NRLW stars Davis, Kelly, Brigginshaw set for historic 50th games

The Australian

15 hours ago

They're the three most experienced NRLW players in the game and we've picked their brains on everything from pre-game routines, the best young rookies, to how Gorden Tallis once created a huge moment for women's rugby league.
This weekend Sydney Roosters stars Keeley Davis, 25, Isabelle Kelly, 28, and Brisbane skipper Ali Brigginshaw, 35, will become the first players to play 50 NRLW games.
Ahead of their milestone matches we get their wide-ranging thoughts on the past, present and future of the game.
WILDEST MEMORY OF YOUR EARLY CAREER
Keeley Davis: I think it was 2018 playing for my club team (Corrimal Cougars against Windang) and someone forgot the jerseys so we wore polos for the game and taped the numbers on the back. I got collared like three times. It was my first game back after getting injured so I was already nervous. It was probably a month before the NRLW started.
Keeley Davis made her debut for the Dragons when she was just 18-years-old. Picture: Monique Harmer
Isabelle Kelly: Keeley that is wild. For me, I hadn't played with a lot of the girls at the Roosters, we'd all come from different areas. We had a big number of Indigenous girls in our team and they were really proud to be in the NRLW, so for me just getting to know all of them personally and being in a different environment, learning from them and making new friends really stood out for me, because I'd come from a different sport in netball and touch football. It was all so new.
Isabelle Kelly scores a try for Berkeley Vale against Barela in Sydney Women's League competition
Ali Brigginshaw: My first Jillaroos game in 2009 in New Zealand and we had street lights lighting up the field. You couldn't see on one side of the field. Before the 2013 World Cup we also didn't have the Coat of Arms on our jerseys because we weren't recognised as an Australian team. Gorden Tallis came in to present our jerseys and he said: 'what the f*ck is this sh*t', took our jerseys and said he'd come back when they had the Coat of Arms on them. And he did.
Ali Brigginshaw has represented Australian eight times.
ONE MOMENT YOU REALISED THINGS WERE CHANGING?
IK: When we started State of Origin, instead of the Interstate Challenge. That was huge for the women's game. I still remember being a part of that, pulling up to North Sydney Oval and no one ever came to watch us, which was quite sad, but we pulled up on the bus and there were so many people screaming to see us. That was a big shift.
KD: I noticed a lot of momentum with other people watching the game after the Covid year. When we had season 2021 at the start of 2022 and we played at the back end of that year, we got a lot of good quality footy in, everyone's skills just skyrocketed. Playing against good players the whole season, a lot of people commented at the end of the year how much it had improved. I think a lot of people watched and we had new viewers who were really excited about the level it was at.
AB: It was 2011 when Graham Murray came on board, we started to stay at hotels, we had a proper training schedule and treated us like proper footballers. Before that we stayed in motels. We stayed at places where we could prepare properly, and that's where it took off. There were no excuses from then. Winning 2013 World Cup was the moment we were really proud, it was around then we were on the back page of the paper for the first time when we were usually a small clipping, that was a big moment.
SOMETHING PEOPLE MISUNDERSTAND ABOUT THE WOMEN'S GAME?
KD: People think girls want to be exactly what the boys are, or we think we should be paid the exact same and all of that and want to be compared, but we're a completely different thing. Most girls I know don't want to be compared to their male counterparts, it's a completely different product. It grinds my gears.
IK: Yeah, same as Keeley. We're still in the early days of building our competition, but that's what's exciting as well. We're not as structured as the men's game but that's what a lot of people say they love about our game, it's like old school footy. My dad and his friends say that. I love that we play our certain way of footy. We're unique, we're never comparing ourselves to the men.
AB: I guess people always make assumptions about the way we train, but if they saw the numbers of what the girls are doing they would be mind blown. They don't know how fit and strong the girls are, and there are days we don't go home to our house all day because we work and then train.
BEST GAME OF THE PAST 49
KD: Last year's grand final, my first premiership. It was a very special game.
IK: Same for me, but also our semi-final when we beat the Broncos at Leichhardt Oval in 2021. We hadn't beaten the Broncos in a long time, they were the pinnacle at the time and they still are. But we were down, we had Liv Higgins in the sinbin, but I've never been a part of a team where every single person has completely stepped up and gone to another level. That was what turned the Roosters into a very professional team in how we recruited and how we played and who we are now.
AB: You can't go past grand finals, and we were pretty fortunate in all of them to be in a comfortable lead so you can enjoy the moment. I'm pretty sure we lost to the Titans by a field goal in my 25th game and then the next time we played them we beat them by a fair bit. I remember what it felt like to lose by a field goal, but then to turn around and beat them, that was really good.
Sydney Roosters NRLW players Keeley Davis (left) and Isabelle Kelly (right). Picture: Sam Ruttyn
