Women's SL Round Up

[RayCee]

I put together a summary of the season. For any in the know about the women's season, please let me have your opinion. 

https://rugbyl.blogspot.com/2021/10/womens-sl-season-2021.html

I was a bit slow getting it out but will do better for the knock out series. 

[unapologetic pedant]

On 10/10/2021 at 01:03, RayCee said:

I put together a summary of the season. For any in the know about the women's season, please let me have your opinion. 

https://rugbyl.blogspot.com/2021/10/womens-sl-season-2021.html

I was a bit slow getting it out but will do better for the knock out series. 

Before the RFL decide to retain a 10-team competition with the same format for next year, I imagine they will want to assess any moves made by the clubs.

A full round robin, followed by split into 2 groups of 5, then semis and GF, means a maximum of 15 games, minimum of 13.

If that`s what they stick with, I wouldn`t get worried about some lop-sided scores in the first part of the season. Those games allow the better teams to open up and hone their attacking game while the losing teams can still gain from the experience if they have the right attitude, which generally is the case in women`s RL. I saw video of a few Wakefield games this year, and they provided plenty to admire despite the heavy defeats.

Will any bottom 5 WSL clubs emulate York and recruit heavily in a bid to challenge for top 5?

Will any clubs outside WSL seek promotion? The Championship GF was between Leigh Miners and Barrow. Both teams looked roughly about the standard of Wakefield.

Could either Hull FC or Hull KR transform their current squads to give Humberside a WSL presence?

Salford announced yesterday the launch of a women`s team, though with no indication of which division they are aiming to play in.

And further in relation to geographic reach, there`s the prospect of Cardiff Demons joining WSL North. If they are capable of competing at a higher level, there`s little value in the Demons again putting 80-100 points on the Golden Ferns and Cornish Rebels in the Western Conference of WSL South.

[RayCee]

On 12/10/2021 at 14:49, unapologetic pedant said:

Before the RFL decide to retain a 10-team competition with the same format for next year, I imagine they will want to assess any moves made by the clubs.

A full round robin, followed by split into 2 groups of 5, then semis and GF, means a maximum of 15 games, minimum of 13.

If that`s what they stick with, I wouldn`t get worried about some lop-sided scores in the first part of the season. Those games allow the better teams to open up and hone their attacking game while the losing teams can still gain from the experience if they have the right attitude, which generally is the case in women`s RL. I saw video of a few Wakefield games this year, and they provided plenty to admire despite the heavy defeats.

Will any bottom 5 WSL clubs emulate York and recruit heavily in a bid to challenge for top 5?

Will any clubs outside WSL seek promotion? The Championship GF was between Leigh Miners and Barrow. Both teams looked roughly about the standard of Wakefield.

Could either Hull FC or Hull KR transform their current squads to give Humberside a WSL presence?

Salford announced yesterday the launch of a women`s team, though with no indication of which division they are aiming to play in.

And further in relation to geographic reach, there`s the prospect of Cardiff Demons joining WSL North. If they are capable of competing at a higher level, there`s little value in the Demons again putting 80-100 points on the Golden Ferns and Cornish Rebels in the Western Conference of WSL South.

Excellent summary UP.  I learned quite a bit more about something I'm trying to play catch up with.

[unapologetic pedant]

On 12/10/2021 at 02:49, unapologetic pedant said:

Will any bottom 5 WSL clubs emulate York and recruit heavily in a bid to challenge for top 5?

A story yesterday that Huddersfield have signed England international Shona Hoyle from Cas. With a personal sponsor lined up to go with the announcement.

[Swansea Jack]

I really enjoyed the Women's Final. An excellent game in a good atmosphere and crowd. Th joy and emotion at the end was good to see. 

 

I will be supporting the Cardiff devils next season. And of course the Raiders.

[RayCee]

I've done two more articles about the women's game in the UK which will wrap up the season.

https://rugbyl.blogspot.com/2021/10/womens-finals-round-up-2021.html

https://rugbyl.blogspot.com/2021/10/womens-uk-rugby-league-history.html

 

[RayCee]

11 hours ago, Swansea Jack said:

I really enjoyed the Women's Final. An excellent game in a good atmosphere and crowd. Th joy and emotion at the end was good to see. 

