![State of Origin rivals Ali Brigginshaw and Jesse Southwell will be key figures in Sunday's semi-final. State of Origin rivals Ali Brigginshaw and Jesse Southwell will be key figures in Sunday's semi-final.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/AFKkRPHwQbXhqFfb42nFTx/df0aa6bc-bda7-42f4-864e-d3bfe84990c9.jpg/r0_0_2571_1554_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
IT IS the master versus the apprentice.
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Experienced Broncos halfback Ali Brigginshaw up against her likely Jillaroos successor, Knights dynamo Jesse Southwell.
The battle of the two No.7s at McDonald Jones Stadium on Sunday makes for a fascinating subplot to the do-or-die NRLW semi-final.
No less than a place in next week's grand final is on the line.
Brigginshaw and Southwell are separated by an age gap of about 15 years.
The Broncos halfback is 33, and nearing the end of what has been a long and accomplished career.
Southwell only turned 18 this year, but proved last season her age was no barrier to success as she steered the Knights to a maiden title.
"Wonderful player Ali and has been for a long period of time, but if you look at Jesse - I don't think anyone intimidates her," Knights coach Ronald Griffiths said.
"No doubt she respects [Ali], we respect every player that we play against, but Jesse is a carefree spirit who loves the game. That goes a long way towards her being able to put a great performance out there each week."
Brigginshaw has played for the Broncos since the NRLW started in 2018. She's made 32 appearances and led the club to three consecutive titles over 2018-20.
This season, she's played all nine games, scored five tries, set up five more, kicked 30 goals at a 62.5 per cent success rate and forced seven goal-line drop outs.
Southwell has made 16 career appearances and hasn't missed a game in two seasons.
She's backed up her 2022 Dally M rookie of the year campaign by setting up six tries and scoring four this season. She's also kicked 26 goals at 70.3 per cent and forced four drop outs.
The teenager has worked hard to improve her game.
"Tuesday night I walked into the video room and she's in there with a notebook, watching the opposition and writing notes on each of their players, where she thinks she can pick teams apart," Griffiths said.
"We just give her some different ideas on what we think will help her develop, and then she sets about doing things herself."
It's not the first time the two halfbacks have faced off.
In Southwell's NRLW debut, the Knights won 32-14 in last year's season-opener, while in round five this campaign she kicked a match-winning conversion on full-time to secure a 22-20 victory.
Brigginshaw is the incumbent Australian halfback, but Southwell shapes as a halves option for the upcoming Pacific Championships after debuting for NSW this year.
Jillaroos coach Brad Donald is sure to be watching Sunday's final closely.
Brigginshaw was Australia's main No.7 at last year's World Cup, and was player of the match in the side's 54-4 win over New Zealand in the final.
Also part of the 2013 and 2017 Cup triumphs, she vowed after last year's tournament to target the 2025 World Cup, but this has since been moved to 2026.
Southwell missed selection in the 2022 World Cup squad despite her breakout NRLW campaign, which came after she won a gold medal playing rugby sevens at the Commonwealth Games, but she did make her NSW Origin debut this year.
She played both games in the halves, while Brigginshaw was at lock for the Maroons.
Queensland won the opener before NSW hit back in game two, but the Maroons won the Origin shield on points aggregate.