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.
Gary Russell-Sharam
Roar Rookie
Entirely commendable for the Kiwis and this is how it should be
fiwiboy7042
Roar Rookie
Can't speak for the Aussie girls but the Kiwi RWC women each received $25,000 as a bonus for their win on top of their somewhat decent domestic salaries. And their professional competition is expanding. That's a bit of a threat to the Kiwi RL women
Gary Russell-Sharam
Roar Rookie
Great to watch the women play, I enjoy it as much as the men's. There is no gentleness displayed and its all go. One of of the comments is that Rugby union should seek out the league girls and get them to play Rugby. I ask the question WHY. Why would you give up playing for proper money and a reasonable wage and go and play for a pittance that rugby allocates for the women. At least in league you get to be payed to play for your club side, in rugby you get nothing. Even when you get to play for your state you get very little if anything. RA has to bridge the gap. If they want to embrace professionalism like they wanted to do in 93 they should pay the players, its as simple as that. Gone are the days of, Oh we are better than those leagues we don't need the money as we play for the enjoyment. That's all B/crap these days. If you want to have a proper professional comp you have to pay the players. It's as simple as that. That's what the League did after the two girls said they couldn't afford to play in the WC. And that was even when the girls were getting paid some money. Rugby doesn't even do that in the first place. I mean how do you take time off work to play rugby when you have a working career if you are not compensated.
Short Arm
Roar Rookie
Hugh, hopefully by that time RA have their house in order & will be able to entice & keep good players. Surely a World Cup at home would be a big carrot.
Mark Baptist
Guest
I would say yes, and if RA play their cards right, they may well conduct an all-out raid on the NRLW - at the least, RA securing both Upton and Millie Boyle would be something indeed.
Hugh_96
Roar Pro
Wonder if RA will look to NRLW for players for the 2029 World Cup
Me Vlad You Crane
Guest
That was good fun to watch , much more exciting than the men's final.
Mark Baptist
Guest
Very well said, Thing. These would also work very well with my 22-team NRLW, I may add (of course, a disclaimer - that epic competition will be quite some years from now).
Thing Me
Roar Rookie
There is a definite pathway for women to go interstate playing league as well as representing their country at the Commonwealth and Olympic Games for this great global game.
Thing Me
Roar Rookie
What commiserations did the working-class Prime Minister of New Zealand have to say about these working class girls from the Shaky Isles?
Mark Baptist
Guest
Excellent suggestion, M20. Apart from that, I believe the remaining NRL teams should be required to field an NRLW team (NB: my team, the Storm, would be most formidable if they had an NRLW side), and they should also add Perth, Adelaide and Wellington in there too. While some would balk at there being 22 teams, there would be countless talented women taking that kind of opportunity and tackling it with full force.
M20
Guest
NRLW should expand to have PNG and Pacific Island teams to help grow the women's game
KenW
Roar Rookie
The 2017 world cup final was 23-16, the 2013 final was 22-12. Up until recently the Kiwis and Aussies have been closely matched. As the article said, the NRLW has changed the landscape - Australia have leaped away for the moment. The game is still developing into full-time professionalism, a World Cup is hardly a waste of time.
bungeye
Roar Rookie
Imagine all these players playing for the Wallaroos. UNBEATABLE!!
Short Arm
Roar Rookie
They need to come over to rugby for some international competition.
Short Arm
Roar Rookie
Finally, the Jillaroos showed what they could do against stiffer opposition. Well done. My player of match was Pelite, she was outstanding in her kick returns & punished that left side up against Hall & that big short haired Moari. She would have scored a couple of more tries as well if Kelly had not hogged it.
Dutski
Roar Guru
Never doubt a champion! I had thought that Brigginshaw was taking a back seat to Aitken and Tonegato through the rounds and semi and said that wouldn’t be enough for the final. Well I’ve been shown. Absolute masterclass from the 7 and what a time to produce it. Absolute class across the park from the Jillaroos. Job done !
Simoc
Roar Rookie
A World Cup final and 54-4. Why bother having a World Cup except to stoke the egos. I see why Millie Boyle and Upton gave it a miss. Might have been 70 odd points.
Danno1
Roar Rookie
That was some performance by the Jillaroos, a joy to watch. The Kiwis were smashing them but they couldn't keep up the intensity over each half. Jillaroos kept their cool and played brilliantly. That Kiwi 13 was salty the whole game, tough competitor but some real nasty niggle in the tackles. Looking forward now to the mens