HOW HAS YOUR PREGAME ROUTINE CHANGES SINCE YOUR DEBUT IN 2018?
KD: I'm a lot less psycho, I used to have every minute planned and if it didn't go that way I'd be freaking out, but now it's not down to the minute, it's probably a 10 minute window. I've got a lot more flexibility now. I was a freak back in 2018, I had to have everything in line, in order. So if game time was at a certain time, 45 minutes before was a banana and one lolly. Shoes on, socks on. Very regimented. Now if I get everything done before the game I'm ok.
IK: My nerves used to be so bad, I would struggle to eat. I've come so far, probably in the last three years I've started to nail my prep. I'm still a nervous person, but I'm a lot better, a lot calmer. I'm DJ this year, I've got a playlist. I add songs every week. I like being in control of the music and getting everyone pumped up.
AB: I used to be very serious, had to be strapped first, eat a certain thing, I didn't want to laugh or joke pre game, but now I'm soaking it in and having a laugh. Listening to music, I never used to do that. It's much better going into a game more relaxed, I feel like I have more energy.
Bree Chester of the Cowboys. Picture: Getty Images
THE MOST UNDERRATED PLAYER IN THE GAME?
KD: She's rated, but she's not rated highly enough. Apii Nicholls. She's so good and she's been doing it for years and years.
IK: I really like Bree Chester at the Cowboys. I don't know her personally, but she works really hard. She's been really good and flying under the radar at the moment. Solid every game.
AB: Keeley. Knowing that she's very young and she's played 50 games of NRLW, I've played with her locally for the Clydesdales and for Australia, and the way she plays at hooker, there's not too many people like her. She's very good at bringing people onto the ball and playing fast. That's an underrated skill of someone in that position. Lots of people get recognition in her teams but she deserves it.
IF YOU COULD MAKE ONE RULE CHANGE WHAT WOULD IT BE?
KD: If there's a two point field goal outside the 40 for the men, I'm thinking outside the 30 for the girls.
IK: You know what would be crazy, is if you scored you had to kick the goal. That would be horrendous, imagine me trying to kick a goal. That's a fun one, but I hope it never comes in.
AB: I'd love a quick tap on all the penalties.
WOULD AN NRLW DRAFT WORK AND WHY/WHY NOT?
KD: Potentially when we go full-time for rookies so they can get fully relocated, because it's a bit hectic to do that at the moment with a relocation being five months. But they would have to change the whole structure of it because otherwise clubs wouldn't invest at all in their juniors and we can't be having that. But you know what would be better? Salary cap dispensation for junior players to stay at the clubs.
IK: I'm not sure how it would even work. I'm very loyal to who you play for and where you come from and who invests in you, so I can understand clubs not wanting to let their best young talent go.
AB: They did try and do it. I don't think it will happen. I love speaking to other players about what goes on at different clubs, and you want people to go to a club because they hear good things or the girls all get along. I don't think girls get paid enough to make it happen, that's probably the answer.
WHAT'S THE IDEAL SCHEDULE FOR THE NRLW?
KD: I'd love to play everyone twice, and then have Origin in the middle period with bye rounds in there and then rep footy at the end of the year.
IK: I would love to play everyone twice, before we go fulltime.
AB: The season should be at the start of the year, we should have a break for Origin and then come back and play and finish with a Test. Maybe mid-year Test like we used to, depending on Origin. Even if we played each other one and a half times and build on that.
2024 Dally M Awards Rookie of the Year winner Kasey Reh. Picture: Jonathan Ng
WHO IS THE BEST YOUNG TALENT YOU'VE SEEN?
KD: Kasey Reh, she's a very talked about rookie but for good reason. She's so good.
IK: I'm liking a few of the Warriors girls at the moment. The centre, I came up against her, Tysha Ikenasio, she's still new to the game and learning the but she's very good. She played really well last week against the Dogs.
AB: Shalom Sauaso is the first girl to come out of our academy and play NRLW, she's about to start at lock on the weekend. It's been a pretty big rise, she's scored a couple of tries and played many codes. I know a lot of clubs will be lining up, if not, lots of sports.
WHAT DO YOU WANT TO DO WITH YOUR POST-PLAYING CAREER?
KD: I just want to stay involved in footy, hopefully coaching, but maybe recruitment.
IK: I am very passionate about mental health and wellbeing and I do a bit of that now with the younger ones. I also love one-on-one coaching, mentoring.
AB: I'm in the mix of trying lots of things now, radio, coaching and commentary. I want to dabble in a few things to see what I like before I finish. I want to see what I enjoy. I need to figure out what I want to do.
Pamela Whaley
Staff writer
Pamela Whaley is a Sydney-based sports journalist with more than a decade of experience in the industry. Starting out as a cadet at The Daily Advertiser in Wagga Wagga, Pamela moved to Sydney in 2014 and began writing features and news for the NRL's magazine, Big League. She has since worked at Fox Sports as a managing editor of digital NRL content and with Australian Associated Press as a sports journalist, covering A-League, cricket and NRL. She grew up playing soccer, touch football and netball but her true passion lies in storytelling, particularly involving rugby league.
@pamelawhaley
Pamela Whaley