 

I will be supporting the Cardiff devils next season. And of course the Raiders.

The Cardiff team won a fine final against the army IIRC. I did watch the highlights a while back. Cracking game.

[unapologetic pedant]

3 hours ago, RayCee said:

https://rugbyl.blogspot.com/2021/10/womens-uk-rugby-league-history.html

If you`re interested, I first started paying attention to women`s RL in 2017. I serendipitously happened upon an Aussie TV item about the Jillaroos/Kiwi Ferns test in Canberra. Back then, there wasn`t much info around. 

I remember a bit of coverage of Bradford`s successful season that year. Some of their best players were signed by Leeds for 2018, including Lois Forsell (now coach at Leeds). Bradford have never been as strong since, but they`ve remained competitive, similar to Cas battling away this year after they lost key players to York.

This is vital to sustainable progress. In women`s RL (most noticeable in NZ and France), there has been a tendency for teams to come and go. Club support isn`t necessarily reliable, so apparently stable ventures have collapsed when they lose a number of players (to injury, retirement, Rugger, work commitments, disenchantment). Those wishing to continue playing then have to start all over again somewhere else.

[RayCee]

5 hours ago, unapologetic pedant said:

If you`re interested, I first started paying attention to women`s RL in 2017. I serendipitously happened upon an Aussie TV item about the Jillaroos/Kiwi Ferns test in Canberra. Back then, there wasn`t much info around. 

I remember a bit of coverage of Bradford`s successful season that year. Some of their best players were signed by Leeds for 2018, including Lois Forsell (now coach at Leeds). Bradford have never been as strong since, but they`ve remained competitive, similar to Cas battling away this year after they lost key players to York.

This is vital to sustainable progress. In women`s RL (most noticeable in NZ and France), there has been a tendency for teams to come and go. Club support isn`t necessarily reliable, so apparently stable ventures have collapsed when they lose a number of players (to injury, retirement, Rugger, work commitments, disenchantment). Those wishing to continue playing then have to start all over again somewhere else.

I noticed Bradford won the treble in 2017 and then fell away sharply! I assumed there was a movement of players or retirements.

[BroncoFan]

Well done to Leeds Rhinos coach Lois Forsell for not making excuses because they never mentioned once that they had 8 top line players out injured and most of them England Internationals. 
Heard a rumour a former women of steel is joining the Rhinos for 2022.

[unapologetic pedant]

4 hours ago, BroncoFan said:

Well done to Leeds Rhinos coach Lois Forsell for not making excuses because they never mentioned once that they had 8 top line players out injured and most of them England Internationals. 
Heard a rumour a former women of steel is joining the Rhinos for 2022.

If that`s true, Cas have already lost Shona Hoyle, as mentioned up the page.

Hard to divine what the attitude of the club is to their women`s team. There`s possibly a shake-up on the cards in that part of the world. It`s a bit congested with Cas, Fev and Wakey all in WSL.

[RayCee]

There seems to be a fair amount of movement with players. Are the better ones looking to be in a more competitive team? Some sides are getting well beaten and I suppose that a good player in one of those sides may be tempted to take an offer from a winning club. 

[unapologetic pedant]

37 minutes ago, RayCee said:

There seems to be a fair amount of movement with players. Are the better ones looking to be in a more competitive team? Some sides are getting well beaten and I suppose that a good player in one of those sides may be tempted to take an offer from a winning club. 

If my previous post was a little cryptic, I`m assuming the player to whom @BroncoFan was alluding is Georgia Roche, who`s the main playmaker at Cas. This in addition to losing Shona Hoyle. Plus the coach and several key players to York earlier in the year. At this rate, there`s a danger Cas could be viewed by the rest of their squad as a sinking ship. Unless the club do something to signal the women`s team is a priority.

In Oz this year, Helensburgh Tigers open-age team left the Illawarra division to play in the NSWRL premiership. They were competitive, but only because they fielded two of the best players in the world in Kezie Apps and Jessica Sergis. It was announced yesterday that both had signed to Wests Tigers for next year. Doubtful now whether it`s wise for Helensburgh to continue in the top comp.

All this underlines my opening gambit that the RFL would do well to wait for the dust to settle on player movements before deciding on structures for next year.

