As one of only three players to have experienced the ground-breaking success of lifting their first Rugby League World Cup trophy in 2013, Australian Jillaroos co-captain Sam Bremner is brimming with excitement to be heading back to England for this year’s tournament.
Bremner, co-captain Ali Brigginshaw and NRLW 2021 Dally M Medal winner Emma Tonegato were fresh faces on the scene when the Jillaroos upset New Zealand to claim that crown, while Bremner and Brigginshaw were also there in 2017 as the Jillaroos retained the Cup on home soil.
However, due to an ill-timed injury before a ball was even kicked in the Jillaroos campaign in 2017, she was unable to take the field. However, Bremner remained a big part of the squad’s preparations and cheered herself hoarse as the side claimed a thrilling victory at Suncorp Stadium.
“It feels unreal,” Bremner said of being back in camp.
“I think it’s been such a long time for all of us to have worn these colours with COVID and everything, it’s been two years since our last camp altogether and a little bit longer since the last time we played, so it’s obviously very, very nice to be back with the girls and to be back in these colours is pretty cool.
“I think for me, what happened with me for the 2017 World Cup, both in a positive and a negative way is what instilled my hunger to return to this World Cup. In a positive way, I loved the whole experience, I loved working so hard with that group of girls for a common goal, I loved being part of it all and obviously; not being able to take the field and breaking my … before game day; that left a bit of an empty feeling in me that I didn’t get to do what I set out to do.
“For me, that made me feel like I couldn’t rest and that I wasn’t finished yet, and that most definitely was probably the main thing to why I returned to football after having kids, because I had this sense of unfulfillment, I hadn’t fulfilled what I had set out to do.
“I am super grateful to be back here and taking everything in and making the most of getting through every training session which is something I just took for granted … (because you think) of course you get to a training session, but for me, I had some many challenging moments.
“I am really grateful for just getting through a session and the body feeling good because not everyone is that lucky every campaign to get through it.”
This Rugby League World Cup will also mark a special occasion for Bremner who will finally be able to fulfil the captaincy role. Another ill-timed injury, this time in 2018 before the Test against New Zealand, meant she wasn’t able to debut as skipper after being announced to take on the role in the lead-up to the game. Overall, injuries and taking time away from the game to grow her family has meant this year’s World Cup will be her first appearance back in the green and gold since 2016.
“A few things have happened in between the captaincy role which is obviously injuries and kids, but it makes it all the more special now that I am here and I am super grateful that I have been able to live both avenues of my life, in my personal life becoming a mum and a wife and also being able to do my career on the field as well,” Bremner said.
“One of the things that sort of weighed on me a few years ago, I didn’t want to put having a family on hold because of my huge love and passion for rugby league, which at the time was a challenging decision to make, but now that I am here, back in a World Cup which I didn’t think was even possible … it’s an amazing feeling to be here now.”
Part of a growing group of players who have successfully managed to return to top-flight rugby league after having a baby, Bremner said that while initially she knew it was going to be “extremely challenging”, she had great support around her and while the game grew and the talent pool grew, so did the understanding within the game of how to support players on their return.
The season 2022 Dally M fullback of the year winner is also a highly competitive and driven person and had set her mind on returning again to national duty.
“I thought that when I had my first bub, came back for a little bit and then particularly around falling pregnant with Lakey, that’s when two teams were added to the NRLW competition; the skillset, the professionalism, everything lifted,” Bremner said.
“(But) also the opportunities lifted, which meant more girls were playing and although I saw how the competition grew and the competition for my position grew, I also thrived on it and it motivated me more to come back.
“Like anyone, that kind of pressure and competition, especially with elite athletes, although it can be a bit daunting sometimes, you know deep down that it is going to make you better.
“And at the end of the day, no one was making me return to football, it was a choice that I had made and I was willing to do the hard yards to get there and I was happy with the fact that if I wasn’t able to return because I wasn’t as skilful as those who were going to make it in this position, then I was okay with that, as long as I gave it a crack.
“But I knew I wouldn’t sleep easy at night if I didn’t give it a go, so it was more about just trying to be better than I was before I left the game.
“And then I had a real focus on just the journey of football, and I think my mindset changed on that a lot, I think before kids, before time away from football, I was very focused on outcomes.
“I think as elite athletes we are, and when I took time to have my bubs, what I missed most about rugby league the most was all about the journey.
“It was the training, it was the being around the girls, it was working hard for something every single day that I missed more than the actual outcome, more than winning trophies or losing trophies.
“So, my focus coming back was all about the journey, all about enjoying every training session, enjoying the recovery, enjoying having a cup of coffee with the girls of a morning, because they are the type of this I really missed.”
The Jillaroos will depart for England tomorrow in preparation for their opening pool match against Cook Islands on Thursday, November 3.
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