Dibb grabs late Knights lifeline: “I wasn’t going to quit that easy”

Like so many in the delayed 2021 NRL Women’s Premiership this year, Kirra Dibb is just happy to be back playing. Unlike many, however, there was a long stint around Christmas where Dibb thought she’d missed out on a spot entirely.

Dibb played in 2019 and 2020, first with the Roosters and then the Warriors.

The 24-year-old was left adrift ahead of the competition’s fourth season though, after New Zealand’s women’s team folded. The withdrawal stunned their signed-up playing roster—Dibb included—especially after most NRLW teams had already built their 2021 (now 2022) lineups. Dibb immediately set about trying to find a new club, with little luck.

“Last year was a challenge for me mentally with everything and the prolonged time for me to get a contract. It’s incredibly competitive. If anything, it’s almost a really cool thing to see, that it is competitive and that no one is safe, as much as it was a hard thing to face,” she said.

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The Knights approached Dibb two months ago though and tabled an NRLW contract for the Australian representative. The Sporting Base expects the new Newy signing will slot into the six jumper.

“It wasn’t until around Christmas that things started to look positive, that something was actually going to land for me. To an extent, it was a little bit of relief [to get a contract] but I’m very passionate about the game and I love it.

“I wasn’t going to quit that easy,” the former Blues five-eighth said. “I’m just very grateful the Knights gave me the opportunity, and I had such an incredible support network throughout the period.”

Dibb enjoyed a rapid rise in 2019 while playing for the North Sydney Bears. She earned herself a Blues jersey and played in their 14–4 victory over Queensland. Soon after, the Kincumber junior ran out for the Prime Minister’s XIII in their win over Fiji, the Aussie 9s at the World Cup, and then finally the Jillaroos in a victory against New Zealand at the end of the year.

Things simmered down in 2020 and 2021 for the young star, however.

Now, as she returns to the NRLW, she’s just taking things as they come. Dibb admits she has “no expectations, deliberately” about slotting straight into the Knights starting lineup when week one rolls around on Sunday, Feb. 27.

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“Absolutely loving it so far,” she said. “I grew up on the Central Coast so [this is] as close as I could get this is my local team. When the opportunity came up I jumped at it. I’m loving the team that the Knights have already built before I joined.

“I’m really keen to see what we can do,” she added.

The Knights NRLW squad starts life in the national competition this Sunday. They welcome all five other teams (but will only play the Eels) to McDonald Jones Stadium in a festival day for week one.

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