New women's rl website

[HaxbyKnight]

Too many 'experts' had written the Valkyrie off after a couple of bad results mid season when they were crippled by injuries and sickness. Lindsey Anfield hasn't made excuses, but just got on with her job of building them back up. Even today, there were at least 7 players unavailable for one reason or another, yet they were far too good for Leeds. Another big test at Wigan next week, but if they can come through that, second place is looking very achievable.

[HolmeKnight]

3 hours ago, HaxbyKnight said:

Too many 'experts' had written the Valkyrie off after a couple of bad results mid season when they were crippled by injuries and sickness. Lindsey Anfield hasn't made excuses, but just got on with her job of building them back up. Even today, there were at least 7 players unavailable for one reason or another, yet they were far too good for Leeds. Another big test at Wigan next week, but if they can come through that, second place is looking very achievable.

Second place will involve Valkyrie beating Wigan next week and Wigan beating Leeds in the final match. Tough ask but would be nice!

I thoroughly enjoyed watching Valks today. They made Leeds look very ordinary, though I acknowledge they too were without key players such as Enright, Beevers and Hoyle.

[unapologetic pedant]

Since the August break -

Wigan 82 Warrington 0

Warrington 0 St. Helens 98

Mitigating factors notwithstanding, these are not accidents. Warrington could have been more competitive in 2024. The club were not prepared to make the requisite commitment. 

[RigbyLuger]

Why didn't Warrington play their game at the stadium they control? Shabby way to treat the women's team.

[HolmeKnight]

29 minutes ago, RigbyLuger said:

Why didn't Warrington play their game at the stadium they control? Shabby way to treat the women's team.

I thought it would have been a curtain raiser to the men's game, also against Saints.

I'm also apprehensive about the venue for Wigan vs York tomorrow - Leigh Miners Rangers academy!  Any stand? Any cover? Robin Park may not be available but there's a great big stadium next door not in use to my knowledge. Is this not where Wigan women should be playing if they have aspirations to challenge the top clubs?

[unapologetic pedant]

16 hours ago, HolmeKnight said:

Robin Park may not be available but there's a great big stadium next door not in use to my knowledge. Is this not where Wigan women should be playing if they have aspirations to challenge the top clubs?

Apparently Wigan Athletic women are playing at the Brick Community Stadium today.

[unapologetic pedant]

WSL results -

Barrow 24 Huddersfield 4

Leeds 52 Featherstone 12

Both these games had interesting half-time score-lines -

Barrow 6 Huddersfield 4

Leeds 18 Featherstone 12

Especially Fev. Expect the Rhinos team talk would be quite interesting too.

[Richard de la Riviere]

3 hours ago, unapologetic pedant said:

WSL results -

Barrow 24 Huddersfield 4

Leeds 52 Featherstone 12

Both these games had interesting half-time score-lines -

Barrow 6 Huddersfield 4

Leeds 18 Featherstone 12

Especially Fev. Expect the Rhinos team talk would be quite interesting too.

Yeah Leeds missed a great chance to take their points difference past Wigan’s and well ahead of York’s. Could be crucial. 

[HolmeKnight]

On 07/09/2024 at 21:38, HolmeKnight said:

I thought it would have been a curtain raiser to the men's game, also against Saints.

I'm also apprehensive about the venue for Wigan vs York tomorrow - Leigh Miners Rangers academy!  Any stand? Any cover? Robin Park may not be available but there's a great big stadium next door not in use to my knowledge. Is this not where Wigan women should be playing if they have aspirations to challenge the top clubs?

I watched the Valkyrie beat Wigan today at Leigh Miners Rangers Academy "stadium". Absolutely delighted with the Valks' win which should ensure that we don't have to face Saints in the play-off semi.

However, my apprehension about the venue was confirmed. Standing on a grassy bank or behind the touchline along with others holding umbrellas or wearing waterproofs in the pouring rain is not the image that Super League should portray.

I'm nearly 75 and fortunately am still able to stand for 80+ minutes. Others are not so lucky and must surely have been put off attending in the knowledge that no cover or seats were available.