[RBKnight]

6 hours ago, unapologetic pedant said:

If my previous post was a little cryptic, I`m assuming the player to whom @BroncoFan was alluding is Georgia Roche, who`s the main playmaker at Cas. This in addition to losing Shona Hoyle. Plus the coach and several key players to York earlier in the year. At this rate, there`s a danger Cas could be viewed by the rest of their squad as a sinking ship. Unless the club do something to signal the women`s team is a priority

TBH, the initial movement to York from Cas seemed to be fuelled by the feeling that the women's team was not being looked after very well.

[RayCee]

Very few have watched it. Just 450 so far.

[BroncoFan]

I’d love to see teams in the bottom half sign one or two Aussies/Kiwis to help them out. The NRLW doesn’t normally start until September so there is a window of opportunity there.

[BroncoFan]

2 hours ago, RayCee said:

Very few have watched it. Just 450 so far.

Leeds Rhinos were without Tara Moxon, Eloise Hayward, Shannon Lacey, Danielle Anderson, Amy Johnson, Ellie Oldroyd, Elycha Watson & Adoaha Akwiwu.

[Swansea Jack]

5 hours ago, RayCee said:

Very few have watched it. Just 450 so far.

I watched it live and enjoyed it,

[unapologetic pedant]

9 hours ago, BroncoFan said:

I’d love to see teams in the bottom half sign one or two Aussies/Kiwis to help them out. The NRLW doesn’t normally start until September so there is a window of opportunity there.

The NRLW is only a small part of the Australian women`s RL season. Most of the year the players are competing in State competitions. Same applies to regional premierships in NZ.

[RayCee]

21 hours ago, BroncoFan said:

Leeds Rhinos were without Tara Moxon, Eloise Hayward, Shannon Lacey, Danielle Anderson, Amy Johnson, Ellie Oldroyd, Elycha Watson & Adoaha Akwiwu.

Are you of the opinion that the grand final result could have been very different? I ask because from my admitted limited knowledge of squad details felt that Saints were the best team in Women's SL 2021. 

[unapologetic pedant]

Would be interested to see how others react to the following info. Posting here in the absence of a more appropriate thread.

A Leigh Miners Ladies and Girls Facebook post from earlier this month -

"We are very proud to announce that 5 of our players have been selected for the Sale Sharks Centre of Excellence as part of the Rugby Union England pathway".

Somehow this makes me feel very uncomfortable.

[RayCee]

5 hours ago, unapologetic pedant said:

Would be interested to see how others react to the following info. Posting here in the absence of a more appropriate thread.

A Leigh Miners Ladies and Girls Facebook post from earlier this month -

"We are very proud to announce that 5 of our players have been selected for the Sale Sharks Centre of Excellence as part of the Rugby Union England pathway".

Somehow this makes me feel very uncomfortable.

I don’t get the part about Leigh Minors being proud about possibly losing players to another code, unless they expect them to come back after benefiting from the experience.

 

[bird]

On 18/10/2021 at 17:19, RayCee said:

I don’t get the part about Leigh Minors being proud about possibly losing players to another code, unless they expect them to come back after benefiting from the experience.

 

They probably do expect to get them back. Unlike the mens game, RU and RL seasons are short, making dual coding practical. There's plenty of it at the moment.

[unapologetic pedant]

7 hours ago, bird said:

They probably do expect to get them back. Unlike the mens game, RU and RL seasons are short, making dual coding practical. There's plenty of it at the moment.

I would regard this as harmless back and forth movement between codes if I expected to see a RU club in the South make a similar announcement expressing pride that 5 of their players had been selected for the London Broncos Centre of Excellence as part of the England Rugby League pathway.

[unapologetic pedant]

In light of the news about Channel 4, if the broadcasts rate well, wonder if they could be tempted to add a few WSL games?

The advantage of making any decisions ad hoc is that they could see how the women`s season evolves, then judiciously select the fixtures.

My enthusiasm for men`s SL on C4 will remain curbed until I see it. Realistically, there`s no cause to think it will reach those demographics hitherto impervious to the BBC coverage.

WSL might attract fewer viewers, but in absolute terms more could have their perceptions altered and get hooked.