NSW and Queensland women’s rugby league has secured its first major sponsor in a bid to support young girls in reaching representative competitions.

The partnership with retail company Harvey Norman will see an expansion of the Queensland rugby league Academy of Sport Girls program and will help ensure under-14 and under-16 girls continue to gain opportunities to experience representative football.

Until recently in NSW, there has been a longstanding gap between mixed junior leagues and open-aged competitions, with girls open to play junior competitions with boys until the age of 12 but then offered limited options to return until the age of 17 in the open division.

NSWRL football general manager Barrie-Jon Mather said it is important to build a pathway to help young women transition through to state competitions.

“Ultimately we are building towards a state-based semi-professional women’s competition in the next three years to provide players the opportunity to get used to playing that level of competition regularly,” Mr Mather said after an announcement Harvey Norman would sponsor NSW and Queensland rugby league on Wednesday.

He said 2018 will welcome an interstate women’s competition “given Origin status”.

Harvey Norman chief executive Katie Page said the partnership will ensure girls “chart their rugby league playing future” through to representative competition.

“Both the NSWRL and the QRL understand the need for consistent opportunities for skill development and new competitive challenges for girls at every age,” Ms Page said in a statement on Wednesday.

“The next generation of female players, those coming through these newly formed ranks, will take women’s rugby league to the next level.”