Aiken strengthens deadly Maroons one-two punch with Ali
Queensland five-eighth and Golden Boot winner Tarryn Aiken is the best female player in the world and credits her Origin halves liaison with Ali Brigginshaw.
Queensland playmaker Tarryn Aiken scaled every height in the game in 2024, and ahead of this yearâs State of Origin series, she is just glad to have reliable half Ali Brigginshaw beside her.
Instead of having to live up to the expectations after a golden year where she achieved everything in the game, Aiken can slot into a familiar liaison with her former Brisbane captain in the Origin series opener at Suncorp Stadium on Thursday night.
In 2024, Aiken won the State of Origin series and Pacific Cup for Australia alongside Brigginshaw in the halves. She also led the Sydney Roosters to premiership glory, was the player of the match and then was awarded the Golden Boot as the best international representative player in the world.
Aiken and Brigginshaw have played together in the halves in the past for Brisbane, Queensland and Australia with success.
The 25-year-old glides across the field and links with support with silky passes. On other occasions she plays direct and draws her opponent. She can put the foot down and accelerate through a gap and do it all herself.
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Brigginshaw, 35, steers the team with aplomb and plays the more game management role.
With electric fullback Tamika Upton and versatile Lauren Brown at hooker the Maroons have a spine to be reckoned with.
The partnership with Brigginshaw is one Aiken is comfortable with.
âWe know each otherâs strengths well and I think we just let each other play to our strengths,â Aiken said.
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âShe definitely organises and kicks us around the park and just sort of frees me and Meeks (Upton) up a lot to just do what we see in front of us and play our footy.
âWe have played a lot of footy together over the years, especially with Loz (Brown) and Meeks there as well, so weâre just building our combinations.â
Aiken is wary of relying on last yearâs heroics in a 2-1 Origin series win, and her own personal accomplishments, to rely on success this season.
âItâs been probably an unreal few years, especially last year, but I think the focus coming into this year is just wiping the slate clean,â she said.
âIâve taken everything Iâve learnt, but itâs a new year and a new series, and weâre pretty much just starting from scratch.â
The Maroons have named four debutants in their squad â Rory Owen, Jasmine Peters, Jada Ferguson and Tavarna Papalii.
âItâs really exciting. I think the young girls bring a lot of energy to the group and theyâre all really excited to be here and theyâve obviously got a good opportunity ahead,â Aiken said.
âI think itâs just about getting around them, making sure theyâre ready and itâs just a lot of excitement among the group.â
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