Roosters win NRLW grand final as Brigginshaw’s career ends in defeat

The Sydney Roosters completed a perfect NRLW season by defeating the Brisbane Broncos 30-6 in the grand final, bringing Ali Brigginshaw’s distinguished career to a difficult conclusion. Brigginshaw, 36, played her final NRLW match as Brisbane struggled to contain the Roosters’ attack. The Broncos completed only three sets in the first half and conceded six unanswered tries as the contest was effectively settled before the interval.

The Roosters’ dominance continued a season in which they established themselves as the competition’s outstanding team. Their victory also avenged last year’s grand-final defeat by Brisbane. Brigginshaw did create a line break in the second half, using a mistimed-looking pass and a well-timed run to get through the defence, but she had no supporting player available.

Brisbane later scored, with Tamika Upton involved in the move and Jesse Southwell finishing it. Despite the final result, Brigginshaw’s career has been central to the growth of women’s rugby league. She began representing Queensland and Australia in 2009, when women’s club pathways were limited and major matches were played before small crowds at suburban grounds.

She later became one of the defining players of the modern game and helped establish the profile that women’s rugby league now enjoys. Broncos teammate Julia Robinson described her as a leader and the heart of the club, saying her influence would continue in the rugby league community. The Roosters’ victory also highlighted how far the sport has advanced.

Their squad combined strong investment, athleticism and skill, while players such as Tarryn Aiken, Jocelyn Kelleher and Jesse Southwell represented the depth of talent now present in the NRLW.