Kirra Dibb played alongside Ali Brigginshaw in the halves for the Jillaroos three years ago and met the Test halfback again on the Origin field when the Harvey Norman NSW Sky Blues took on the Maroons in June.
The pair will be at it again in the No.6 and No.7 jerseys when the Newcastle Knights host the Brisbane Broncos in the opening round of the 2022 NRLW at McDonald Jones Stadium on Sunday.
“Ali is an incredible player and that’s the main reason she’s been at the top for so long,” Dibb told nswrl.com.au.
“I’ve come to learn more and more about her game but by no means does it give me much of an advantage.”
Although both players had games in the No.13 jersey for their clubs in the NRLW last season, Dibb is glad to be resurfacing in 2022 back at five-eighth.
“I prefer to be in the halves, but I like that I can still be a lock option and give my coach (Ron Griffiths) that versatility,” she said.
Dibb is hoping for bigger and better things from the Knights this campaign as she and Caitlan Johnson are joined by fellow Sky Blues Millie Boyle, Yasmin Clydesdale and Hannah Southwell.
She will joined in the halves by NRLW debutant and former Knights’ Harvey Norman Tarsha Gale Cup player Jesse Southwell; also the younger sister of Hannah.
“She’s (Jesse) been off at the Commonwealth Games winning gold medals in Rugby Sevens so we’ve not had a lot of time together just yet,” she said.
“I’m really excited to see what she’ll be able to bring to our team because she’s full of talent. She’s a dynamic ball runner and so far we’ve been going fine at training.
“She will have a fair amount of responsibility with the No.7 on her back but I can feel our partnership building well and I’m there to help her out when she needs it.”
Dibb says the belief in her own game has risen with her selection back in the NSW Origin side after a two-year absence. She made her debut – also playing No.6 – in 2019.
“It was so wonderful to pull that jersey back on,” she said.
“Those two years were pretty hard to be outside of all that.
“It felt so good to be around that level of the game again, and it’s given me some confidence for the Knights this year in terms of the number of Sky Blues who have now joined us.
“We’ve got a great connection already. We know what it takes to win and how to bounce back after a loss. That kind of experience and that desire to succeed is really comforting.”