The ground and clubhouse are smart and attractive and ideal for the community game but the WSL is supposed to be the elite, the highest level in the country.

St Helens women play at the palatial TW Stadium, Leeds at the iconic Headingley and York at the smaller but well appointed LNER. Featherstone and Barrow use Championship stadiums and Warrington and Huddersfield, although in more modest surroundings, still have nice stands with seats, cover and good viewing.

I'm not particularly keen on Robin Park as the athletics track forms an unpleasant barrier but today's venue is a big step down even on that. 

Were Wigan Athletic ladies using the Brick Stadium? With respect, they are a lower division football club. If the Warriors women have real aspirations to challenge the top three to become national champions they should not be playing on what is really a glorified field.

It's time for Wigan to have some self respect and not undermine the integrity of the WSL competition. 

[RigbyLuger]

 

 

[unapologetic pedant]

21 hours ago, Richard de la Riviere said:

Yeah Leeds missed a great chance to take their points difference past Wigan’s and well ahead of York’s. Could be crucial. 

Just watched the highlights. Maybe we should just give credit to Fev. Their second try was top-drawer. Beautiful short ball put scorer Fran Copley through a gap. Think Tally Bryer is the name of the Fev half. Looks a real talent. Manufactured a clever chip-and-chase individual try against Barrow last week.

[gingerjon]

18 hours ago, HolmeKnight said:

Were Wigan Athletic ladies using the Brick Stadium?

They were. That's Lancashire County League (top division) which, assuming the northwest follows the same pattern as here, is tier 6.

(As an aside, I think you need to define your Wigan Athletic women's teams as, rather like Cardiff City for many years, there now appear to be two. One that is under the umbrella of the men's side of the same name, and one that didn't merge into it but kept the name anyway. The other Wigan also had a game at the weekend, not at the RL ground.)

[unapologetic pedant]

Been watching the first half of the Inter-Services Navy v RAF game from Friday.

Decent standard. RAF have a very tall back-rower. Could develop into a real weapon at a WSL club.

Some poor tackling technique. Too many high shots.

Without knowing anything of the players' backgrounds, I'm presuming most are relatively new to the game. Which, as is often the case, made the ruck hard to police. Several tackled players, after getting to their feet, would spend time setting themselves and having a good look around before placing the ball. 

Rulebook -

"Speed essential: The play-the-ball must be performed as quickly as possible. Any player who intentionally delays the bringing of the ball into play shall be penalised"

Are refs conversant with the above? The bloke yesterday did nothing in response to palpable delay. Thus making a rod for his own back. It's not credible to penalise markers for jumping the gun when the PTB is so laboured. Which results in unwarranted pressure on dummy-halves and stultified mess.

[BroncoFan]

Is the tall backrower Grace Burnett ?

Warrington have played her at prop all season as a battering ram but would be more effective on an edge.

 

[unapologetic pedant]

2 hours ago, BroncoFan said:

Is the tall backrower Grace Burnett ?

Warrington have played her at prop all season as a battering ram but would be more effective on an edge.

Just checked and the answer is yes. New name to me. Had her down as a lineout jumper, picked up from the RAF Union squad. I'll refine my appraisal to "Could develop into a real weapon at a top 4 WSL club".

Final score Navy 18 RAF 22. In addition to stoppages from high shots and ruck infringements, the game was repeatedly held up for injuries.

Plenty of good moments though. Alongside two or three occasions where the ref was either hit by brain fades or didn't know the rules.

[BroncoFan]

Only 21 is Grace and has a great physique for a backrower, at a stronger club I think she could develop into a top player.

[The Blues Ox]

I watched both of the RAF friendlies against Illingworth and Huddersfield U19's and I presume its the same girl who stood out in both of those games and was easily the best player for the RAF and clearly has a bit of something about her. Unfortunatley highlights from both those games were poor tackle tachnique and a lot of stoppages for injuries which I guess is understandable when some of the girls have not really played League before.

