Ali Brigginshaw, captain of the Brisbane Broncos, faces a three-match suspension due to a dangerous tackle, significantly impacting her availability for the remainder of the NRLW home-and-away season.
The judiciary reviewed the tackle she executed on Canterbury's Tayla Preston during the Magic Round event held in Wagga Wagga.
Currently, the Broncos are leading the competition with a perfect 5-0 record; however, Brigginshaw will be sidelined until round 9, missing three crucial matches before the finals begin.
In the incident, as Preston attempted to move the ball away from her own goal line, Brigginshaw charged in, grabbing the Bulldogs player, spinning her around, lifting her, and then bringing her down onto her head.
Fortunately, Preston sustained no serious injuries, but Brigginshaw was nonetheless charged with a grade 3 dangerous throw.
Following the ruling, Brigginshaw expressed her gratitude to the judiciary for their consideration and reiterated her regret regarding the incident.
"I meant absolutely no malice in making the tackle, I apologised to Tayla post-match and have been in contact with her again since, she was accepting of my apology on both occasions," she shared.
"I'm looking forward to getting back on the field in a few weeks and finishing my playing career on a positive note."
At 36 years old, Brigginshaw is in her final NRLW season before retirement, and she has never missed a game since the league's start in 2018.