Upon her unveiling as the Brisbane Broncos co-captain, Ali Brigginshaw has issued a palpable message to those who have taken to social media in a series of vile attacks on players.
“My message is if you’re writing a comment, think about how it would affect your kids or your partner at home, because they’re the people it’s affecting,” Brigginshaw warned.
“I can cop most things and try not to read them, but when you go home and see your family upset that’s when it hits home.”
Maroons skipper Ali Brigginshaw has spoken against the vile social media abuse she received.Credit: Getty Images
This was the first chance Brigginshaw had taken to address the abuse she received following Queensland’s defeat in the women’s State of Origin series, with her wife revealing the family had received messages to “kill themselves”.
Incidents of threatening comments issued to New South Wales star Liam Wright and Newcastle winger James Schiller have followed, as Brigginshaw lamented “it does happen to every player”.
The 35-year-old revealed she removed herself from social media for five weeks following the attacks, claiming it was “probably the best five weeks I’ve had” and admitting she will likely do the same throughout the NRLW season.
“You can be flying and nothing will affect you, and then that day you wake up when things aren’t going your way it can really affect you,” Brigginshaw said.
“I didn’t expect to feel the way I did – I always see myself as quite a tough player and am able to cope with most challenge. But in the pressure and the moment I was in, it hit me hard.”
The Broncos will launch their campaign against Wests Tigers on July 5, for a season which promises to be the biggest in the competition’s history.
Television audiences increased to 143,000 viewers in the 2024 regular season, skyrocketing to 521,000 for finals. Roughly 2 million people tuned in for each State of Origin clash this year.
It has paved the way towards full-time professionalism, but exposed athletes to the vitriol which comes with larger audiences.
Brisbane’s cohort of rising stars, such as teenage dual-code gun Shalom Sauaso, will need to learn to navigate the scrutiny which comes with being in the spotlight, as Brigginshaw encouraged them to lean on their support networks, rather than “biting or fighting back”.
“I’m pretty sure Shalom doesn’t even run her Instagram account, probably for the protection of that, so there are young players who are going to need that protection,” she said.
“My message to those kids is spend time away from it.”
Speaking ahead of the Broncos trial against the Papua New Guinea Blossoming Orchids on June 22 at Suncorp Stadium, Brigginshaw said the emotion and pressure of losing the Origin series made the abuse more difficult to take, but stressed its presence had a motivating factor.
“In the end, I thought women’s rugby league has made it. We have those comments, and they’re never going to disappear, and we don’t want them to disappear because it means they’re talking about our game,” she said.
“That’s what we always wanted, I just think some people when they’re writing those comments, they forget we have families that read it, we have kids, and I think that’s who it affects the most.
“Social media is its own beast – we need it, but then it’s also terrible the next day.”
Brigginshaw’s stance – which came as Tamika Upton was revealed as her co-captain – comes in a week when the responsibilities of the media, and those with a platform to be heard, have been highlighted following Maroons coach Billy Slater’s pre-game press conference before game two of the men’s Origin series.
While the Queensland champion addressed the media the following day to apologise for drawing a link with past coach Paul Green, he found an ally in Queensland Reds coach and former Maroons winger Les Kiss.
“I think Billy showed the character he is, and I agree with him totally. It’s a privilege what you guys [the media] have, and the right people and the good people treat it the right way,” Kiss said.
“His words hit the mark, and it matters. Being able to handle comments and challenges is part of our life, we all have challenges, and when we talk about the mental space … I think Billy gave us a really timely and appropriate reminder to have care.”
