Ali Brigginshaw’s elevation to captaincy of Jillaroos a reward for effort
NEW Jillaroos captain Ali Brigginshaw says her promotion to the top job is proof she has evolved into the player that Australian selectors wanted her to be.
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NEW Jillaroos captain Ali Brigginshaw says her promotion to the top job is proof she has evolved into the player that Australian selectors wanted her to be.
The Broncos skipper, who last month led her side to the inaugural NRLW premiership, was handed the reins of the women’s national side on Monday night, following the late withdrawal of Sam Bremner.
Bremner was originally named to captain the Jillaroos in Saturday’s Test against the Kiwi Ferns, but was forced out of the squad with a broken toe, opening the door for Brigginshaw.
The appointment caps off a stunning year for the 28-year-old playmaker, who set out at the start of the season with the goal of becoming a better leader.
She was overlooked for Australia’s leadership group in last year’s World Cup and worked hard over the past 12 months to develop that part of her game.
Brigginshaw was rewarded with the Broncos captaincy in September before Australian coach Brad Donald named her Jillaroos skipper this week.
And she said it was winning the approval of Donald that was one of the most satisfying aspects of her promotion.
“Brad pulled me aside and he said he’s loved watching me play and the way I’ve led the Brisbane Broncos,” she said.
“It means he does want me there. It feels like I’ve done everything I can to be there. It was really good to hear those things he said … It’s a big reward coming from him.
“He’s a hard taskmaster but I think I finally got there and I’m the leader he wanted me to be.”
Brigginshaw said however she is going into Saturday’s clash with the mentality that she is just the temporary replacement for Dragons sensation Bremner, who texted the Brisbane halfback yesterday to congratulate her.
She said in Bremner’s place she wants to help bring through the six Australian debutants, including her Broncos teammate Julia Robinson and Dragons young gun Keeley Davis.
The Jillaroos are already starting to build towards the 2021 World Cup and Brigginshaw said it was important to make the new faces feel as comfortable as possible.
“I just want to do what I normally do,” Brigginshaw said of her leadership.
“I’m just being myself and that’s really nice to know I can lead the team the way I am.
“We have a few new girls in the team so I want to make them feel comfortable.
“I want to show these girls they don’t need to sit to the side, they’re very deserving of these jerseys and not to be too shy when they come into camp … they don’t have to be intimidated by anyone in the team, they just need to be themselves.”
Originally published as Ali Brigginshaw’s elevation to captaincy of Jillaroos a reward for effort