Stacked NRLW sides set scene for Origin-style decider
George Clarke |
Brisbane halfback Ali Brigginshaw expects the NRLW grand final to have a State of Origin-like feel as the Broncos look to halt the Sydney Roosters’ perfect season and reclaim their mantle as heavyweights of the women’s game.
A staggering 17 players who featured in this year’s Origin series will take part in Sunday’s decider, and there could have been more if not for injuries to the Roosters’ Queensland duo of Tarryn Aiken and Tavarna Papalii.
Roosters coach John Strange was also in charge of NSW as they claimed this year’s interstate series.
In a season when expansion to 12 teams has widened the gap between the “haves” and “have-nots”, it’s no surprise the two clubs stacked with representative talent cruised through to the grand final.
Brisbane ran second this season, their only defeat coming at the hands of the Roosters, who claimed the minor premiership without losing a game across the 11-match roster.
“I think having so many representative players with big-game experience is something that both sides have,” Brigginshaw, who has played in every season of the NRLW and is Queensland’s record appearance-holder, told reporters in Sydney on Friday.
“I wouldn’t say that one side’s more lopsided than the other, and I think it’s going to be a great match-up.
“They’ve got lots of strike through their middle, and their outside backs are also strong.
“But I back my forward pack and my outside backs, I think we’re quite balanced in both sides. So it’s going to be interesting and come down to moments in the game.
“I think it (Sunday’s grand final) has got a bit of a Queensland versus NSW rivalry about it, that’s for sure.”
Brisbane were the Roosters’ closest challengers in the regular season, losing 30-26 when the sides met in round three back in July.
Strange’s side have their eyes on a silverware clean-sweep, and a win would give the Roosters back-to-back titles and move them level on premierships won with Brisbane.
The Broncos were the dominant force in the early days of the NRLW, but haven’t been crowned premiers since the last of their three grand final wins in 2020.
The player who could change all that for the Broncos is newly minted Dally M player of the year Tamika Upton at fullback, who has scored 19 tries and registered 17 try assists this season.
“Having Tamika at the back for those small opportunities, she makes them pay, and that’s the beauty when you’ve got a superstar like that in your backline,” said Broncos coach Scott Prince.
Strange, meanwhile, said damaging forward Amber Hall was tracking well to feature in Sunday’s grand final after failing to finish last week’s semi-final win over Cronulla with a calf issue.
“She played until halftime in the semi last week against the Sharks, and she said she was a bit tight at halftime, so we just left her off,” Strange said.
“We didn’t want her to re-injure her calf. She’s been doing rehab this week and will do a fitness test before captain’s run (on Saturday), and that’ll determine whether she plays or not.”
AAP
