Brigginshaw to leave lasting legacy as she joins elite club
Harvey Norman Jillaroos skipper Ali Brigginshaw has opened up on her desire to lay the foundation for the next generation of women's rugby league players as she prepares to reach a special milestone.
The five-eighth will become just the fifth woman to play 25 Test matches for Australia in Sunday's Pacific Cup Final.
From her Jillaroos debut in 2009, Brigginshaw has developed into one of the most influential figures in the game.
Having spearheaded the rapid growth of women's rugby league throughout that time, the playmaker is determined to ensure the sport continues to soar well into the future.
NRLW players to watch in 2024: Ali Brigginshaw
"This team's grown so much since I've been here and it will keep growing," Brigginshaw told NRL.com. "We've got so many captains of NRLW clubs here and seeing these young girls become leaders is unbelievable.
"They don't even know what they can achieve yet. Some of them are still in their 20s, I didn't field my best version of myself until I was in my 30s, so watching these girls grow and become themselves is a pretty special thing.
"If I can be part of their journey in any way, if I can help them in any way I will. Jesse Southwell is in here now, if I can let her see a little bit of what I do in here and she holds on to it, she will grow as a player. She's quite a shy person so it's bene really cool to see her come into camp and mix with the other girls."
Brigginshaw will join Teresa Anderson on 25 games when she runs out for Sunday's clash with the Kiwi Ferns, eight behind all-time leader Tahnee Norris. Karyn Murphy played 28 matches, with Natalie Dwyer 26.
Brigginshaw made her Test debut at Ellerslie Rugby League Club in 2009. It was a dark, dimly lit ground in suburban Auckland, with little fanfare surrounding the match.
Fast forward 15 years and the five-eighth will run out for the Jillaroos at a sold-out CommBank Stadium.
Brigginshaw is one of multiple players that's a household name, with public interest and commercial support for women's rugby league surging.
The five-eighth credits the leaders from her early years for providing her with the opportunity to grow as a player and a person, with Murphy in particular becoming a mentor and regular sounding board.
Having seen firsthand what women's players went through in their fight for relevance throughout the early 2000s, Brigginshaw knows just how special Sunday's match will be.
Match: Jillaroos v Kiwi Ferns
Final -
home Team
Jillaroos
1st Position
away Team
Kiwi Ferns
2nd Position
Venue: CommBank Stadium, Sydney
Match broadcasters:
- WatchNRL
"I just remember not being able to see on the field [in my debut]," she said. "The lighting was terrible, there were not many people in the crowd, we weren't really taken seriously. I knew what it meant to pull on the green and gold but as a game it was not the greatest spectacle being on a back oval in Auckland.
"I look at where we've got to and how hard we've worked to be able to get here. There's so many past players that have fought for us to have this stage, I'm so lucky to be part of the game and get to run on to Comm Bank Stadium with a sold-out crowd.
"It's something some of the young girls probably don't realise the difference from before because it's the norm now but for me I know the difference and how far this game's come."
It's that experience in her early years in the team, and those of players who came before her, that makes Brigginshaw so passionate about facilitating further growth of the game.
Jillaroos coach Brad Donald first coached the playmaker in the 2011 Interstate Challenge, the precursor to State of Origin. Back then she was a brash centre still finding her place in the world.
The mentor has watched her blossom into the person she is today and is proud of the way Brigginshaw has developed into a leader and advocate for the young girls coming through.
"She's been a real link between the past and the present and she'll be a big part of the future," Donald said. "We've had a big yarn about the future of this team, where it goes and she's been the one helping push that along.
"I'm really proud of her but what I see is great opportunities because I see lots of Alis in the team room right now. They all look up to Ali because of what she does and how she does it.
"If they just follow her lead and they can become that team person earlier than what she has because of the growth of the game, they're going to be on the hook to be leaders in their club for a number of years."
Brigginshaw is proud of her achievement, but her current focus is on leading Australia to victory on Sunday.
The Jillaroos suffered a shock loss to New Zealand in last year's Pacific Championships final. While they defeated the Kiwi Ferns a fortnight ago, redemption won't be complete without a win in the decider.
From the field: Ali Brigginshaw
Brigginshaw was influential in the victory in Christchurch and she has another vital role to play on Sunday afternoon.
It's a role she hopes to continue playing for the next few years, with the five-eighth already plotting her next goal.
"I would love to try and [catch Norris]," she said. "It's been one of the little goals I've set for myself.
"I don't know if I'll get there but right now I'm not ready to retire and will do everything I can to still pull on this jersey. If it means getting fitter, stronger, I'm still working on my game, I've still got many coaches trying to help me with my game so I'm not willing to give up just yet."