[unapologetic pedant]

On 15/09/2024 at 09:06, BroncoFan said:

Only 21 is Grace and has a great physique for a backrower, at a stronger club I think she could develop into a top player.

I think another Grace, namely Kemp, is the tallest in NRLW. Madison Mulhall is a possible rival.

Grace Kemp has this year worked out a more effective offload game by getting her hands above the contact area. Makes it difficult for defenders to legally wrap the ball up. Phil Gould said on commentary that when the ball is thus raised high, it ought to be susceptible to more-than-one-in-the-tackle stealing. Thankfully, he doesn't set the rules.

This technique could be utilized to great advantage by Grace Burnett at the top level of WSL. Important that support players are coached to be alert. Some of her offloads were spilled in RAF v Navy. Passes were fine, receivers had their mind on the next play. 

[unapologetic pedant]

Few thoughts on a couple of YouTube vids -

Army 52 Navy 0 at Craven Park.

Fairly routine for the Army. Navy's best chance of scoring came after Army spilled the ball. Clean pick-up, Navy potentially racing away. Unfortunately our youthful ref had instantly blown his whistle upon seeing the ball go to ground. Navy got the dubious consolation prize of a scrum feed. This type of intervention is a tell-tale sign of the urge to micromanage. Was by no means an isolated occurrence.

Footnote - Army beat RAF 32-0 at Wakefield today. Clearly a significant gap between them and the other two services.

Widnes 40 Swinton 6 at DCBL Stadium. 

Played "behind closed doors, due to circumstances beyond our control". Let's hope it was something sinister.

Bit difficult distinguishing between the teams with Swinton in darker blue these days. 

Game was reminiscent of Saints v Wigan. Widnes are a bigger side. Two or three would-be Vicky Whitfields whom we struggled to contain. Think I recognized the ref as the bald bloke who took charge of the 2018 Leeds/Cas CC final at Warrington. Wasn't impressed back then. Better now. More inclined to let the players get on with it. Perhaps the noodle-armed juvenile from Army v Navy might similarly learn to stop looking for things to call.

[The Blues Ox]

The League 1 playoffs should be pretty good and although Thatto have topped the league I just fancy Widnes to win it but they will have to get past Hull away from home first. The playoffs were not decided until the last game with Fryston just creeping in ahead of Swinton and Illingworth both running out of players. I know my local team Illingworth have used close to 40 players this season but have apparently had awful luck with injuries. Fryston on their day are capable of beating anyone although I have heard that Thatto have been messing them around trying to make it a late kick off which seems crazy especially since Thatto have known they would have a home playoff game for at least a couple of months now. Im tipping a Thatto V Widnes final and Widnes to dominate Thatto again like they did in the Cup final earlier in the season.

[The Blues Ox]

Well totally got that wrong. Hull managed to beat Widnes who have not really travelled well all season and Fryston went over and upset Thatto who once again despite topping the league comfortably, fail to do it in the playoffs.

[BroncoFan]

Yes big shock Fryston beating Thatto.

Hull Fc have young Evie Sexton who I think is a great prospect.

[The Blues Ox]

23 minutes ago, BroncoFan said:

Yes big shock Fryston beating Thatto.

Hull Fc have young Evie Sexton who I think is a great prospect.

This is what worries me about either of these teams going up. Hull is built around Evie Sexton and their young halfback who is also at York whos name escapes me. Both those players in my opinion will be in the York first team very shortly and you take both of them out of the Hull team and they will not do well in the Championship. Fryston are steady away and could end up taking a number of Fev players if Fev were to get relegated from SL but in their current form will also struggle in the Championship.

I think RU has played a big part in League 1 this season with Fryston and Hull the only teams in the top 6 that have not lost a lot of players to the start of the RU season.

[BroncoFan]

Ruby Ellis is the halfback I think.

[The Blues Ox]

1 hour ago, BroncoFan said:

Ruby Ellis is the halfback I think.

I think she might only be 16/17 but she is very, very good.