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MANCHESTER – Rumours of her demise were greatly exaggerated. Ali Brigginshaw remains the queen of rugby league until further notice after a dominating performance that delivered the Jillaroos to their third consecutive Women’s World Cup title with a 54-4 win over New Zealand.
The halfback had been widely criticised after Brisbane missed the NRLW finals and Queensland lost Women’s Origin, but when it mattered most, Brigginshaw – arguably the greatest women’s player of all time – stepped up to the plate.
She laid on three tries, with passes short and long, smart kicks and a level of generalship that the Kiwi Ferns were never able to control. Brigginshaw, now 32, was considered finished at the elite level, but this was her finest hour. She was named player of the match, and by a distance.
Asked on the field at Old Trafford pitch if she could complete a hat-trick of player of the final awards in France three years time, she replied: “I hope so – I forgot what age I am. All the people that said I was too old, well I’m still here – and I’m going for France!”
The Broncos veteran conceded it had not been her best year overall despite the glittering finale.
“It’s probably been a challenging year, going in and out of form, I’ll be the first to admit that. But I enjoy my footy and I feel comfortable in this jersey. When I have the support of the coaching staff and the girls, no matter what other people say, I know that the girls believe in me and that lets me play how I want to play and enjoy my footy.
“I don’t think I’d want to put a stop on when I finished playing and I would hate someone to do that.”
(Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty Images)
She was ably assisted by Tarryn Aitken, her club and state halves partner, who managed three assists and a try herself. Watching the pair run this game with total ease, it was baffling to remember their Broncos side only won one game all season in the NRLW.
The Kiwi Ferns had been expected to pose a stiff test to the Jillaroos, with the pair only two points apart when they faced off in the group stages. Instead, it was a procession. Save for a few trademark runs from Mele Hufanga and one rattling hit from Mya Hill-Moana, they struggle to build enough momentum to trouble Australia.
By the second half, the scoreline reflected what many had feared would happen. The pace of growth brought about by the NRLW has blown apart the competition in the women’s game. New Zealand – and England, France, PNG and the rest – have enjoyed accelerated growth since the last tournament in 2017, but the Australians have gone into overdrive.
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This was a Jillaroos side without Mille Boyle and Tamika Upton, the two stars of Newcastle’s 2022 NRLW Premiers, and they were playing a Kiwi Ferns lineup featuring Women’s Dally M Medallists and newly-crowned Women’s Golden Boot winner Raecene McGregor, but you’d never have known.
“They are the greatest bunch of ladies,” Jillaroos coach Brad Donald said.
“I’m ecstatic for the group, it was everything we’ve dreamt of and spoken about for a number of years.
“We made a lot of mistakes today but we had no concerns we’d put on a good performance.”
The game began ominously, with Jess Sergis grabbing her first on a crash line after just four minutes. Brigginshaw then created two back-to-back, the first after a smart run that got Isabelle Kelly over, the second a superb kick for Julia Robinson on the wing.
Aitken joined the party with an assist for Kelly’s second to send the Jillaroos to the sheds 20-0 to the good.
After the break, the Brigginshaw show continued. She popped up on one edge to send Emma Tonegato through with a deliciously disguised pass, then put Kezie Apps through a hole for Sergis’ second.
Aitken added one herself after a Evania Pelite break, before the Kiwi Ferns finally got on the board. It was the try of the afternoon, with Krystal Rota tearing apart the Jillaroos line and basketball-passing on to Page McGregor, who put Madison Bartlett in at the corner.
It was only a blip. Kennedy Cherrington scored twice in five minutes to raise the 50 and Pelite bustled through for a well-deserved score to go with her nearly 200 running metres.
With ten to play, the Jillaroos put the cue in the rack and waited to celebrate.