney State School, in the 1990s.

Hancock was an under-age and open national champion in javelin before concentrating on rugby league. As for the future, Hancock said the Friday night game could be her last for Queensland - "especially if we win”.

Ballinger and Hancock have won two World Cups, the first with Warwick star Jo Barrett.

The Maroons won the first 17 interstate clashes, the last 10 with Hancock in the team, before a draw and two losses in the past three years.

The pair with a close connection to the Southern Downs are hoping the inaugural Queensland men's win in 1980 will be replicated by the Maroons women on Friday night in Sydney.

And Killarney will be able to say they were represented in both teams.